Grandma gripped the baby tighter, her eyes wide with concern.
The detective continued, "Maya is not your father's girlfriend. She's an operative. Her mission was to eliminate a child who could expose the agency's illegal adoptions."
I felt the room spin. "What do you mean, eliminate?"
"The jar incident was staged. It was a test. Maya was supposed to make it look like an accident. But when it didn't work, she was supposed to go further," the detective explained.
"Further?" I repeated, my voice trembling.
"To ensure the child couldn't talk. To make sure no one would connect the dots," she said, her tone unflinching.
My mind raced. "But why? Why this baby?"
The detective reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, broken glass shard. "This piece of glass she was holding. It contains a micro-chip. It's her link to the organization. We traced it back to the agency."
Grandma's eyes widened. "The agency. I knew it. I knew it was too perfect, too orchestrated."
The detective nodded. "We need to know more. And we need to act fast."
The Plan Takes Shape
I looked at the baby, my half-brother, and felt a surge of protectiveness. "We have to protect him. And we have to expose the agency," I said, determination settling in my chest.
Grandma nodded, her eyes resolute. "I've seen too much. I can't let this continue."
The detective leaned in. "We have a plan. But it's risky. We need to infiltrate the agency’s headquarters. Maya is the key. She claims she wants out."
I glanced at Maya, who was sitting in the corner, her face a mask of fear and regret. "Can we trust her?"
The detective sighed. "We don't have much choice. She has inside information. And if she's telling the truth, she might help us bring this to an end."
Grandma looked at me, her eyes pleading. "We have to try, sweetheart. For the baby."
I took a deep breath. "Okay. What's the plan?"
The detective laid out a map on the table. "We need to get inside. The baby's scar is the biometric key. It will grant us access to the deepest parts of the building. From there, we can gather evidence and expose the entire operation."
I nodded, the weight of the mission settling on my shoulders. "Let's do it."
As the detective began to outline the details, I glanced at the baby. For the first time, I noticed the unique scar on his arm. It wasn't just a mark. It was a symbol. A symbol that connected him to the agency’s founder.
My blood ran cold. The baby wasn't just a random child. He was the biological heir, the key to dismantling the entire illegal operation.
And I was going to protect him, no matter what it took.
