CHAPTER 7 – “The Father Everyone Thought Was Dead”
The prison gates groaned open.
Every guard on duty turned toward the entrance.
Walking through the smoke was a man with silver streaks in his hair, deep scars across his face, and a leather folder chained to his wrist.
Daniel Carter.
The investigator who had supposedly died twelve years ago.
Blackwell’s voice shook for the first time.
“Impossible…”
“I buried you.”
Daniel stopped walking.
“No.”
“You buried another man.”
The prison fell silent.
Even the riot seemed to pause.
The Kid stared at the stranger, his eyes filling with tears.
He remembered those eyes.
The same calm gaze that had tucked him into bed every night.
The same voice that had promised…
"No matter what happens, I'll always find my way back to you."
“Dad…”
The word escaped before he could stop it.
Daniel looked toward the arena.
For a moment, the hardened investigator disappeared.
A father stood in his place.
“My son…”
But before either of them could move…
Blackwell pulled a pistol.
“One more step,” he growled, “and he dies.”
The gun pointed directly at the Kid’s head.
Titan stepped forward.
“So shoot him.”
Blackwell smirked.
“You think I won’t?”
Titan shook his head.
“No.”
“I think you can’t.”
Then Titan turned toward the hundreds of inmates surrounding the cage.
“They lied to all of us.”
“They used us.”
“They murdered anyone who spoke the truth.”
One prisoner dropped his weapon.
Then another.
Then another.
Until every inmate stood behind the Kid.
Not because they wanted freedom.
Because they wanted justice.
Blackwell suddenly realized something terrifying.
He still had guards.
May you like
But the Kid…
Had an army.
