Elias Vance had just finished coordinating the search for Aria and was about to catch his breath, maybe grab a quick bite, when his phone rang. The number on the screen was unfamiliar. He frowned and answered.
Elena Croft's voice came through the line, raw with anguish. "Elias, you need to get here now. Your father is fading, and Leo has been beaten half to death."
The words hit him like ice water poured down his spine. His gaze sharpened instantly, every trace of fatigue burned away by cold fury. "Don't panic," he said, his voice low and controlled. "I'm on my way."
He hung up and turned to Gideon. "Back to the hospital. Now."
Gideon heard the edge in his voice and didn't waste a second. The engine roared as the car tore through traffic, weaving between lanes at a speed that would hav
