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"Based on the thermal imaging, at least four more," Alex replies. "Clustered near the east wing. That's likely where they're keeping him."

My heart pounds against my ribs at the thought of my son, a child I've never met, just yards away behind those walls.

“Is it just me, or does that seem like overkill for an infant?” Luca remarks. “He’s a few months old. It’s not like he can crawl away.”

“Two words: Victor’s heir. Paranoid bastard, remember?” Z snaps back at my brother.

“I’m just saying that it’s over the top. Our parents gave us one guard and a nanny. Not an entire army to guard us.”

"Victor wasn't guarding a baby," Alex interjects. "He was guarding the future of his bloodline. Plus, he was a psychopath. It tracks.”

I swallow hard, the reality of my son's existence still surreal despite everything we've sacrificed to get here. A child conceived in captivity, born to a woman who wasn't his mother, raised by people who stole him before I ever held him. After today, my son will only know me as his mother and the love of the men around me. God, I hope that’s enough.

"We need to move," I say, pushing aside the emotion threatening to overwhelm me.

I pull Victor’s severed hand from the insulated bag at my side, grimacing at the cold, waxy texture of his skin. The ultimate key card.

"Remember," Oscar warns, "we go in quiet. No gunfire unless absolutely necessary. We don't know where exactly the child is, and I won't risk a stray bullet."

Z checks his pistol, his movements slightly hampered by his injured shoulder. "Four teams. Talon and I take the perimeter guards on the east and north. Alex and Luca handle the west and south. Oz and Vesper move directly to the east wing once we clear a path."

I nod, the plan we formulated during the drive north solidifying as the moment approaches. My body thrums with a strange combination of exhaustion and hyper awareness.

"The moment we're spotted, they'll move him to the panic room," Alex reminds us, checking his own weapon. "So stealth is paramount until we secure the child."

"We'll need exactly seven minutes to neutralize the external security," Talon adds. "You two wait for our signal before approaching the east entrance."

I feel Oscar's hand squeeze mine briefly, a gesture so gentle it nearly shatters the composure I've been desperately maintaining.

"We'll get him, solnishko. Today your son comes home.”

Z clears his throat, drawing our attention back to the task at hand. "Comms check," he says, tapping the earpiece nestled against his skull. One by one, we confirm our connections.

"Alpha team moving," Talon relays, his voice clear in my earpiece as he and Z slip away. The snow muffles their footsteps as they disappear among the trees, heading toward the eastern perimeter.

I watch them go, a knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. Z's injury makes him vulnerable, but I know better than to voice my concern. He'd sooner cut off his other arm than stay behind while we retrieve my son.

"Beta team following," Alex confirms, nodding once to Luca before they, too, vanish into the twilight. My brother moves with newfound purpose, his steps lighter since our escape from the chapel. Freedom looks good on him, even as he heads into danger.

Oscar and I remain crouched in the tree line, watching as our teams position themselves around the lodge. The wind picks up, sending icy fingers through my hair and numbing my cheeks. I should feel the cold more keenly, but all I register is Victor's severed hand in my bag and the rhythmic pounding of my heart.

"Your grandfather was a monster. But he was right about one thing."

I turn to him, eyebrow raised in question.

"You are remarkable," he continues. “You’ve taken over your family, toppled the largest crime family in the world, and now, you’re getting your son back.”

"Thank the men who believed in me enough to help," I retort, touched by his words despite the gravity of our situation. "You all sacrificed everything."

Oscar's lips curve into a pained smile. "Not everything. Not yet."

A crackle in our earpieces interrupts the moment. "Alpha team in position," Talon's voice comes through, steady and professional. "First guard neutralized. Moving to the second target."

"Beta team approaching south fence," Alex confirms seconds later. "No complications."

I check my watch, counting down the minutes until we can move. The waiting is excruciating. My fingers brush against the outline of my weapon.

"What will you name him?" Oscar asks suddenly, his question catching me off guard.