Chapter 9 - The Dog Tag
Shaw reached for Ethan’s neck.
Daniel moved.
Fast.
He slammed into Brenner.
The laser disappeared from Ethan’s chest.
A shot cracked from somewhere above.
Daniel rolled behind a steel column.
Brenner fired back.
Ethan screamed.
Shaw grabbed the dog tag and ran.
Daniel kicked Brenner’s knee.
The officer crashed to the ground.
“Where is the shooter?”
Brenner laughed.
“Everywhere.”
Daniel punched him.
“Where?”
Brenner spat blood.
“Roof.”
Daniel grabbed Ethan’s chair and dragged him behind cover.
“Hold still.”
He cut the ropes with a piece of broken metal.
Ethan rubbed his wrists.
“He took it.”
“I know.”
“My dad told me never to let anybody have it.”
Daniel looked toward the exit.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Ethan.”
“I swear.”
Daniel believed him.
A bullet struck the steel column.
“Move!”
They ran.
Through a side hallway.
Down a stairwell.
Into the loading area.
Shaw’s SUV roared to life outside.
Daniel pushed Ethan behind a concrete barrier.
“Stay here.”
“No!”
“Ethan.”
“You said you wouldn’t leave!”
Daniel stopped.
The fear in the boy’s face hit him hard.
“I’m not leaving.”
He crouched.
“I’m getting us out.”
Another shot shattered a window.
Daniel grabbed Ethan and ran toward the back exit.
They burst into the alley.
Carol’s old Buick screeched around the corner.
Daniel stared.
Carol leaned across and threw open the passenger door.
“Get in!”
Daniel shoved Ethan inside.
“What are you doing here?”
“Saving your stubborn ass.”
They sped away.
Behind them, Shaw’s SUV disappeared in the opposite direction.
Ethan stared out the window.
Then slowly reached inside his sneaker.
He pulled out a tiny metal object.
Daniel stared.
“What is that?”
Ethan swallowed.
“The real key.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You gave Shaw a fake?”
Ethan nodded.
“My dad told me if bad men ever came, give them the necklace.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“Smart kid.”
But Ethan wasn’t smiling.
“He also told me something else.”
“What?”
“If I ever found you…”
Ethan’s eyes filled with tears.
“…I was supposed to ask why you killed my mother.”
Daniel’s face went completely still.
Carol nearly missed the next red light.
“What?”
Daniel looked at Ethan.
“I never met your mother.”
Ethan held his gaze.
“My dad said you did.”
The next chapters are on the left side of your screen.
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