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“Jesus,” Dane exhaled, slumping in the seat beside Cole. He looked at his friend in shock; Cole had kept this to himself all these years? Too scared to share it with his friends... or even his husband. How had he managed to stay sane while keeping it all bottled up? “You could have told us,” Dane whispered.

“No.” Cole buried his face in his hands. “I couldn’t. I mean…” He lifted his head to face Cole. “I literally, physically couldn’t.” The despair and horror in his eyes struck Dane’s heart deeply. “How do you…” He hesitated, his voice trembling. “How do you tell your friends… your husband … that you’re the son of a…” His head fell back into his hands as tension gripped his body. “… of a… killer?” He lowered his hands, gazing at his forearms. “How do you tell them… that the blood of a monster courses through your veins? And maybe one day…” His throat tightened. “… one day… you could become a monster, too.” Cole looked at Dane with tear-filled eyes. “Could you… tell us? Tell… Angel?”

Dane instantly knew his answer, and Cole understood the reason—he knew Dane’s troubling history and the grave secret he had kept from everyone, especially Angel. Disclosing that secret had been his life's most challenging and frightening moment.

“No,” Dane replied softly. “I don’t believe I could have.” He placed a hand on Cole’s shoulder. “But you are not like him. You’ll never be. He tried to turn you into him… and he failed.”

“He’s correct,” Deputy Roland stated. “You and Daniel… you were like night and day. I noticed it even before I understood what he was.” He looked deeply at Cole. “You will never be him.”

Dane sensed an oddness in his voice, as if those last words carried a hidden insult of some form. But that made no sense. Perhaps his hyper-aware mind had misinterpreted the tone. Surely, that was it.

“Ezra…” Cole whispered, his voice unsteady. “Did you… did you find him? I-I know he didn’t…” Cole’s chin trembled. “… move away. I know my dad did something to him.”

Releasing a stiff breath, the deputy cleared his throat. “I found his foster parents in the root cellar.” He swallowed. “They had been…”

“I know,” Cole rasped. “My dad… he confessed to killing them. But Ezra…?”

“He wasn’t there,” Roland said. “And there were no traces of his blood anywhere in the cellar or the house.”

Cole trembled violently, burying his face deeper into his hands as if trying to hide from the terrifying reality.

“We combed through the woods,” Roland said in a voice barely above a whisper, his words heavy. “We came upon an abandoned cabin. In the basement, we discovered a crude, makeshift cell.” He hesitated; the air thick with dread. “There was undeniable evidence that someone had been imprisoned there recently. And perhaps… for a long, agonizing time.” Roland exhaled; the sound laced with despair. “… a very long time.”

Cole’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with horror fixed on the deputy. “Are you saying… are you saying Ezra was trapped in that place all along?” His voice cracked, and fresh tears spilled over. “Right up until my dad was arrested? Ezra vanished nearly two years before that. Did my dad really keep him locked up for two entire years?”

“I can't say for certain,” Roland muttered, his voice strained. “But everything… everything points to that grim possibility.”

“And you didn’t find him?” Cole’s voice was barely audible, a whisper of desperation.

“No.” Roland shook his head slowly, his expression grim. “He might have… disposed of him just before everything unraveled. Most likely, his body lies in an unmarked grave somewhere in the forest, forever lost to us.” He pressed his lips together, the sorrow etched on his face. “I’m deeply sorry. I know how much he meant to you.”

Cole cradled his head, sobbing quietly.

Dane had no words to offer and rubbed his back, his eyes on the deputy. “Now that you know the mangler is here and… and has abducted people, you’ll get the authorities involved, right? The FBI?”

The deputy chewed his lower lip and looked at Dane with an odd glint in his eye. “I don’t know if that would be a good idea. Daniel Pruett is highly unpredictable. Calling in the big guns might cause him to take drastic measures against his captives.”

Dane rose to his feet, breath surging. “So, what the fuck are we supposed to do? Reason with him? Somehow, I don’t think that will go over so fucking well. The lives of three members of our family are in the hands of this psychotic fuck. Just what do you suggest we do?”

“Don’t lose your head, first of all,” Roland said. “Daniel is playing with you right now. Let him think you’re also playing the game by his rules.”

“Aren’t we?” Dane muttered. “He’s in control. We can’t do shit, not while he has our loved ones. And what’re we supposed to do—turn Gabe over to him as well?”

Roland inhaled and shrugged. “Maybe so.”

“What?” Cole looked up.

“Who can handle Daniel one-on-one—those he has now… or your husband? I know it doesn’t feel like an option, but you should consider all aspects of the situation. I haven’t met Gabe, but I’m inclined to believe he is much like the two of you. If so, he stands a much better chance against Daniel than two teenagers and a petite young man.”

Cole looked lost. He was terrified for the safety of Abel and the kids, yet equally frightened for his husband's welfare.

“What do you think your husband would say?” Roland asked Cole.

Cole sniffed and glanced at Dane. “He’d make the trade without even thinking about it.”

“Hang on one fucking minute,” Dane said. “We’re talking about a fucking serial killer. Are we really supposed to take him at his word? Do you believe he would turn the others loose unharmed in exchange for Gabe? How do we even know they are…” Dane faltered, fear constricting his chest. “… that he hasn’t already… harmed them?”

“You don’t,” the deputy admitted. “But at this stage in the game, he is in control. He’s offered an exchange deal and a deadline. You must choose what you will do.”

Dane shook his head, his face tight. “We’re not equipped to deal with this kind of thing,” he replied stiffly. “The FBI is. They know how these fuckers think. We need to stop wasting time and get them here.”

Roland nodded. “You may be right. It’s unpredictable how Daniel will react, but you’re correct—the FBI frequently handles these types of individuals and scenarios. I’ll contact the local authorities; they must contact the bureau.”

Dane felt a sense of relief. “Good. Thank you. How soon do you expect them to arrive? We’re on borrowed time here.”

“It’s hard to say, but in emergencies, they’re usually able to arrive within hours,” Roland said. “I’ll call the precinct now, then go from there.” The deputy exited the waiting room.

Returning to his seat beside Cole, Dane wrapped his arm around his distraught friend. “The FBI will know how to handle this,” he said. “We’re going to get them back—safe and sound. I promise—”

Devlin rushed into the waiting room, his expression startling Dane and Cole.

“What’s wrong?” Cole sprang to his feet. “Gabe… is he all right?”

Devlin nodded. “Yes, don’t worry. He’s fine. But…”

“What?” Dane frowned. “But what?”

Devlin hesitated. “I think…” He looked at Cole. “I think the… kidnapper… was in his room.” He seemed reluctant to use the term serial killer or even mangler, as if saying the words would somehow make the nightmare more real.

“What?” Cole breathed. “How…?”

“Gabe thought he was a doctor. The man was wearing a doctor’s coat. But then he said he wasn’t a doctor or part of the hospital staff. He started saying things to Gabe.”

“What things?” Cole whispered, a visible tremor running through him. “What did he say to Gabe? What did he say?”

Devlin relayed the man’s words. “Gabe didn’t understand what he was saying. But he insisted on talking to you right now. When I got to his room, he was trying to rip out his IV.”

“What?” Dane frowned.

“He was in a panic, trying to get out of bed to come find Cole.”

Cole breathed unevenly. “What should I say to him?” He looked at Dane, genuinely scared. “What…”

“Tell him the truth,” Dane urged. “You must. He loves you, and nothing will change that. It won’t.” He placed his hand on Cole’s arm. “I’ll go with you.”

When Dane abruptly entered the room, Gabe was moments away from unplugging himself and vacating the hospital bed. Gabe straightened. “Where’s Cole—” His husband stepped through the door behind Dane, along with Devlin, a look of distress on his face that put Gabe on high alert. “Cole…?”

Instead of approaching him directly, Cole hesitated, his gaze wavering as he appeared unwilling to meet Gabe’s stare.

Gabe looked at all three men. “What the fuck is going on? Tell me right goddamn now!”

“That man who was in here,” Dane spoke up when Cole appeared unable to speak. “He was the one who attacked you.”

“Why did I get a call that you were all fucked up at the Asmodeus club?” he asked Cole. “What the hell was that about?”

“He was never at that club,” Dane intervened again. “It was a trick to get you down there.”

Gabe stared at Cole, who had yet to look directly at him. “Cole… what is going on? Who was that man? He mentioned Abel… and Maddy and Savannah. Are they okay? Tell me.”

Raising his hand to his face, Cole covered his eyes as his head hung forward and his shoulders slumped. “They’re not… okay.” His quiet words shuddered out of him on a broken whisper laced with fear and dread.

Gabe glanced anxiously at Devlin. “Where are they?”

Cole inhaled shakily and addressed Dane and Devlin. “I… I should talk to Gabe alone.”

“Are you sure?” Dane murmured with concern. “You don’t have to do this alone.”

Cole swallowed, his throat working. “I do.”

Casting Gabe a quick look, Dane whispered, “It’ll be okay. It will.”

Cole nodded, though he didn’t seem convinced by Dane’s words.

It’ll be okay. What did that mean?

Squeezing Cole’s arm, Dane nodded at Devlin and the two men quietly exited the room.

Cole walked closer, still struggling to meet Gabe’s gaze. “Gabe…” His voice shook, and his face was pale. He looked sickly and about to pass out.

“Cole…” Gabe trembled. “You’re scaring the shit out of me.” Anxiety tightened his chest. “Talk to me, babe… please. What is going on? Are Abel and the kids in danger?”

Cole tried to speak, but nothing came out; he appeared physically unable to utter a word. His behavior frightened Gabe the most. Cole had never had a problem expressing his thoughts and was never afraid to discuss an issue with Gabe. Why did he suddenly seem terrified to do so now?

“Who is Henry?” Gabe asked with a quiet tremor. “That man… he said, ask Henry. ” Gabe swallowed with a strain. “Cole… who is Henry? And who the fuck is that man?”