The bad guys capitalize on Madaug's guilt about hurting his family to lure him to them. Like Nick and his mother, Madaug is fond of his family. It's a trick of dictators and monsters everywhere: if you can't convince someone to do what you want, threaten the safety of those that person loves. It's nasty business, through and through.

In case you haven't caught by this point, Nick's mom is his number one priority. He risks his own safety to make sure she's safe, and it pays off.