Tap. Tap. Tap.
“My dad taught me,” she whispered. “Before he died.”
Officer Bray frowned. “Your father taught you a K9 distress signal?”
Emily nodded. “He worked with dogs. He said… if I was ever scared and couldn’t talk… I should do this. A dog would know.”
Rex pressed his head gently against her side, confirming her fear.
Liam felt a lump in his throat. Emily’s father—whoever he was—had given her a lifeline powerful enough to cut through chaos.
Officer Harris continued questioning carefully. “Emily, is this woman related to you?”
“No,” Emily said. “She took us from different places.”
“What about your belongings?”
“She told us not to bring anything,” Emily said. “Or else someone would get hurt.”
The older boy spoke next, voice cracking. “She said if we talked… our parents would disappear. Like my brother did.”
Everyone froze.
Liam swallowed hard. “Your brother?”
The boy nodded. “He tried to run. She said we’d never see him again.”
Harris turned to Bray—fear and fury in her eyes.
“We’re escalating,” she said. “This isn’t a custody issue. This is trafficking.”
Bray radioed command. “Code Black. Child abduction suspects. Three minors recovered. Request FBI and DHS immediate response.”
The woman, hearing this, screamed and tried to bolt.
Officer Harris and Bray restrained her as she thrashed violently.
“You don’t understand!” she cried. “They’re worth money! I—I was supposed to—”
She stopped, realizing she’d said too much.
The children shrank behind Rex.
Emily whispered, “Don’t let her take us again.”
“You’re safe,” Liam said. “I promise.”
But even as officers took the woman into custody, a DHS agent informed Liam through his earpiece:
“Mercer… this woman wasn’t acting alone. We’re tracking a larger ring. And we think these kids weren’t the last she planned to move.”
Liam stared at Emily, Rex curled protectively around her.
If she was just one link…
how many more children were already in transit right now?
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