If you come near these children again, I will call the police, Adrian, Maya whispered, her hands trembling as she pulled the double stroller back.
The information from Brody’s office about Maya’s last known address in Pilsen felt like a ticking clock in my head. Agent Cruz had promised to send a federal response team, but even with the speed of government, I knew Julian operated faster. My gut screamed.
I was right. My phone buzzed with an anonymous tip, a grainy photo of a street corner in Pilsen, a cluster of official-looking vehicles, and a distinctive unmarked black van.
Julian had found out about the offshore funds. He was retaliating.
“He’s moving on Maya,” I told Cruz, my voice tight with urgency. “Right now. Pilsen. He’s trying to abduct them.”
“We’re mobilizing, Moretti,” Cruz said, “but we need to ensure federal jurisdiction first. Give us a few minutes.”
A few minutes was all Julian needed.
I sped through the city, blowing through red lights, the image of Maya’s fragile health and my children’s vulnerability burning in my mind. When I reached the address, chaos had already erupted.
Corrupt city marshals, their uniforms crisp but their faces hardened, were already dragging furniture out onto the sidewalk. Three Moretti syndicate enforcers, hulking figures in dark suits, were attempting to physically force Maya and the terrified triplets towards the unmarked black van.
Maya was struggling, screaming, her voice hoarse, her face streaked with tears. She clutched Clara and Noah in a desperate embrace, while Leo, a small, fierce protector, tried to kick one of the enforcers, his grey eyes flashing with fury.
“You can’t do this!” Maya cried, her chest heaving, clearly already gasping for air. “This is illegal! I haven’t done anything!”
One of the marshals, a burly man with a crooked nose, waved a crumpled document. “Eviction order, lady! Property seized for code violations. You and your brats are coming with us. Special relocation services.”
He grabbed Leo by the arm, yanking him away from Maya. Leo screamed, a piercing sound that tore through me. My blood ran cold. This wasn’t about an eviction; it was an abduction. They were forcing her into a secluded syndicate compound in rural Indiana, a place completely off the grid, beyond any legal reach.
I slammed on the brakes, the tires squealing. I was alone, without backup, but I couldn’t wait. The sight of my son being dragged away, Maya collapsing, was too much. I threw open the car door, adrenaline coursing through me.
“Leave them alone!” I roared, my voice raw with fury.
All heads snapped towards me. The enforcers, the marshals, and then Maya. Her eyes widened, not with relief, but with utter shock and disbelief, still believing I was the one who had ordered her exile.
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