Chapter 6 - The Blood TestFor nearly a minute, nobody spoke.
Sebastián looked at Valeria.
She had gone completely white.
"What does that mean?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
"You know something."
"I don't."
"You recognized the picture."
"No."
"You did."
Valeria turned away.
Mercer stepped between them.
"Stop."
Sebastián ignored him.
"You said the baby was mine."
"I said you're the father."
"That's not the same thing."
Valeria closed her eyes.
Sebastián felt the room shrinking around him.
"Tell me."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because if I tell you, they will kill you."
"Who?"
She looked at him.
"Your father."
Suddenly, the old speaker activated again.
His father's voice returned.
"She's telling you the truth."
Sebastián turned.
The speaker hissed.
"You are my son."
Sebastián's breathing became shallow.
"But the child..."
The recording continued.
"The child has my blood."
Valeria whispered, "No."
Mercer said, "This is a recording."
Sebastián stared at the speaker.
"What does that mean?"
"It means the child carries something inherited."
"Genetic?"
"Not exactly."
A hidden monitor lit up.
A medical file appeared.
The screen showed Valeria's prenatal records.
Then Sebastián's.
Then a third profile.
Unknown male.
Sebastián stepped closer.
A red alert flashed.
MATCH CONFIRMED.
He read the genetic sequence.
He did not understand all of it.
Valeria did.
Her face collapsed.
"No."
Mercer looked at her.
"What?"
She whispered:
"The child is a carrier."
"A carrier of what?"
"Anomalous neurological disorder."
Sebastián stared.
"What disorder?"
Valeria shook her head.
"It's not a disorder."
"Then what?"
"A marker."
"What does the marker do?"
"It identifies people."
Mercer frowned.
"Identifies them for what?"
Valeria looked at the ledger.
"For access."
Sebastián felt lost.
"What kind of access?"
"The old system."
Mercer stared at her.
"What system?"
Valeria swallowed.
"A financial authorization system."
Sebastián looked at her.
"You're telling me our unborn child has access to money?"
"Not money."
She looked toward the screen.
"Accounts."
Mercer stepped closer.
"Whose accounts?"
Valeria whispered:
"Every account connected to the network."
The room fell silent.
Sebastián stared at the unborn child's medical file.
"That's impossible."
"I thought so too."
Valeria touched the screen.
"But the marker is real."
Mercer asked:
"How did you find this?"
"I ran a genetic comparison after my first investigation."
Sebastián turned toward her.
"Without telling me?"
"I was afraid."
"You were afraid of me?"
"I was afraid of everyone."
Before Sebastián could respond, footsteps approached.
Heavy.
Slow.
Then Rebeca entered.
She was no longer handcuffed.
Mercer raised his weapon.
"Stop."
Rebeca held up both hands.
"Listen."
"How did you get out of custody?"
"I didn't."
She looked behind her.
A bodyguard lay unconscious in the hallway.
Rebeca looked at Sebastián.
"I escaped."
Mercer narrowed his eyes.
"You expect us to believe that?"
"No."
She turned toward Valeria.
"I expect her to believe it."
Valeria stared.
Rebeca whispered:
"Because she knows who ordered your kidnapping."
Valeria's jaw tightened.
Rebeca continued.
"Vega."
Mercer asked:
"Where is he?"
"On his way here."
Everyone froze.
"Why?"
Rebeca smiled.
"Because he wants the baby."
Sebastián looked at the medical screen.
Then at Valeria.
Then at his mother.
"What happens when he gets here?"
Rebeca's smile disappeared.
"He doesn't leave without taking something."
"What?"
She whispered:
"The child."
At that exact moment, the hospital's entire security system came online.
Every locked door opened simultaneously.
And a voice echoed through the underground speakers.
"Sebastián Alcázar."
The voice belonged to Esteban Vega.
"Your father has asked me to offer you a choice."
The lights turned red.
"Save your wife."
May you like
A pause.
"Or save your child."
