A Fathers Instinct

Sunlight broke over the Zenith skyline, casting a warm golden glow over Kaelen’s two-day-old company car. He pulled up outside the familiar apartment building and parked by the curb. Ten minutes ticked by before the front door finally opened. Hazel stepped out into the crisp morning air, dressed in a sharp business suit. A little girl tottered a few steps behind her, rubbing the stubborn sleep from her eyes.

Kaelen stepped out of the vehicle and squatted down to the child's eye level. He extended his large, scarred hand with a bright smile. "Good morning, my princess!"

The little girl shrank back in shyness. She grabbed the fabric of Hazel's trousers, hiding her face behind the woman's leg.

Hazel smoothed the girl's messy hair. She squatted down beside her. "You promised me, right? Be a good girl and call him Mr. Grover."

The girl squirmed unhappily, peeking out with big, hesitant eyes. She mumbled under her breath. "Mr. Grover."

A massive, overwhelming wave of pure affection crashed through Kaelen's chest. He felt like his heart might burst at the soft sound of her voice. He ushered them into the car and slid into the driver's seat. During the morning commute, he could not stop glancing at the rearview mirror to catch glimpses of the sleepy child in the back seat. He felt like he was melting into a puddle of love.

"What is your name?" Kaelen asked, trying to keep his voice casual as he kept his hands steady on the steering wheel.

Hazel adjusted her posture in the passenger seat. "Her name is Mia Vance."

*Mia Vance.*

Kaelen tightened his grip on the leather wheel. A soaring elation lit up his eyes, hidden only by the visor above him. He kept his gaze fixed on the road to mask the raw emotion threatening to spill over. *Thank you, Lyra. Thank you for your immense persistence in keeping my family name alive.* He silently poured his gratitude out to his lost love. He had established his first meaningful contact with his daughter, cementing a fierce emotional devotion to protect her at all costs.

The peaceful morning abruptly shattered the second Kaelen pulled up to the bustling kindergarten entrance. Parents were dropping off their kids, creating a minor bottleneck near the gates. A sleek black car trailing behind them laid on its horn. The deafening honk ripped through the air, echoing loudly off the school walls.

Mia jumped in fright just as she climbed out of the backseat. Her small foot slipped off the curb. She pitched forward, nearly tumbling face-first onto the hard pavement. Hazel lunged forward and caught her arm just in time, steadying the terrified child.

Kaelen clenched his jaw. He ground his teeth together, keeping his hands firmly at his sides. He waited patiently by the car door, watching as Hazel took Mia's hand and guided her through the gates. Mia turned around with her tubby arms and waved goodbye. Kaelen offered a bright smile, keeping the facade up until a young teacher took Mia safely inside the building.

The moment the heavy school doors closed behind them, the warm, fatherly smile dropped from Kaelen's face. A sharp, unspeakable cruelty took its place.

The arrogant driver of the black car slammed his door shut. The young man strode toward Kaelen, his face twisted in a nasty sneer.

"Are you deaf and blind? Can you not see you are blocking the congestion?" The youth hurled the vicious insults across the pavement before he even closed the distance between them.

Kaelen squinted. The harsh morning sunlight reflected off the man's gaudy gold watch, creating a blinding glare. He sized up the angry driver, standing his ground.

"This is a kindergarten. You should be careful with your language." Kaelen delivered the warning in a smooth, calm tone.

"Damn your kindergarten!" The youth spat in pure defiance.

Kaelen shifted his weight. In a seamless, untraceable flash of movement, he pivoted on his heel. He drove a devastating, bone-rattling fist directly into the man's gut.

The youth folded in half. He coughed uncontrollably in shock, his eyes bulging from their sockets. His legs gave out beneath him, and he crumpled into a pathetic, gasping heap on the ground.

A shrill scream pierced the air. A plump, heavily bejeweled woman shimmied aggressively out of the passenger side of the black car. Thick gold bracelets clanked against her wrists. A tubby young boy scrambled out of the back seat right behind her.

"I will make you pay for striking my husband!" The plump woman shrieked, marching toward Kaelen with her fingers curled into claws.

Kaelen turned his head. He locked his eyes on hers, unleashing a murderous glare so intense it froze the woman mid-stride. Her face twitched in pure terror. The thick layer of heavy makeup on her cheeks seemed to crack and flutter to the ground like dust.

Kaelen raised both hands in a mock surrender. "Let's not teach the wrong things to the next generation."

Hazel hurried out of the kindergarten gates, her eyes darting between the gasping man on the floor and the terrified woman. "What is the commotion about?"

"It is nothing." Kaelen smoothed out his expression, returning to his mild demeanor.

Hazel shot him a warning look as she climbed into the passenger seat. "Send me to the office. I am going to be late."

Kaelen slid behind the wheel and pulled the car away from the curb. They left the scene behind, unaware of the furious plotting taking place on the pavement.

The plump woman rushed to her husband's side, helping him to his trembling feet. He clutched his stomach, his face pale with humiliation and rage.

"How dare that powerless chauffeur lay a hand on me? I will ruin him." The youth hissed through clenched teeth.

The tubby boy jumped up and down, pointing a chubby finger in the direction of Kaelen's departing car. "Mom! Dad! That lady is my classmate's aunt! I saw her here yesterday too!"

A sinister grin spread across the young man's face. They had the perfect lead to track down the arrogant chauffeur who dared to humiliate their wealthy family.

Thirty minutes later, Kaelen pulled the blue car up to the towering glass structure of the Commerce Center. Hazel unbuckled her seatbelt and gathered her purse from the passenger side.

"Pick Mia up at three-thirty. Do not be late." Hazel issued the strict reminder before stepping out onto the bustling sidewalk.

"Understood." Kaelen nodded.

He watched her disappear into the corporate lobby. A broad grin touched the corners of his lips. He checked his watch, realizing he had plenty of free time before the afternoon pickup. It was the perfect window to visit his sister's place. He wanted to see his father's reaction to the millions of dollars he had transferred the previous day.

Kaelen eased the car back into the metropolitan traffic. He wove skillfully through the congested city streets, his mind occupied by thoughts of his daughter and his family's future. The dense urban sprawl eventually gave way to a much less congested, isolated highway on the outskirts of Zenith.

The road was quiet, flanked by empty side streets and towering concrete barriers. He pressed the accelerator, enjoying the smooth drive.

Sudden danger struck without warning.

A reinforced vehicle roared out from a narrow side street. Bold white letters spelled out 'Ministry of Security' across its dark side panels. The heavy vehicle sped onto the road and swerved with harsh precision, skidding to a dead stop. It sat perpendicular across the lanes, blocking his path.

Inside the cabin, Kaelen's phone suddenly began to ring, flashing Silas's name across the screen, just as another black and white car screeched out of a nearby alley.