Chapter 8 - The Stolen Child
The operation began at 2:00 a.m.
Under the cover of a freezing Chicago blizzard, an elite team of federal agents and Callahan security operatives surrounded Arthur Sterling’s sprawling waterfront estate in Lake Forest.
Ethan insisted that Lily and I remain safely locked inside the panic room of the Winnetka estate, guarded by Marcus and four armed tactical officers. But staring at the live-feed security monitors from inside the reinforced steel room, I couldn't sit still.
On screen one, federal agents breached Sterling’s front gates, flashbangs lighting up the snowy courtyard in blinding white bursts.
On screen two, Marcus monitored the perimeter.
Suddenly, Marcus’s radio crackled to life with a frantic shout from one of the patrol guards stationed near the estate's private boat docks.
"Boss! Sterling’s head of security is attempting to flee by private speedboat! And he’s got a hostage—he’s dragging a civilian with him!"
Ethan’s voice boomed over the secure comms channel from the Lake Forest raid site. "Identify the hostage!"
A pause. Then the guard’s voice came back, breathless and horrified. "It’s Caleb Callahan, boss! They’re dragging him toward the pier!"
My breath caught in my throat. They had Caleb. He was alive.
But before I could exhale, screen three—the interior camera monitoring the secure nursery back at our Winnetka estate—flickered.
The heavy oak door of the nursery silently clicked open.
My blood ran instantly cold.
A masked figure slipped into the dimly lit room, moving with terrifying stealth toward the white oak crib where Lily was sleeping.
"Marcus!" I screamed, pointing at the monitor. "Look at camera three! Someone is in the nursery!"
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Marcus spun around, staring at the screen just as the intruder reached into the crib and scooped a crying Lily up into his arms.
"Lock down the estate!" Marcus roared into his comms, drawing his weapon and sprinting toward the stairs. "Someone breached the inner panic wing!"
