Manny unfolded the note with careful hands. The handwriting inside was uneven, jagged, but unmistakably legible: “Help! My sister, Mia, and I are being hunted. Max” The simple message hit him harder than any accusation or threat. Max hadn’t named his pursuer, unfortunately. Yet he had been trying to guide rescuers toward the truth.
Manny swallowed against a tightness in his throat. Max had left a trail not for himself, but for the little girl waiting in a hospital bed. Every sign, every footprint, every scrap of fabric was a desperate attempt to save her. Manny realized Max had fought with every ounce of courage he had.