Chapter 14 - The Jet on the Runway
Natalie pulled herself onto the stairs as the jet accelerated.
Wind tore at her uniform.
Michael kicked at her hands.
Ashley grabbed his leg.
He lost balance.
Natalie climbed inside and forced the emergency door open wider.
The pilot aborted takeoff.
The jet skidded across the wet runway.
Michael seized Ashley and held a knife near her throat.
“Back away.”
Natalie lowered her weapon.
Ashley was crying, but she looked at Natalie carefully.
Natalie had taught her one signal.
Blink twice if you understand me.
Ashley blinked twice.
Natalie dropped her flashlight.
The sound distracted Michael.
Ashley stomped on his foot and ducked.
Natalie fired into his shoulder.
He fell.
Mercer tried to escape across the runway.
Ortiz tackled him near the hangar.
Evelyn was rescued.
Andrew arrived in an ambulance, still weak but alive.
Sarah climbed onto the jet and gathered Ashley into her arms.
For one moment, Ashley allowed it.
Then she reached for Andrew too.
The three held one another.
Michael survived and was arrested.
Judge Price attempted to leave the country that night.
Federal agents stopped him at the border.
Claire agreed to testify in exchange for a reduced sentence.
The network began collapsing.
But one mystery remained.
The page Andrew had removed from the Mercy file had not been found.
Andrew finally admitted he hid it inside Ashley’s stuffed puppy.
Natalie opened a secret seam.
Inside was a list of every child moved through the adoption network.
One name was marked ACTIVE.
EMMA REED.
Natalie stared at it.
She and Evan had never heard that name.
Evan looked at the birth date.
May you like
“She’s our sister.”
👉 Natalie had found her brother, but the final page revealed another sibling had been hidden from their family.
