Chapter 16 - A MOTHER’S LAST LIE
Valentina pressed the barrel between Roman’s shoulders.
“Drop your weapon.”
Roman released his gun.
It struck the deck.
FBI agents aimed at Valentina from the upper level.
She pulled Roman closer.
“Lower your weapons.”
Lena stepped forward.
“You have nowhere to go.”
Valentina smiled.
“I always have somewhere to go.”
She reached inside Roman’s collar.
Her fingers found the chain around his neck.
A small silver medallion hung beneath his shirt.
She tore it free.
Irina’s face changed.
“The master token.”
Valentina held it up.
Roman looked at her.
“You told me it belonged to my grandfather.”
“It belonged to the first Crown director.”
“Your father wore it.”
“Then I gave it to you.”
“Why?”
“Because no scanner would search Roman Sokolov.”
Valentina moved toward the yacht controls.
Roman remained between her and the agents.
Julian still held the torn charter pages.
Valentina looked at him.
“The pages.”
“No.”
She fired.
The bullet struck the deck near Maya.
Sarah pulled Maya behind a bench.
Valentina aimed again.
Julian handed over the pages.
She smiled.
“Good boy.”
“I am fifty-one.”
“And still desperate for approval.”
Julian’s face twisted with hatred.
Valentina placed the master token over the pages.
Hidden writing appeared in blue light.
A series of coordinates filled the paper.
Irina stared.
“That is not an account code.”
Valentina’s smile faded.
The coordinates pointed to a location beneath Chicago.
Roman looked at them.
“The old federal reserve tunnel.”
Konstantin shouted from below the railing.
“Valentina!”
“Pull me up!”
She ignored him.
Roman understood.
“You never planned to save him.”
Valentina looked toward the water.
“Konstantin was useful.”
“Now he is dying.”
Konstantin screamed her name again.
Valentina pressed a button on the medallion.
The yacht’s emergency launch detached.
A small speedboat dropped into the water.
She backed toward it with Roman.
Lena kept her weapon raised.
“Release him.”
Valentina looked at Roman.
“You always wanted to know whether I loved you.”
Roman’s eyes remained cold.
“Now you can answer.”
She shoved him toward the agents.
Then she jumped onto the speedboat.
The engine roared.
She disappeared into the fog.
Roman rushed to the railing.
Konstantin still hung from the rope.
He looked up.
“Help me.”
Roman pulled the rope slowly.
Konstantin reached the deck.
FBI agents surrounded him.
Lena handcuffed him.
He looked at Roman.
“She will open the vault.”
“What vault?”
Konstantin laughed through his pain.
“The Crown did not store its greatest secret in the ledger.”
Irina stepped closer.
“What did you hide?”
Konstantin looked at Maya.
“The children.”
Sarah froze.
“What children?”
Konstantin’s smile became monstrous.
“Every bloodline needs an heir.”
“We collected dozens.”
Roman grabbed him.
“Where are they?”
Konstantin nodded toward the coordinates.
“Beneath the city.”
Maya looked at the black pages.
The final line had not fully appeared.
She placed her hand over the master token.
More writing glowed beneath her fingers.
VAULT PURGE: 58 MINUTES.
Sarah stared at the countdown.
“What does purge mean?”
Daniel’s face turned pale.
May you like
“It means Valentina is going to erase every witness.”
Including the children.
