Chapter 1 - The Stitched SecretThe terminal hummed with the mechanical indifference of an international airport, but for Vance Vance—a man whose name commanded fear and respect across the corporate and underworld landscape—time had abruptly shattered.
His eyes were locked on five-year-old Owen, who clutched a worn-out brown teddy bear so tightly his knuckles were stark white. One ear had been crudely sewn back on with bright blue thread, a jarring imperfection against the matted fur.
"The Harrison file?" the voice on the secure satellite line repeated, tense and cautious. "Sir, that archive was sealed by federal order five years ago after the estate fire in Westchester. Nobody opens that file unless—"
"Unless I say so, Marcus," Vance interrupted, his voice dropping into that quiet, lethal register that made hardened executives tremble. "A woman just dumped two children at Gate 28, used an expedited corporate pass, and boarded a private charter bound for Zurich. But the boy is holding a bear with custom-reinforced paw stitching that matches my late brother's estate tailor."
A heavy silence hung on the line.
"Sir?" Marcus whispered.
May you like
"My brother David died in that fire five years ago," Vance continued, his jaw tightening. "Find out who that woman is, ground her flight before it clears domestic airspace, and clear the runway at Teterboro. We're going to have a conversation."
Vance ended the call, kneeling down beside the twins. Little Lily kept her grip firm on Owen’s wrist, her eyes sharp and devoid of childhood innocence.
