Chapter 10 - THE TUNNEL
Footsteps pounded through the darkness.
Fast.
Coming closer.
Daniel pushed Vanessa behind him.
“Who’s there?”
No answer.
Noah raised a flashlight.
A figure appeared twenty yards ahead.
Eric grabbed a loose metal pipe from the wall.
“Stop!”
The figure kept running.
Thomas stepped forward.
“Wait.”
The man entered the light.
Young.
Bleeding from the forehead.
Security uniform.
He collapsed.
Daniel caught him.
“Easy.”
The guard gasped.
“Chapel…”
“What happened?”
“They cut power.”
“Who?”
“Two men.”
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Marcus?”
The guard shook his head weakly.
“Didn’t see him.”
Noah asked, “Did they come through here?”
“One did.”
Eric tightened his grip on the pipe.
“Where’d he go?”
The guard pointed back.
“Warehouse.”
Daniel frowned.
“This tunnel reaches the warehouse?”
The guard nodded.
“Old service line.”
Vanessa swore.
Marcus had known about the tunnel.
Of course he had.
Daniel helped the guard sit against the wall.
“Go toward the chapel. People are there.”
The group continued.
After five minutes, the tunnel split.
Eric stopped.
“Which way?”
Vanessa pointed left.
“Bunker.”
Thomas frowned.
“How do you know?”
“I’ve been there.”
Daniel looked at her.
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
“With Marcus?”
“Yes.”
“What were you doing?”
She looked away.
“Preparing.”
“For my wedding?”
“For after.”
Daniel’s voice turned cold.
“What happens after?”
Vanessa stopped.
She seemed tired now.
Not glamorous.
Not charming.
Just tired.
“Marcus wanted your company broken apart.”
Eric stared.
“What?”
“He had buyers lined up.”
Daniel’s stomach turned.
“Foreign?”
“Some.”
“You were going to sell defense technology?”
“I wasn’t told everything.”
“Bullshit.”
“I knew money was involved.”
Thomas laughed.
“Money is always enough for you.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“You think I wanted this life?”
“You chose it.”
“You don’t know what I chose.”
“I was your husband.”
“You were drunk half the time.”
“And you emptied our account.”
“Because you gambled away the rest!”
Daniel snapped, “Save the divorce hearing for later.”
They kept moving.
Finally the tunnel ended at a steel staircase.
Above it: B-17.
Eric whispered, “She was right.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“I usually am.”
Daniel opened the door slowly.
Warehouse basement.
Dark.
Concrete.
Old machinery.
They heard a woman crying.
Noah rushed forward.
“Lily!”
Daniel grabbed him.
“Wait.”
A spotlight snapped on.
Lily sat tied to a chair twenty feet away.
Her mouth taped.
Noah stepped forward.
A red laser dot appeared on his chest.
Everyone froze.
Marcus’s voice came through speakers overhead.
“Welcome.”
Daniel looked around.
“Show yourself.”
“Soon.”
“Let Lily go.”
“Sign the transfer.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“You still think that’s happening?”
“I do.”
“You have no legal leverage.”
“I don’t need legal leverage.”
A large monitor turned on.
Live video.
The chapel.
Mia.
Rachel.
Guests.
Daniel’s blood went cold.
Marcus said, “I have another team at the chapel.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“No.”
“You thought the tunnel was an escape route.”
Marcus laughed softly.
“It was a delivery route.”
Daniel stared at the screen.
Mia suddenly looked toward the chapel’s side door.
Someone off-camera had entered.
Rachel pulled her close.
Then Marcus said:
“Sign the papers, Daniel.”
A second red dot appeared.
Not on Daniel.
May you like
On Lily’s forehead.
“You have thirty seconds.”
