Page 32 of Shadows of Recovery

There was a pause, then a begrudging response. “Fine. But don’t test my patience, Killian. You won’t like the consequences.”

The line went dead. Brad set the phone down. He turned to the team gathered around him. “We’ve got a direct line to Whitlock, but he’s volatile. We need to tread carefully.”

Ethan Hayes stepped forward, his face grim. “What’s our next move?”

Brad looked at the hospital. “We keep him talking. We buy time. We gain some intel. And we prepare for every possibility.”

Olivia Everhart, her eyes red-rimmed but focused, joined them. “Brad, we need to get Sophie and the others out of there. Whatever it takes.”

“We will,” Brad promised, his voice stubborn. “We’re going to bring them home.”

Brad stood by the command center, his mind going through the potential motivations and dynamics within the Eldon Sect. Damon Whitlock wasn’t just any member; he was the sixth son of the notorious family deeply entrenched in extremist ideology. Understanding the internal politics of the Whitlock family could be crucial in predicting Damon’s actions.

"Ethan," Brad called out. "I need you to check in with the Whitlocks in Eldon Falls. Damon is the sixth son. Did he have the old man’s permission to do this?"

Ethan nodded, understanding immediately. "Got it, Brad. I’ll send a team and find out what we can. If Damon’s acting on his own, it might give us an angle to exploit."

"Be careful," Brad warned. "The Whitlocks are unpredictable, and we don’t want to escalate things unnecessarily."

Ethan nodded again, his face set in grim determination, and moved off to assemble his team. Brad watched him go, then turned as Charlotte approached, her expression serious.

"Brad, has anyone let Tristan Blackwell know about this?" she asked. "He’s the head of the ER, and he and Sophie are living together."

A chorus of "no’s" greeted her question, and Charlotte’s eyes narrowed in concern.

"He needs to know. I’ll call him." She rubbed the back of her neck.

As she pulled out her phone, Olivia stepped forward, her face etched with fresh worry. "Mom, Tristan’s in New York giving a lecture. His father died while he was there. He’s already dealing with a lot."

"We can’t avoid telling him," Brad said gently. "He deserves to know, especially if things take a turn for the worse."

Charlotte nodded, her resolve firming. She dialed Tristan’s number and stood waiting for him to answer. It was clear he picked up when she took a deep breath. "Tristan, there’s a situation at Waverly County Hospital. The Eldon Sect has taken hostages, and Sophie is among them."

After a moment, she said, “Tristan, I’m putting you on speaker. I’m standing with the lead negotiator, Brad Killian.”

"What? No, that can’t be... I need to get back there. I need to be with her."

"Tristan, I know this is a lot to take in," Charlotte said softly. "The authorities are doing everything they can to get her out safely."

"My scheduled flight leaves in two hours," Tristan’s voice broke. "I need to do something."

"Trust us, Tristan,” she pleaded.

“Hi, Tristan. This is Brad Killian from the Highway Patrol,” he cut her off. "We have the best people on this. Stay strong for Sophie."

Tristan took a shaky breath. "Okay. But please keep me updated. I can’t lose her."

"We will," Brad promised before handing the phone back to Charlotte, who took the phone off speaker.

As Charlotte finished the conversation, Brad turned to Olivia. "Liv, I need you to see if you can find anything on Damon Whitlock—school records, financials, marriage license and birth certificates for any kids, if any of that exists. They’re living on tribal land and under their authority. I’m going to reach out to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.”

Olivia nodded. "I’m on it."

Brad took a moment to gather his thoughts. The pieces were in motion: Ethan was investigating the Whitlock family, Charlotte had informed Tristan, Olivia was investigating Damon, and the team was preparing for whatever lay ahead.

"We’re going to keep Damon talking," Brad addressed the team. "We need to buy time and gather as much intel as we can. Ethan’s looking into the Whitlock family dynamics. If we can find any leverage, we’ll use it."

He turned to two of his personnel. “Get me eyes in that building.” He leaned over a map. “Find a blind spot and go in there.” He put a finger on the map. “Dixon, get the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the line. I need to speak with their officer and the chief of the land where the Eldon Sect resides.”

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