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“Wh-what did you say?” whispered Erica, gripping Moose’s arm. Ece turned to the young woman. Her beauty was breathtaking, but there was a light about her that told the woman she belonged to Moose. Forever.
“I’m so sorry, but you are a twin. U-Jin Park is your twin brother. Your parents agreed to separate the two of you, focusing on his training to take over the country one day. Very few people knew of this. Your mother is alive, Hae-Won. She is alive and well and has been pulling the strings with your brother for many years now, helping your father to convince him that you would need to die.”
“This cannot be,” said Erica. “Why? Why would she do this to me? Why not kill me when we left North Korea? Why would my father force me to marry Gordon?”
“Luke? I think you need to take this call from Tanner.
“Now?”
“Now,” said Sly. Luke picked up the phone, listening as the man spoke. He stared at Erica, nodding several times.
“Got it.” He handed the phone back to Sly and turned to face everyone once again. “She’s telling the truth. May, Tanner, and Hiro found the military assistant to General Park. His wife was on the medical team of your grandfather and knew that General Park was killing him slowly. Poisoning him. She was pregnant, so they left North Korea and escaped to China. She lost the baby and killed herself, so he left and went to a monastery.”
“That’s horrible,” said Erica with tears on her cheeks.
“Honey, he’s one of your grandfather’s bastard children. Your grandfather used him but refused to tell anyone that he was his son. I’m sorry.”
“I knew there were many,” she said with a sad expression. She lay her hand on her flat belly, and Ece knew that this woman was carrying Moose’s child.
“U-Jin has been brainwashed,” said Ece. “I don’t doubt that your mother was abused by your father. You saw it with your own eyes, but I believe she was nearly as cruel in her own way. I think this was all a game for them. A sick, twisted game that I wish I understood, but I don’t. When she went back to North Korea to help plot your grandfather’s death, she made deals with almost everyone to continue to keep her existence secret and to ensure that your brother would be the next president.”
“The man in China confirmed all of that,” said Luke. “Your mother was behind the scenes. No one knew who she was or where she was. I have to suspect that she’s changed over the last few years, perhaps even plastic surgery. The plan was always to pronounce that she was alive and her son would now take over the presidency. The two of them were plotting to kill your father. It turned out we beat them to it.”
“She’s alive and has been living all this time, knowing what was happening to me,” whispered Erica. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
Carl ran down the steps and into the small break room, running back with a ginger ale and crackers. He handed them to her, kneeling to check her pulse, and she smiled at him.
“So, one of the men who has been trying to kill me is my twin brother?” she asked.
“I’m not sure if he even knows that,” said Ece, “but yes. I’m afraid he is.”
“You don’t think he knows that I’m his twin?” she asked.
“I’m not sure,” said Ece, shaking her head. “Only he would be able to tell us that, and we still don’t know where he is.”
The doors to the auditorium opened, and Rory and Frank carried a man into the room, his feet dangling in the air as they each gripped an arm, linked by handcuffs at his back. He grimaced in pain, his face bloodied and blindfolded. A young woman came in behind him, walking on her own two feet but also blindfolded.
“Why don’t we ask them our questions.”
“Up there,” said Rory, pointing to the second-floor apartment. The outdoor stairs led to the small landing and a door with a pretty wreath hanging from it. There were no lights on inside, but they knew that Lucianna was in there because her car was out front.
“I don’t want the woman hurt, but I could give a fuck about him if he’s determined to fight,” said Frank.
“Wait a minute,” said Bodhi. “We saw the video of this guy and the other one fighting. We’ve seen what he’s capable of. We know what he’s capable of. But he hasn’t hurt anyone. He hasn’t fought anyone, and he damn sure hasn’t hurt the woman. What if he’s trying to escape as well?”
“Brother, I’m not sure we can take that chance,” said Rory. He looked at the others standing around them and shook his head. “Listen, he’s good. I watched the video as well. I’m fucking old, and I don’t want to kill him. I’ll give him a chance, but if he fights me, I’m going to hurt him.”
“I feel the same way,” said Bodhi. “I just want to give him a chance.”
“Let’s breach the door. There’s only one window in that little apartment. Piper and JB stayed with Rosanna to be sure she didn’t contact her, so this should be a surprise. Cade, Jax, and Mike are here on the ground in case he gets by Ethan, Bodhi, Rory, and me at the door.”
“Do it,” nodded Ethan.
They carefully climbed the steps, listening at the door for any sounds inside. Hearing faint whispers, they knew that at least two people were inside. Holding his hand in the air, Frank counted down. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
Ethan slammed his foot into the old door, splintering the wood. Their man immediately took a stance in front of Lucianna. In Ethan’s mind, he was thinking, ‘score one for the man.’ If he was protecting the girl, he meant her no harm.
“We don’t want a fight,” said Frank. “But you’re not going to kill Hae-Won.”
