Chapter 8 - LOCKDOWN
Red lights flashed.
Thomas moved first.
He grabbed Lily.
“No!”
Noah lunged.
Thomas pressed a gun against Lily’s temple.
“Back away.”
Everyone froze.
Lily’s face went white.
“Let her go,” David said.
Thomas smiled.
“There’s my son.”
David raised his hands.
“Take me instead.”
“You’re worth less.”
That landed hard.
Noah saw it.
So did David.
Thomas backed toward the emergency tunnel.
“If federal agents enter this level, the evidence burns.”
Margaret shouted, “You’ll kill everyone.”
“Only the people who matter.”
Noah’s eyes moved around the room.
Sprinkler pipes.
Oxygen lines.
Electrical panel.
Then he saw a red emergency switch near the wall.
His mother followed his gaze.
Very slightly, she shook her head.
Too dangerous.
Thomas dragged Lily toward the tunnel.
She was crying silently.
Noah remembered something their mother had taught them during thunderstorms.
If you’re scared, count.
One.
Two.
Three.
Lily looked at him.
Noah raised three fingers.
Her eyes changed.
She understood.
Thomas opened the tunnel door.
“Now.”
Lily dropped.
Her entire body went limp.
Thomas cursed and bent to grab her.
Noah ran.
He slammed into Thomas’s knees.
The gun fired.
Evelyn screamed.
David tackled his father.
Margaret grabbed Lily.
Thomas and David crashed into a medical cart.
Noah kicked the gun away.
Thomas punched David.
Hard.
David hit the floor.
Thomas grabbed a scalpel.
“You weak little coward.”
David blocked his arm.
“For once,” he said through clenched teeth, “you’re right.”
Then he shoved Thomas backward.
Pierce appeared in the doorway.
“Move!”
He threw the emergency switch.
Steel fire doors dropped between the tunnel and medical ward.
Thomas jumped.
Too late.
The door slammed down.
He was trapped on the ward side.
Sirens echoed.
Federal agents had entered the mansion.
Thomas stared at Pierce.
“You.”
Pierce looked terrified.
“Yes.”
“You think confessing saves you?”
“No.”
Pierce swallowed.
“But maybe telling the truth saves them.”
Thomas rushed him.
A gunshot exploded.
Thomas stopped.
He looked down.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Noah turned.
David held the gun.
His hands shook violently.
Thomas collapsed.
Nobody moved.
Then Thomas laughed.
Even bleeding, he laughed.
“You think killing me ends it?”
David lowered the gun.
Thomas looked at Noah.
“There are facilities in six states.”
Noah’s stomach dropped.
“Hundreds of patients.”
He coughed blood.
“And your mother…”
His smile widened.
“…isn’t the only Bennett who survived a funeral.”
Then he passed out.
May you like
Noah turned to his father.
“Who else is alive?”
