Chapter 13 - THE THIRD HOSTAGE
Daniel moved toward the screen.
“Let her go.”
Konstantin smiled.
“You abandoned her first.”
“I thought she died.”
“She wanted you to think that.”
Daniel’s mother looked at him.
“Daniel, don’t listen.”
Konstantin tightened his hand on her shoulder.
She winced.
Maya watched Daniel’s face.
He had just found his daughter.
His wife.
Now his mother.
Every reunion came with a weapon against it.
Lena traced the video signal.
“It’s coming from the north boathouse.”
Roman looked at the estate map.
“That is half a mile through open ground.”
Sarah shook her head.
“It’s another trap.”
Daniel loaded the weapon.
“I’m going.”
Roman stepped in front of him.
“He wants Maya.”
“He has my mother.”
“And if you bring Maya, he has everyone.”
Maya looked at the map.
A water tunnel connected the underground level to the boathouse.
It had been sealed twenty years earlier.
She pointed.
“What is this?”
Roman followed her finger.
“Old drainage route.”
“Can we use it?”
“No.”
Julian stepped closer.
“Yes.”
Everyone looked at him.
Roman’s expression hardened.
“You knew about it.”
Julian shrugged.
“I know many things.”
Sarah raised her weapon.
“Why haven’t you told us?”
“Because until five minutes ago, my best chance of survival was Valentina.”
“And now?”
“Now she is going to kill me.”
Lena searched Julian.
She found a small black card inside his jacket.
The white crown symbol was printed on it.
Roman seized him by the throat.
“You work for them.”
Julian struggled to breathe.
“I infiltrated them.”
“For Valentina?”
“For myself.”
Roman slammed him against the wall.
Daniel pulled Roman back.
“We need the tunnel.”
Roman released Julian.
“Open it.”
Julian led them to a rusted door behind the old boilers.
He entered a six-digit code.
The lock clicked.
Cold water covered the tunnel floor.
Roman looked at Lena.
“Finish the transfer.”
“If we do not return, release everything necessary.”
Lena nodded.
Sarah held Maya’s shoulders.
“You stay here.”
Maya looked at Daniel’s mother on the screen.
“No.”
Sarah’s voice broke.
“I cannot lose you.”
“You won’t.”
“You cannot promise that.”
Maya looked at Roman.
“He wants my bloodline.”
“He won’t kill me before I unlock whatever he needs.”
“That does not make you safe,” Roman said.
“It makes me useful.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
The words sounded too much like something a child should never understand.
Maya continued.
“If I stay, he kills Grandma.”
“If I go, we might save her.”
Sarah looked at Daniel.
He did not know how to answer.
Roman did.
“Maya stays between us.”
“No one touches her.”
Sarah hated the decision.
But she nodded.
They entered the tunnel.
Julian led.
Roman followed.
Maya walked between Sarah and Daniel.
The tunnel ended beneath the boathouse.
Voices echoed above.
Julian opened a floor hatch.
The room appeared empty.
Daniel’s mother remained tied to the chair.
Maya climbed out.
The elderly woman looked at her.
Her face softened.
“You look like my daughter.”
Maya moved closer.
Roman scanned the shadows.
“Konstantin!”
No answer.
Sarah cut the ropes.
The elderly woman grabbed her wrist.
“Don’t.”
A red light blinked beneath the chair.
Roman cursed.
Another bomb.
Daniel lifted his mother.
A recorded countdown began.
Ten seconds.
Julian opened the boathouse doors.
They ran toward the dock.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Maya looked back.
A small metal case sat beneath the chair.
The same wolf symbol was engraved on it.
She broke free from Sarah.
“Maya!”
She ran back.
Three.
Two.
Maya grabbed the case.
Roman seized her and threw them both through the doorway.
The boathouse exploded.
Flames rose behind them.
They crashed onto the wet dock.
Roman shielded Maya with his body.
Daniel helped his mother into the boat.
Sarah pulled Maya up.
“You went back!”
Maya held up the metal case.
“He wanted us to leave this.”
Roman stared at it.
A digital screen activated.
FINAL KEY REQUIRED.
May you like
Then the boat engine started by itself.
And the vessel carried them away from shore.
