"Get him out of here. We can't have Ms. Emerson's carpet getting dirty."

The others, still rattled, quickly complied and dragged him off.

I was free from my restraints, but I was scared stiff, too intimidated to make a move.

They were armed. If I made one wrong move, I would be the next one catching a bullet.

Josh was scared out of his wits at the corner, but there was a new resolve in his eyes.

"Mr. Baker, he really does have a crescent-shaped birthmark on his belly, just like the one Ms. Emerson is after!"

Alex shot him a chilling look, and Josh instantly shivered and hung his head.

"The rest of you, get moving–and make it quick. Don't waste my time."

Four more guys pounced, and I scrambled back in panic.

Just then, my eyes caught a familiar graffiti on the wall.

A family of three was flying a kite, and the little boy in the middle had a name written above his head, a name I could never erase from my memory.

"Cole."

That was the drawing I had made right before I was taken. It was the one my dad adored, and my mom promised to treasure forever.

It was my mom!

She had been searching for me all those years, I realized.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I tried to sit up, leaning on the couch.

"Is your Ms. Emerson's last name by any chance..."

"All this chatter, you're probably up to no good, aren't you?" Alex cut me off, his gun then aimed at my forehead.

"You, be quiet.

"And you, strip him down. We need to check him out."

…

My head went numb with fear.

He did not hesitate to shoot his own people. I stood no chance!

Josh, trembling, whispered urgently, "Chester, just play it cool. Once they're done checking, I can get out of here. If you don't stop, I'm as good as dead..."

Even then, all he could think about was saving himself!

I gave the graffiti one more look and decided to play it cool.

'If they check this out and it's all good, my mom can finally show up. We'll have our tearful reunion, and this whole mess will be over,' I told myself.

I clenched my jaw and stood still while they yanked up my T-shirt.

Right below my belly button, the crescent-shaped birthmark was unmistakable.

"Mr. Baker, this looks legit!"

Alex hurried over, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw the mark, whispering under his breath, "It's an exact match to Ms. Emerson's drawing..."

Josh, seeing that things were going his way, grinned sheepishly. "Mr. Baker, now that we've confirmed it, about the money..."

Alex fixed his gaze on my birthmark. Then, with a flick of his hand, he said, "We're done here. Beat it."

"Right, right, I'm outta here!" Josh nodded like his life depended on it and spun around to bolt.

However, he still had my lucky coin!

I leaped off the couch and lunged for his jacket. "Josh, you can't just leave..."

"Don't let him escape!" On Alex's order, one of his goons kicked me hard in the gut.

I stumbled backward, unable to dodge, and my head slammed into the corner of a table.

Alex lost it. "You got a death wish or something? How many times have I told you guys–no rough stuff until we're sure!"

The hit I took from Josh was still throbbing, and I could feel something warm trickling down.

Propped against the table, I touched the back of my head, and my hand came away bloody.

My sight started to dim, and my consciousness was slipping away, my body not responding.

'I can't pass out... I haven't seen my mom,' I persisted.

"Shoot. Mr. Baker, he's bleeding out!" someone yelled in a panic, pointing at me.

Alex scowled, his concern evident.

"Okay, you two: hustle and get a doctor. And you two, dash over to Ms. Emerson's and tell her the birthmark's a dead ringer for the one she's after. She needs to see this, pronto.

"Everyone else, play it cool. If this guy's the one Ms. Emerson's been hunting, we don't want to tick him off. The last thing we need is him tattling to her and getting us all in hot water!"

The goons scattered, nearly tripping over Josh, who was frozen like a statue by the door.

It took him a moment to find his voice, shaky and uncertain, "Mr. Baker... I mean, Ms. Emerson's just on the lookout for some arm candy, right? Is snagging a boyfriend really such a big deal?"

Alex shot him a glare sharp enough to cut steel, "Cut the chatter. You think Ms. Emerson would dangle a fortune just for kicks? If this guy's the real deal, he's your golden ticket out of debt.

"But let's get one thing straight–not just any guy with a moon on his skin can clear the slate.

"We've had jokers try to pass off fakes before, clueless about where the real deal should be. They just slapped on a crescent and called it real."

"And Ms. Emerson? She didn't let them off easily."

Josh felt a chill run down his spine as Alex dropped the bombshell.

"Lucky for you, Ms. Emerson has a sixth sense for these things, and this guy's crescent is exactly where she wants it, down to the millimeter.

"Sit tight. If he's the chosen one, you're not just off the hook for the seven million five hundred thousand bucks. Your buddy's gonna roll out the red carpet, and you'll be living the high life together."

Josh's gaze darted around, his face a canvas of fear and hope.

A sinking feeling weighed on me. With the last shred of my will, I forced out the words, "I... I am..."

"Mr. Baker, I'm so sorry!" Josh came barreling toward me, his nails clawing into my leg. "His birthmark is a fake!

"I can't lie to Ms. Emerson. I'll pay back the 7.5 million dollars. I won't walk away from this debt!"

…

Alex's anger flared up in an instant. "Josh, you're playing with fire!"

"It's not me! He made me do it!" The gun was aimed at him, and he doubled over. "He found out where the birthmark was supposed to be, got a tattoo to match, and made me bring him here.

"He said he wanted to get in good with Ms. Emerson, to live the high life!

"It's true. He threatened me, said he'd kill my folks if I didn't bring him!"

Josh's pleas were desperate, tears streaming down his face.

I stood there, gasping for air, shaking my head hard. "I didn't... I mean..."

"Chester, cut the act. You can't fool everyone forever. If Ms. Emerson finds out that the birthmark is fake, you're in for a world of hurt!"

Alex looked down at me, his piercing gaze fixed on the crescent-shaped birthmark, trying to figure out who was lying.

However, he did not seem to get it: the mom was looking for her son, not a lover.

If he would just take a good look at my face, maybe he would see the family resemblance...

Suddenly, a shout came from outside.

"Mr. Baker, those troublemakers from last time are at it again!"

Alex grabbed his gun and headed out.

"Keep an eye on the door, and don't let either of them leave. I'll be back in a flash."

The door to the room shut, leaving just Josh and me.

Josh's voice dropped to a whisper. "I can't believe it. Ms. Emerson's fixation with birthmarks at the casino was so intense that having the right one could skyrocket you to the top."

I fought to stay awake, but my body kept slipping further down. Blood was gushing from the back of my head, and I knew I could not last much longer.

"What... What are you planning to do..."

Madness flickered across his face, and he spoke with his chest heaving wildly, "I got it all wrong. I thought she just wanted a boy toy... No, I can't let you get ahead.

"If you do, you'll never forgive me... just like I can't forgive you!"

I was panting hard, shaking my head. "We're like brothers, man. Just let me go, and I'll forget all this ever happened."

"No way. You've got to despise me!" he shot back.

"Think about it... Without me, how are you going to pay back that 7.5 million bucks? They'll ship you off to the Mykar Borderlands, and that's a fate worse than death!" I was stalling for time, talking to him slowly.

Josh paused, his gaze darting around as he looked down.

Sensing a glimmer of hope, I pressed on, "Let me go, and I swear, I won't breathe a word. I'll make sure we live it up, and I'll take care of that seven million five hundred thousand for you."

Something shifted in his gaze, and he licked his chapped lips.

I let out a silent sigh of relief.

However, before I could even finish that sigh, his hand balled into a fist.

"No, you're too persistent. You've been hunting for your real parents for years and never quit. How could you ever forgive me?

"I can figure out another way to handle the millions, but I can't leave you here!"

With those final words, he whipped out a small knife, and the blade plunged right into my crescent-shaped birthmark!

"Aahh!"

I let out a blood-curdling scream, but his hand clamped over my mouth in an instant.

He traced a crescent shape and then whipped out a tiny bottle of clear liquid, forcing it down my throat.

The bitterness hit my throat, and I knew right away that it was bad news.

"Don't worry, the anesthetic kicks in after twenty minutes. Then you'll be out cold, and you won't feel anything that happens next."

Josh chucked the empty bottle and the knife under the table, his voice a manic whisper in my ear, "Sorry, but if it's between you and me, I'm the one who's gotta make it out alive!"

…

The anesthetic coursed through me, sapping all my strength. I slumped to the floor, feeling like I might black out any second.

That was when Alex walked in.

He saw me on the ground, his brow creasing with concern, and turned to Josh. "What's going on here?"

Josh, tears streaming down his face, pointed at me and blurted, "Mr. Baker, he couldn't handle the pain of getting the tattoo. He bolted before we could finish the coloring.

"Now the wound's split open... He's in so much pain that he's dizzy..."

Alex's eyes dropped to the tip of my crescent tattoo, spotting the thin line of blood. "It really is fake...

"Tell Ms. Emerson not to bother coming down here. We've got another faker."

A shadow loomed over me, and a chilling sensation pressed against my belly.

"You nearly had me fooled, almost got me killed.

"You're fond of crescents, huh? Well, I'll just carve this patch of skin off and stitch it onto your face!"

What...

The knife's point jabbed into my wound, jolting my fading consciousness. I struggled, letting out a piercing scream.

"Stop! I'm the one Ms. Emerson is looking for!

"She's not after a lover–she's searching for her son! I am her son!"

The room plunged into a sudden, eerie silence.

Alex let out an icy laugh. "Bold move, getting a tattoo and facing death. You've got guts, spouting a line like that.

"Ms. Emerson didn't even have a husband. How could this guy claim to be her son?"

The knife pressed a little deeper, but the numbing drugs had kicked in.

I could not feel the pain, nor could I say anything.

Through the haze, I heard a reminder, "Mr. Baker, that's Ms. Emerson's favorite rug..."

The knife was yanked out in an instant, and Alex got to his feet. "Get him out of here, and someone clean up this mess."

"Mr. Baker, should we ship him off to the Mykar Borderlands?"

My heart skipped a beat as I watched him clean the knife with a handkerchief, his eyes icy and calculating.

"Take him to the VIP room first, let the high-rollers have a bit of fun. Once they're done, then we'll sell him."

"What about this guy..." asked one of his men.

Josh quickly looked down, his hands twisting together as he begged, "Mr. Baker, please, just give me five more days. I swear I'll have the money ready. If I don't, you can do whatever you want with me!"

Alex pondered for a moment, then held up three fingers. "Three days."

"Okay, three days. I'll get the money, I promise!"

I was hoisted up, too weak to fight back. All I could do was watch Josh bolt from the room without a backward glance.

Two minutes later, I was dumped into the raucous VIP lounge.

A crowd of men and women swarmed around.

Someone called out, "Hey, isn't that Ms. Emerson's favorite crescent-shaped birthmark?"

The crowd burst into laughter.

"Looks like we've got another gambler who tried to beat Ms. Emerson."

"Typical. Win, and you could own the place. Lose, and you're out."

"Poor guy; he bet it all and lost. Now he's off to start over in a new country."

Some yanked at my T-shirt, while others grabbed my ankles. A few, turned off by the blood, pinched their noses and steered clear.

I felt like a tossed-out rag doll, unable to make a move or even put up a fight. All I could do was stare up at the glittering dome above, my heart pounding with a fierce refusal to give up.

I was so close, just one step away from finally meeting my mom...

Then, out of nowhere, the room hushed, and the click-clack of confident high heels echoed in my ears.

"Ms. Emerson, Mr. Baker says this one's a no-go. Let's chuck him out," came a voice.

"Sure, do what you gotta do," another voice replied.

That second voice was my mom's. Just like I remembered!

The footsteps started to fade away, heading in the opposite direction.

Panic surged through me, and from somewhere deep inside, I found the strength to yell, "I am Cole!"

The footsteps came to a screeching halt.

I could feel her eyes piercing through me.