e, bare bulb cast long, dancing shadows on the stained walls. It smelled of stale cigarettes and mildew. Aliana had p

ht and brittle as she tucked the children int

s lower lip quivered. Only Zane seemed unaffected, his

t on full blast, the sound of rushing water covering the harsh, ragged sobs that she could no long

ket. The caller ID read: Oa

r mother, Arla Pruitt. Her monthly payment is overdue. The attending physician has ordered

ed on the phone. "How

s, ma'am. And the paym

ty thousand dollars. "I-I'll come in today,"

or. Her eyes were red-rimmed. Her dress was still torn. She

to the main room. The children were huddled together o

Her voice was steady now, the tears pushed down deep where they couldn't see them. "Zane,

les, Mama," Zan

slipped out the door, the weight of t

tared at the door for a long moment, his sm

an," he said,

m her teddy bear. "

ered, second-hand laptop he had built himself from discarded parts. "She ne

icorn blanket tighte

he keyboard. "The most powerful dad in the whole city. Someone wh

ters crowded behind him, watchin

e most powerful da

d for his four-year-old face. "We find the most powerful

opist. A flood of news articles and corporate profiles appeared. Zane scanned them, his eyes moving quickly from one headline to the next. He cross-referenced

sisters. A look of grim determination settled over his feat

top floor of the Hays Global Enterpris

his face unreadable. He stared at the report his exe

ugged Aliana to the hotel. Financial records of Jairo's failing

p a slow, steady rhythm on the

hammer blow to Mark's

g the locked doors, the three small childr

pping

lowed was more terri

said, his voice d

ir

t pulled. Every investor scared off. I want him to f

leave, desperate to escape

ar

roze.

is sh

t Motel, sir.

the most dangerous intersections in the city. "Keep eyes on that motel,"

s,