(Winona)I zip up my duffel bag, tossing in the last few pieces of jewelry, cash, and anything of value I can scrounge up from home and the office safe. My mind is racing, heart pounding, as I move in autopilot—getting everything ready to leave for Cancun.Getting everything ready to save Cass.But all I can think about is Jayden. The look on his face when he realizes I’m gone. How do I justify this? How do I explain why I’ve left, why I’m keeping him out of the most important thing happening in our lives?I can’t. This is wrong. I want him to know the truth.I grab the burner phone I picked up on the way back, with a new SIM card. Clearly Gus already knows something because he has a chopper ready and waiting. How? If Gus knows then surely I can be honest with Jayden.He has a right to know. We’ve spent too much time hiding things, avoiding the hard conversations. I owe him this.I reach for a pen and paper, my hand shaky as I write the note.JaydenBy the time you read this, I’ll
(Winona)The hum of the helicopter blades above is relentless. I look out the window at the views beneath me, but I can’t enjoy any of it. My mind spins, from everything Gus said. Jayden might be the real target.The first stop is coming up soon. I have to change helicopters, according to the pilot, something Gus arranged. But the stops, the precautions, only makes me more anxious. What’s really going on here?My mind drifts back to what Gus told me. Jayden might be the real target. Cass is just bait. I’m bait. Maybe part of a bigger plan to lure Jayden.But why?I try to make sense of it, piecing together the scattered puzzle Gus has laid out in front of me. If Cass was taken to lure me and then me to lure Jayden, then her being in Cancun at all can’t be a coincidence.And if Jayden is their real target, why go through so much trouble to get him to South America? Just get him to go there and grab him. Grab him from anywhere. It doesn’t make sense. Maybe Cass is really just a victim
(Jayden)I stand at the altar, my hands clenched into tight fists, trying to keep my cool as time ticks by. She’s late. But Lisa said that Winona said she needed some time alone.No big deal.I shift on my feet, adjusting my tie for the hundredth time as I glance at the door and back at Lisa.It’s been almost thirty minutes.Still no sign of her.I force myself to breathe slowly. She’ll be here. We’ve been through hell and back to get to this day, and I know Winona. She loves me. There’s no doubt in my mind about that.So, I wait, forcing the nervous energy coursing through my veins to settle down.But as each second passes, the tension in the room thickens. People are whispering now, shifting in their seats. Anne gives me a reassuring smile from the other side, and I nod, trying to stay calm.But where the hell is she?“Bro…this isn’t looking good,” Lance whispers.“Shut up. She’ll be here. Unless you know something I don’t?”He holds up his hands in protest and steps back. “No, I do
(Jayden)I don’t want to believe that, but I can’t rule it out either. But running away?No, she would come and tell me. “I’ll go talk to everyone and get the kids home with Anne. We’ll postpone. Right now, I need to find her and talk to her.”I find Abby sitting with Sarah and Bobby at the table we’re supposed to sign our marriage license on. She looks up at me with those big, innocent eyes, completely unaware of the chaos swirling around her.“Where’s Mommy?”“Hey, sweetheart,” I say, crouching down next to her. “Can I talk to you for a second? To all three of you.”She nods, setting her crayons down. “What is it, Daddy?”I take a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “Mommy isn’t here. We can’t get married today, okay?”“But where is she?” Abby says, her eyes shining.“I think Mommy needed a little holiday, but she’ll be back and we’ll get married then.”Bobby and Sarah don’t say anything. “You know she loves you two, don’t you?”Sarah nods. “She told me before we came down.
(Winona)The helicopter blades beat above me as I jump out of the chopper. My heart pounds in sync with the relentless thrum. Gus is standing there, waiting for me, his face stone cold.The same damn unreadable expression he always wears.My mind is a mess. I keep thinking about Jayden. I’ve walked out on him on our wedding day. But this? Gus has a lot to answer for and I don’t care what he says. He will help me get Cass out and then he can go back to wherever he came from and leave us alone.“Gus,” I start, stepping up to him, my voice sharp, cutting through the noise of the blades. “You knew this was about Jayden from the start, didn’t you?”He doesn’t even flinch. “No. But now I know they are after Jayden to get to me.”“Goddamn it.” I throw my hands up. “So, Cass was taken just to get to me, and I was supposed to lure Jayden right into a trap, is that it? This whole thing is because of you and whatever it is you’re involved in!”His eyes flicker with darkness, but he doesn’t say
(Jayden)The hospital lights are harsh, sterile, and the hum of machines fills the air. It’s become background noise to me at this point. I sit in the chair next to Henry’s isolation room, staring at him through the glass.His tiny body is hooked up to so many tubes and wires that it makes my heart ache just to look at him. I wish I could touch him. Feel his tiny hand grip my finger.The nurse said they’ve identified the virus, started him on antivirals. But it was still touch and go, and Henry is still in isolation.All I can do is sit here and wait, feeling completely useless about everything. Winona included.“Jayden?” The doctor’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I look up, trying to focus.“Doctor, I didn’t expect to see you here so late.”“I’m afraid Henry isn’t the only infant with this virus now. It’s been a very long day.”“Mine too. Do you know where the virus came from?”“Not exactly, that’s why isolation still stands. But we’ll track it down eventually.”“How is he re
(Winona)I pull the GPS tracker out of my bag, the tiny device feeling foreign in my palm. I tie it into my hair, tucking it into the tight bun I’ve secured high on my head.My fingers tremble as I make sure it’s hidden.I have a lifeline, but that doesn’t make me feel any less on edge.I don’t know how long Jayden will take to get here, but I’m using every minute to get prepared. My mind keeps circling back to everything that’s happened. I left him.He stood at the altar, humiliated in front of everyone—our family, our friends. The children. Our children.I push the guilt down as best as I can, but it sits heavy on my chest like a weight I can’t shake. I made that choice, and I had no other. I had to leave. For Cass.Gus drove us to this nearby camp—an odd place, not quite a hotel, but functional enough. There’s a kitchen, a bathroom, and some food. I’ve showered and put on layers of warm clothes, thinking ahead for when I find Cass.She might need them more than me.I slip a small n
(Winona)“Good question,” I say. “Let’s ask Gus.”I motion for Gus to come in, and he steps into the room, the tension between him and Jayden feels like it could explode at any moment.“Jayden raised a good point. How will you know when I’m with Cass?” I ask him.“There’s a button to press on the GPS,” Gus explains. “It’ll send us an alarm. Then we’ll know you are with her, and we can proceed getting you two out of there. If I can get a chopper in Mexico to get you both, I will.”“What if you can’t?”“We’ll get you to a more public place by road.”“That’s it?” Jayden says, glaring at Gus. “What if that doesn’t work? What if Cass is injured and can’t move?”“We’ll have people on the ground following, remember we will be tracking you. All you need to do is press that button once you are with Cass and you can both move together safely.” Gus replies calmly.“How do I know who to trust?” I ask, my heart racing.“They’ll show you a symbol,” Gus says, pulling out his phone to show me an imag