"Wait a minute," Mark muttered, his eyes narrowing. "I really need this info. I'm beginning to connect the dots here."
He straightened up and added, "Sorry if I was a bit rude earlier. I'm Mark Wilson husband of Aurora Brooks, Jake's ex-girlfriend."
Officer Jacobs' eyes widened in pure shock. "You're… Miss Aurora's husband?" Mark gave a curt nod. "Sir, please, come inside. Forgive me for keeping you at the door."
He ushered Mark into his modest but cozy living room. "Darling," he called to his daughter, "can you excuse us?"
Akira gathered her toys and skipped toward her room but paused mid-way. "Uncle, don't leave without saying goodbye to me, okay?"
Mark chuckled softly. "Of course, my dear. I wouldn't dare."
"Sir, please have a seat. I'll get you some coffee." No, it's okay, Jacobs," Mark said, taking a seat on the plush sofa. Jacobs ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Hmm… I don't even know where to begin. Sir, Jake asked me to find the real parents of Ma'am Aurora. I assume you know she has leukemia?"
Mark nodded solemnly. "Of course. That's exactly why I'm here. She's in the ICU as we speak." "Then I won't waste any more time. You deserve the truth." Mark leaned forward, his heart pounding. "Mr. William Riverson," Jacobs said slowly, "is Aurora's biological father." Mark's eyes widened. "My God… finally. I can save her."
He stood abruptly, pacing the room. "Thank you thank you so much for this piece of information. I promise I'll make sure Dr. William knows you're the one who found his daughter. He'll be grateful."
He paused at the door and smiled. "I'll take my leave now. And tell your daughter not to worry I'll be visiting her often."
"Of course, sir. And… thank you."
Mark stepped outside and barked, "Scorpion! We need to get to the Riverson Mansion now!"
"Sir," Scorpion said hesitantly, "it's nearly impossible to get you into that mansion. The place is guarded by secret service agents and military soldiers. It's second only to the White House when it comes to protection." Mark rolled his eyes. "Was that whole lecture necessary? Just drive."
After an hour-long drive through the outskirts of the city, they reached a private estate. The narrow road was lined with towering trees that whispered in the breeze. At the end of the path stood a massive golden gate shimmering under the sun.
Mark leaned forward in awe. "Hmm. This is wealth… I like this man already."
A long trail of armed guards stood by the gate. One of them, seemingly the commander, stepped forward as the car approached.
He bent slightly and Mark rolled the window down. "Good day, sir," the man said in a firm tone. "I'm Commander Hills head of this unit. How can I help you?"
"I'm here to see Dr. William."
"Do you have an appointment, sir?"
"No, I don't," Mark replied bluntly. "Just tell him Mark Wilson is here to see him."
Commander Hills hesitated. "Sorry, sir. I'll need to check that with the main commander at the mansion."
"I don't mind waiting," Mark muttered, irritated, leaning back in his seat. After a few minutes of radio conversation that felt like hours, Commander Hills returned. "Sir, you may proceed. But you must follow protocol."
"And what's that?" Mark asked, eyes narrowing.
"Your men must leave their weapons behind. They'll get them back once your business inside is concluded." Mark groaned internally. Guess I need to exercise a little patience. "Fine," he said.
Scorpion turned to the team. "Drop your weapons." The men did as instructed. "You'll also need to be scanned before entering the mansion," Commander Hills added. He signaled to the guards, "Open the gate."
The golden gate creaked open, revealing an expansive yard. Scorpion drove them slowly through the estate, where armed guards were positioned strategically across the grounds.
Mark stepped out of the car, his eyes scanning the luxurious surroundings. Impressive. Not bad at all. Then a large, intimidating man approached him clearly military-trained, with the stance of someone not to be messed with.
"I'm Commander Ross."
"Nice to meet you, Commander," Mark said, unfazed. "I'm here to see Dr. William." "You'll need to be scanned first." Mark simply raised his arms. "Then get on with it."