CHAPTER 6 — THE MAN WHO FELL FROM THE SKY
Twenty-eight minutes later...
Residents of Malibu looked toward the stormy night sky.
A military transport aircraft flew unusually low over the Pacific coastline.
No navigation lights.
No markings.
Just thunder.
Inside...
Marcus Mercer calmly tightened the straps on a parachute.
The pilot stared.
"You're serious?"
Marcus checked his watch.
"My daughter has been waiting long enough."
"The drop zone isn't safe."
Marcus smiled without humor.
"It isn't supposed to be."
The rear cargo door slowly opened.
Violent wind filled the cabin.
Rain whipped across the metal floor.
One of Viktor's men handed Marcus a pistol.
Marcus pushed it back.
"No."
The man looked confused.
"You'll need a weapon."
Marcus reached beneath his jacket.
He removed an old silver pocket watch.
Inside...
A photograph.
Seven-year-old Lily smiling with missing front teeth after losing her first tooth.
He kissed the photo once.
Then closed the watch.
"My weapon..."
"...is that they touched my daughter."
Without another word...
Marcus stepped into the darkness.
He disappeared into the storm.
At the same moment...
The auction reached its climax.
"Current bid..."
"Two hundred fifty million dollars."
Adrian raised his hand.
"Any higher?"
A new voice interrupted.
"Five hundred million."
Everyone turned.
The doors slowly opened.
A man wearing a black mask entered alone.
No bodyguards.
No introduction.
He placed a small black case onto the table.
Inside...
Five hundred million dollars' worth of bearer bonds.
Adrian smiled.
"You must really want the girl."
The masked man removed one leather glove.
On his wrist...
A tattoo.
Samuel's eyes widened in horror.
He recognized it immediately.
Marcus had once sworn that every man carrying that symbol had died years ago.
Yet here stood one.
Alive.
The masked bidder looked directly at Lily.
Then quietly said...
"I've been searching for you since the day you were born."
Lily's heart pounded.
Samuel whispered only two words.
"Oh... God."
Before anyone could react—
The ceiling exploded.
Concrete rained down.
Lights shattered.
The room plunged into chaos.
And through the smoke...
A single figure landed from above.
Rain-soaked.
Covered in dust.
Alive.
Marcus Mercer had fallen through the roof.
He slowly stood, his eyes locked on Adrian Black.
May you like
Then he spoke one sentence that froze every person in the room.
"The auction is over... Now the funeral begins."
