The question
Chapter 63: The Question
The city went into lockdown.
Not officially.
Not publicly.
Not in a way ordinary people would notice.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
There were no emergency broadcasts.
No roadblocks.
No sirens.
Chicago simply became Lorenzo Vitale's city in a way it never had before.
The betrayal.
The efficient-criminal-organization betrayal.
Undefeated.
By sunrise, every airport, train station, shipping yard, and private airfield connected to Lorenzo's network was being watched.
Every major hotel.
Every luxury apartment.
Every place a ghost might hide.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Unfortunately...
Ghosts were difficult to find.
A recurring problem.
A very recurring problem.
Amara sat alone in her office.
For once.
No Lorenzo.
No Victoria.
No captains.
No engineers having nervous breakdowns.
Just silence.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The symposium photograph rested on her desk.
Three children.
Three futures.
Three different answers.
The realization wouldn't leave her alone.
Dangerously.
The betrayal.
The philosophical-crisis betrayal.
Undefeated.
Her eyes settled on Daniel.
The serious expression.
The watchful eyes.
The absence of a smile.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then another memory surfaced.
Clearer than before.
The cafeteria.
Again.
The same table.
The same notebook.
The same boy.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Everyone deserves saving?"
Young Daniel's voice.
Curious.
Genuine.
Not mocking.
Not challenging.
Curious.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Yes."
Young Amara's answer.
Immediate.
Absolute.
Certain.
Then another question.
One she'd forgotten until now.
A question that made her stomach twist.
Dangerously.
"Even bad people?"
Silence.
The memory sharpened.
Young Amara had laughed.
Actually laughed.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Especially bad people."
The memory ended.
Abruptly.
Violently.
Leaving her staring at the photograph.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
A knock interrupted her thoughts.
Immediately.
The betrayal.
The interruption betrayal.
Undefeated.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Lorenzo entered.
Of course he did.
The man appeared whenever she needed him.
A deeply inconvenient habit.
Very inconvenient.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
He took one look at her face and sighed.
Immediately.
The universal sound of a man recognizing trouble.
"What."
Amara looked toward the photograph.
Then toward him.
Then back again.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Do you think everyone deserves saving?"
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Lorenzo blinked.
Once.
Slowly.
Because that was not the question he'd expected.
Not even remotely.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The king sat across from her.
Thinking.
Actually thinking.
A concerning development.
Very concerning.
Finally—
"No."
Silence.
Immediate silence.
The answer came easily.
Without hesitation.
Without mercy.
Naturally.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Amara wasn't surprised.
Not really.
The man ran a criminal empire.
The answer made sense.
"What about Romano?"
Lorenzo's expression softened slightly.
Just slightly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"He made choices."
A pause.
"He hurt people."
Another.
"He destroyed lives."
Silence.
The king folded his hands.
Carefully.
Thoughtfully.
Dangerously.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"I don't think everyone deserves saving."
A pause.
Then:
"But I think everyone deserves the chance."
Absolute silence.
Amara froze.
Immediately.
Because somehow...
That sounded familiar.
Very familiar.
The realization settled heavily inside her chest.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Before she could respond, Lorenzo's phone rang.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Business.
Danger.
The usual.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The king answered.
Listened.
Then stood.
Immediately.
Dangerously.
The surgeon recognized that expression.
A recurring problem.
A very recurring problem.
"What happened?"
Silence.
Lorenzo lowered the phone.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like it contained explosives.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then:
"We found him."
Absolute silence.
The room froze.
Immediately.
Amara stood so quickly her chair nearly tipped over.
Reasonably.
Very reasonably.
"What."
Lorenzo looked directly at her.
The king.
The protector.
The man who had spent weeks hunting ghosts.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"We found Daniel."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The world stopped.
Because after all the mystery.
After all the warnings.
After all the messages.
The ghost finally had a location.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Then Lorenzo finished speaking.
And suddenly everything became worse.
Much worse.
Because he said:
"He's already here."
The room froze.
Again.
A recurring problem.
Very recurring.
Amara's pulse accelerated.
Dangerously.
"Where?"
Silence.
Lorenzo looked down at his phone.
Then back at her.
The answer came quietly.
Carefully.
Terrifyingly.
"Queen Medical Center."
Absolute silence.
Because while everyone had been looking for Daniel...
Daniel had apparently already found them.
End Chapter 63: