Page 29 of All Ghosts Aren’t Dead (The Forgotten #1)

SAMUEL

T he table was full, but no one spoke. Not yet.

One by one, I dragged them from their rooms, watching as they scattered across every available seat in the library, hunching over everything Midnight had pulled.

Mei’s screen flashed between maps and timestamps. Miller was reading faster than I could think, flipping pages and muttering under his breath about perimeter logs. Rune had one of the photo printouts in hand, brow furrowed and mouth tight.

Bishop hadn’t taken a chair, but he stood behind Amir’s shoulder, arms folded, reading over the transcript of Jonah’s last confession.

Hiro hadn’t moved from the wall.

Bay had flopped across two floor cushions, shirt half-buttoned, scrolling through flagged Sanctum documents on his phone. He hadn’t said a word yet, which was super fucking unusual.

Amir sat nearest to Blue, close enough to help if he spiraled again, but he hadn’t moved. He hadn’t even blinked—not since Jonah’s name came out of Midnight’s mouth. My boy sat rigid, pale fingers curled tight in the fabric of his pants, shoulders drawn in.

My eyes kept moving, flicking back to him every few seconds like if I stopped looking I’d miss something.

A crack.

A spiral.

A break.

Fuck.

I hated this part—the moment before everything started. I wasn’t sure how the fuck I was supposed to act like I had a clean, tactical fucking answer when my heart was glued to that grainy screen, watching a boy with Blue’s eyes take a beating that should’ve ended him.

Five goddamn years in that place.

Jonah was suffering, and call me a selfish fucking bastard, but I couldn’t stop thinking ‘thank fuck it wasn’t Blue.’

“So,” Bay spoke, tapping his phone to his chin. “Blue’s brother is… alive?”

Blue flinched.

Simon tensed. “Yeah, he is.”

“Dude’s a giant.” Bay leaned forward, all curiosity and zero shame. “Kind of hot, too.”

Simon shot him a look that could’ve broken glass.

“Chill,” Bay muttered, holding up a hand. “I meant in, like, a gladiator way.”

“This isn’t the time,” Simon growled.

For fuck’s sake.

We were wasting time.

“What we know is this—his name is Jonah Jack Benson. Twenty-three years old. He’s been on Ezekiel’s compound for five years.”

“What do we know about the compound?” Hiro asked.

“The files Midnight sent are partial scans, mapped against drone footage and satellite imaging from two years ago. The files are coded in three layers—surface, residential, and something deeper. You’ll see something labeled as the Sanctum.”

Mei glanced up from her screen, fingers frozen on the trackpad. “What the hell is that?”

“It’s where they keep Jonah,” Simon muttered. “And the women and children.”

“There are kids?” Bay pushed to his feet. “They have kids locked down there?”

“Yes,” Amir confirmed. “Women and children. Most of the women are pregnant. It’s a bloodline thing. Ezekiel thinks he can breed impurity out of the line.”

“Jesus Christ.” Rune looked nauseous. “That can’t be fucking real.”

“I wish it fucking wasn’t.”

I swallowed hard and braced my palms on the edge of the table. My gloves were in my pocket. I wouldn’t put them on—not while Blue needed me.

“Jonah’s been helping some of them escape.”

“How can we be certain of that?” Bishop asked.

“Midnight pulled guard logs,” I said. “Shift records. Reports of kids found past the perimeter with no breach detected. Jonah had temporary access every time. It lines up.”

Miller closed his folder. “So this is an extraction?”

I pressed my tongue to my molars and exhaled. “It’s more than that. This is a surgical hit. There are civilians— kids. We don’t get to waltz in with guns blazing. We’re not getting anyone killed. We’re going to do this clean, and we’re going to do it right.”

Bishop stepped forward. “It’s been a long time since we’ve executed a mission of this size.”

“I know, and despite the urgency, I want to make it very clear that you’re here because you’re family. Nobody is obligated. It isn’t pertinent to your jobs or a requirement for graduation. This is personal. If any of you want out—say so now.”

No one moved.

Not even a fucking twitch.

Amir cleared his throat. “We’ll need to notify Ben.”

Miller looked up. “For permission or courtesy?”

“Courtesy,” I said.

Bay made a face. “You sure he’s not gonna lose his shit?”

“Oh, he’ll lose it, but frankly, I don’t give a fuck.”

Ben could snarl and bitch all he wanted, but he hadn’t earned the right to call these shots.

Not this time.

He hadn’t stood in the rain, dragging bleeding kids off sidewalks. Hadn’t spent years getting them strong enough to breathe again without flinching. Hadn’t trained them, built them, stayed up every damn night worrying over whether they would break.

That was me.

The Forgotten was mine.

My program.

My family.

My boys.

If he had a problem with that, he could take it up with me after we pulled Blue’s brother out of that hellhole and lit the place on fire.

“This is happening.” I leaned forward, knuckles flat on the table. “We plan it. We execute it. We bring them home. Blue’s family is in that building.”

That was the heart of this, the crack in my armor.

This wasn’t a mission. This wasn’t protocol. This was him.

My Bailey Blue.

If anyone thought I was going to stand here and wait for clearance while his brother rotted in a fucking prison cell, they were sorely fucking mistaken.

“Well, shit.” Bay let out a low whistle. “You should fall in love more often, Sammy.”

Jesus Christ.

“Don’t call me that.”

“The gloves are off,” Rune chuckled, rubbing a hand over his mouth. “Quite fucking literally.”

“Goddamn, Bluebird,” Miller muttered without looking up from his file, “what did you do to our stoic, structured leader?”

“Honestly,” Bay mumbled. “Ben Thomas is like the scariest motherfucker in the country.”

Rune made a noise. “And you agreed to work for him.”

“So did you, firestarter.” Bay gave him the finger. “Lowkey, I’m afraid of Sam, too. Especially now. There’s some feral fucking daddy energy in this room right now.”

Simon gave a soft grunt.

Blue shifted then. It was small, barely a flicker, but I felt it in my ribs like a knife slipped under bone. With a slight puff of breath, his chin lifted just enough that our eyes touched.

“Samuel.” Amir raised a brow. “You know Ben’s going to retaliate.”

“Yep.” I rolled my shoulders, cracking the tension out of my neck. “He’ll probably make me pay for it.”

“Any idea how ?” Miller asked, curious in the same way a kid was when he poked something just to see if it exploded.

“Nope.”

“Do you care?”

“Nope.”

I glanced at Blue again. Lips twitching, he offered me the smallest of smiles.

God, I fucking loved him.

If Ben wanted to come after me, fine . Let him bring down every political favor, funding threat, and disciplinary hearing he had in his arsenal. I’d take the goddamn hit, just as long as he left Blue the fuck alone.

“Alright.” I nodded at Mei. “Let’s work through what Midnight sent.”

Mei pulled up the blueprint again. “Midnight’s scans mapped the Sanctum against some older floor plans—drone footage, satellite passovers, architectural archives.

Nothing too current, but enough to discern entry points.

” She tapped a corner. “We’re estimating three viable breach options.

Two maintenance tunnels and a vertical shaft on the east side.

The shaft’s tight. Only smaller frames can make it through. ”

“That’s our in.” My eyes flickered around the room. “We’ll go in teams. Rune, Bay, and Hiro—you’re Team A. Enter through the east side shaft. Secure surface-level corridors and block exits. No one gets in. No one gets out.”

“Nice.” Bay grinned. “Shaft squad.”

“Bishop, Simon, Amir, Mei—Team B. Evac. You’re extraction and transport for the women and children.”

“What about after?” Rune shifted. “Once we have them out?”

“I have a contact,” Amir answered. “Ex-military turned evac specialist. She’s helped with underground extractions before—trafficking victims, mostly.

She’s preparing a temporary safe house just outside of Seattle.

It’s private and rural with closed-loop security. If we bring them, she’ll hide them.”

“Jesus.” Bay blinked. “You had her on speed dial?”

Amir lifted a brow. “You think this is the first group we’ve had to unfuck?”

“Fair.”

“What about civilian transport?” Hiro asked. “We need a clean vehicle that’s med-ready. No plates.”

“I’ll call my father.” The words left my mouth before I could process them. “He’ll prep a van.”

“Wait.” Bay blinked. “ You have a father?”

“Everyone has a father, moron,” Rune muttered. “Do you know how biology works?”

“Hey, fuck you. It’s not like Sam’s ever mentioned where he spawned from. For all I know, Ben created him in a lab to run this place.”

“Jesus Christ.” I pressed a finger to each of my temples. “I have a father. He’s been patching up mafia injuries longer than most of you have been alive.”

“You mean to tell me you’ve had a secret mafia medic dad this whole time and didn’t say anything?” Bay looked vaguely offended.

“He’s not a secret, Mr. Geroux. He’s just none of your damn business.”

“Ah, shit, he last-named me.”

“Speaking of names, we don’t have any for most of the women.” Mei frowned. “Some are likely indoctrinated. Some may not want to leave.”

“Jonah’s location has to be top priority,” Amir said. “If we can get him out, he might be able to help talk to the others. He has influence.”

“He’s also a liability.” Miller leaned back in his chair. “They’re not going to let him go easily.”

“We’re planning on asking permission?” Rune raised a few fingers. “’Cause I was under the impression we were gonna bash some fucking heads.”

“Yes!” Bay snapped his fingers and pointed at Rune. “I’m on team firestarter. Let’s bash heads. Is this one of those knock ’em out and run situations? Or are we cutting throats?”

“We neutralize threats,” Hiro said. “Fast. Quiet.”

“So, was that a no to killing people, or…” Bay trailed off, glancing between Hiro and me.