Who Is This Kid?

Chapter 4: The Man Behind Kane

Kilo noticed the second car before anyone else reacted.

It was parked half-hidden behind the bend, engine running, windows dark.

"Bishop," he said quietly.

The bodyguards moved instantly.

Two SUVs blocked the road. Another turned toward the hidden Mercedes. The last stayed beside Ethan.

Kane saw the movement and went white.

Kilo looked at him. "Who is in that car?"

"I don't know."

Kilo stepped closer. "Try again."

Kane's hands shook. "I was only supposed to scare the boy."

The words came out before he could stop them.

The officer froze.

Ethan looked up sharply. "Scare me?"

Kilo's face changed for the first time.

Not anger.

Something colder.

"Who paid you?"

Kane's mouth opened, but no sound came out.

Then the hidden Mercedes tried to reverse.

It did not get far.

Bishop's SUV slammed across the road, cutting it off. The doors opened, and two men ran from the car into the trees.

Kilo did not chase them.

His men did.

Within minutes, both were dragged back through the snow-dusted grass and forced to their knees beside the road.

One carried a camera with a long lens.

The other had a folder full of photos.

Photos of Ethan leaving school.

Ethan riding his bike.

Ethan eating ice cream with his father.

Kilo took the folder from Bishop's hand and looked through it without speaking.

Kane began to shake harder.

"I didn't know about the pictures," he said. "They told me it was only a warning."

"A warning for what?" Kilo asked.

Kane looked at the ground.

Kilo grabbed his collar and forced him to look up.

"For what?"

Kane whispered, "The hospital contract. Your company was supposed to withdraw."

The truth landed heavily.

Someone had not targeted Ethan because of road rage.

They had targeted him because of Kilo.

Ethan's voice was small now.

"Dad, did they want to hurt me?"

Kilo turned toward his son.

For one second, the feared man on Willow Road was only a father.

"No," he said softly. "Because I won't let them."

Then Bishop's phone rang.

He listened, then looked at Kilo.

"Sir. They found a second team near your house."