Chapter 13 - THE PEOPLE WHO CAME BACK

Thomas disappeared behind the machinery.

Julian collapsed against the doorway.

Adrian stared at him.

“You should be in surgery.”

Julian breathed heavily.

“Probably.”

“How did you get here?”

“Ronan sent coordinates.”

“He did what?”

“He knew you’d need backup.”

Adrian almost smiled.

Of course he did.

Julian looked at the timer.

7:42.

“We have a problem.”

“Several.”

“Can you disable it?”

“Manual override.”

Julian pointed toward a wheel beside the main pump system.

“That.”

Adrian frowned.

“How do you know?”

“I helped Thomas design this place.”

Adrian turned slowly.

Julian looked ashamed.

“Another confession for later.”

“Assuming there is a later.”

They moved toward the wheel.

It was locked by a steel brace.

Adrian pulled.

Nothing.

Julian joined him.

His wound reopened.

Blood soaked through the bandage.

“Push on three.”

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

Metal groaned.

The brace shifted.

A shot rang out.

Julian fell.

Thomas stood across the chamber.

Blood covered his shirt.

His gun remained steady.

“You disappoint me, Julian.”

Julian laughed from the floor.

“Get in line.”

Thomas aimed at Adrian.

Then the lights went out.

Darkness.

Thomas fired.

Adrian rolled.

Another gunshot.

Then another.

A new voice shouted.

“Adrian!”

Ronan.

Flashlights filled the chamber.

Ronan and Daniel appeared at the stairs.

Daniel was thinner than Adrian remembered.

Weak.

But standing.

Thomas froze.

For the first time, he looked at Daniel directly.

Silence.

Six years.

Father and son.

Daniel raised a pistol.

Thomas stared at him.

“You look terrible.”

Daniel’s face twisted.

“You should see your parenting reviews.”

Even Adrian almost laughed.

Thomas raised his gun.

Adrian stepped between them.

“No.”

Daniel looked at him.

“Move.”

“No.”

“He kept me in a cage for six years.”

“I know.”

“He tried to kill me.”

“I know.”

“He threatened my daughter.”

“I know.”

Daniel’s hand shook.

“Then move.”

Adrian looked at his brother.

“If you shoot him now, he dies believing he still controls you.”

Daniel stared.

Behind them, the timer continued.

6:08.

6:07.

Ronan shouted.

“We can do family therapy after the island stops exploding!”

Daniel lowered the gun.

Barely.

Adrian and Ronan grabbed the steel wheel.

Daniel joined them.

Even Julian crawled forward and placed one hand on the mechanism.

Four men.

Four different histories.

One final turn.

“Now!”

They pushed.

The wheel moved.

Slowly.

Painfully.

The system screamed.

A warning flashed.

PRIMARY DETONATION ARRAY DISABLED.

Adrian looked at the timer.

It kept counting.

5:41.

“What the hell?”

Julian looked toward another console.

“Secondary system.”

Ronan cursed.

Thomas laughed.

“You really thought I built one failsafe?”

Adrian turned.

Thomas had reached another door.

He slammed his hand against the scanner.

It opened.

Then he disappeared.

Daniel shouted.

“He’s heading for the dock.”

Adrian looked at Ronan.

“Take Julian.”

“I’m coming.”

“No.”

Ronan’s face hardened.

“Stop telling me that.”

“Daniel needs help.”

Daniel objected.

“I can walk.”

“You can barely stand.”

Adrian grabbed his brother’s shoulder.

“Get out.”

Daniel stared at him.

“And you?”

“I’m ending this.”

The timer reached five minutes.

Daniel grabbed Adrian’s jacket.

“No more disappearing.”

Adrian looked into his brother’s eyes.

“I promised Lily I’d bring her family back.”

“You are her family too.”

That stopped him.

For the first time, Adrian understood the truth.

He had spent his entire life thinking family was something blood gave you.

Thomas had proven otherwise.

Family was who came back.

Who stayed.

Who fought beside you when everything collapsed.

Adrian squeezed Daniel’s shoulder.

“Then I’ll see you outside.”

He ran after Thomas.

Above ground, dawn was beginning.

Fog rolled across the island.

Adrian followed blood drops through the old mansion.

Down the rear terrace.

Toward the dock.

Thomas stood beside a speedboat.

One hand pressed against his wounded side.

The other held a detonator.

Adrian stopped.

Thomas smiled.

“You always were persistent.”

“Put it down.”

“Why?”

“You lost.”

Thomas looked toward the mansion.

“Did I?”

The detonator had one button.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

“What does that control?”

“The secondary charges.”

“You press it, you die too.”

Thomas smiled.

“Perhaps.”

Adrian realized something.

Thomas was afraid.

Not of death.

Of being powerless.

Adrian lowered his gun.

Thomas frowned.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving you a choice.”

Thomas laughed.

“You?”

“Yes.”

“Drop the detonator.”

“Surrender.”

“Stand trial.”

“Watch every secret come out.”

Thomas’s expression turned furious.

“You think I’ll let strangers judge me?”

Adrian nodded.

“That’s exactly why you won’t surrender.”

Thomas’s thumb moved toward the button.

Adrian fired.

The bullet struck Thomas’s hand.

The detonator flew across the dock.

It hit the boards.

Slid.

Stopped inches from the edge.

Thomas lunged.

Adrian tackled him.

They crashed onto the wet wood.

Thomas struck Adrian’s wounded shoulder.

Adrian nearly blacked out.

Thomas reached for the detonator.

Adrian grabbed his ankle.

Thomas kicked him.

The detonator slipped over the edge.

Thomas froze.

It dropped into the ocean.

Gone.

For the first time in decades, Thomas Blackwood had no control over anything.

Adrian slowly stood.

Thomas stared at the water.

Then at his son.

“You destroyed everything.”

Adrian shook his head.

“No.”

“You did.”

Behind them, Ronan’s voice carried from the path.

“Federal helicopters inbound!”

Thomas’s face changed.

Adrian smiled faintly.

Julian had sent the Black Ledger.

Every name.

Every account.

Every payment.

To federal investigators.

To journalists.

To foreign regulators.

To everyone.

Thomas whispered.

“You fool.”

“You’ve destroyed the Blackwood name.”

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Adrian looked toward the sunrise.

“Good.”