Chapter 10 - THE PRICE OF FAMILY
“Aunt Rachel!”
Rachel Carter’s eyes widened when she saw Eli.
“Run!”
Marcus shoved the gun harder against her head.
“Bad advice.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“You leave her out of this.”
Marcus laughed.
“You left her in it when you made her babysit your kid.”
Eli looked at Daniel.
“You told me she was safe.”
“I thought she was.”
Rachel’s face was bruised.
Marcus had tied her wrists.
“Drop the drive,” Marcus ordered.
Harlan slowly reached inside his jacket.
Daniel stopped him.
“No.”
Marcus cocked the gun.
“You want to test me?”
Daniel stared at Rachel.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked back at him.
“Don’t.”
Eli’s mind raced.
His father had taught him something when he was nine.
Not about guns.
About fear.
Fear makes your eyes lock onto the thing you’re most afraid to lose.
Marcus knew that.
Which meant Marcus was watching Daniel.
Not Eli.
Eli took one small step sideways.
Marcus didn’t notice.
Another.
Harlan noticed.
He said loudly, “Adrian Knox will kill you the second he gets that drive.”
Marcus looked at him.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know Knox.”
“You knew the version he sold you.”
“Exactly. And now I know the real one.”
Eli moved again.
A hunting rifle leaned against the ranger station wall ten feet away.
Marcus still didn’t look.
Daniel did.
Father and son locked eyes.
Daniel’s face didn’t change.
But Eli understood.
Not yet.
Harlan pulled out the drive.
Marcus smiled.
“That’s better.”
He shifted his gun slightly away from Rachel.
Daniel whispered, “Now.”
Rachel dropped to her knees.
Eli lunged for the rifle.
Marcus fired.
The bullet hit the porch post.
Daniel charged him.
They crashed into the railing.
Marcus swung the pistol toward Daniel.
Eli lifted the rifle.
His hands shook.
He had shot targets.
Paper.
Steel.
Never a person.
Marcus aimed at his father.
Eli saw the angle.
The distance.
The movement.
His breathing stopped.
Then he fired.
BOOM!
Marcus screamed.
The pistol flew from his hand.
Eli’s bullet had hit the wooden railing inches from his wrist, blasting splinters into his hand.
Daniel tackled him.
Harlan freed Rachel.
Marcus lay facedown in the mud.
Eli lowered the rifle.
His entire body shook.
Daniel approached him.
“You okay?”
“I almost…”
“But you didn’t.”
“I could have killed him.”
“Yes.”
Eli looked sick.
Daniel placed a hand on his shoulder.
“That’s why shooting paper is easy.”
Sirens sounded faintly in the distance.
Rachel looked toward the road.
“Police?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not this fast.”
Black trucks appeared through the rain.
Knox’s men.
Harlan looked at the damaged radio tower.
“We still haven’t transmitted the files.”
Daniel looked toward the mountains.
“There’s one other way.”
“What?”
Daniel pointed toward a tall communications tower on the highest ridge.
“Old military relay station.”
Harlan stared.
“That’s six miles.”
“Five and a half.”
“With an army behind us.”
Daniel checked the rifle.
“Then we’d better move.”
Marcus suddenly laughed from the mud.
“You still don’t get it.”
Daniel looked down.
Marcus smiled through bloody teeth.
“Knox doesn’t care about the files anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because he knows where the original evidence is.”
Daniel’s face changed.
May you like
Marcus looked directly at Eli.
“Your mother hid it.”
