Chapter 13 - THE CHOICE
Elena woke in darkness.
For several seconds she didn't know where she was.
Then she heard Mia crying.
"Mommy?"
"I'm here."
Elena reached for her.
Mia crawled into her arms.
Marco was nearby.
Lucas too.
They had survived the explosion through an old drainage tunnel.
Daniel had been injured but was alive.
The woman had escaped.
And the evidence was gone.
Or so they thought.
Elena touched the pendant.
It was still around her neck.
She smiled.
"The key is here."
Marco stared.
"Then she didn't get it."
"No."
Lucas looked at the pendant.
"There's something inside."
Elena opened it.
A tiny memory chip.
Marco smiled.
"Your mother planned for this."
They found an old laptop.
The files opened.
Bank records.
Photographs.
Names.
Politicians.
Judges.
Businessmen.
Police officials.
And one name repeated more than any other.
Richard Bellini.
Marco's father.
But there was another name.
One Marco didn't recognize.
Nathaniel Cross.
Daniel looked at the screen.
"I know him."
"Who?"
"The senator."
Marco stared.
"The senator is involved?"
Daniel nodded.
"And he's running for governor."
Lucas looked at Elena.
"That's why they need the evidence."
Elena understood.
If the files became public, powerful people would fall.
Not just criminals.
Government officials.
Judges.
Corporations.
People who could make entire investigations disappear.
Marco closed the laptop.
"We release everything."
Daniel shook his head.
"If we do, they'll come after all of us."
"They already did."
Elena looked at Marco.
"What happens to Mia?"
"We protect her."
"How?"
Marco looked at her.
"By making sure everyone knows she cannot be touched."
Elena frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Marco reached for his phone.
"I've spent my whole life being feared."
He looked at Lucas.
"Maybe it's time people feared what happens when they hurt my family."
Lucas smiled.
"Now you sound like Dad."
Marco shook his head.
"No."
He looked at Mia.
"I sound like me."
The files were released.
Within hours, news networks across the country exploded.
Politicians resigned.
Federal agents arrived.
Investigations opened.
Nathaniel Cross disappeared.
For three days, nobody knew where he was.
Then his private jet was found abandoned.
But he left behind one message.
For Elena.
You haven't found your father yet.
Elena stared at the screen.
"My father?"
Lucas looked confused.
"Your father died."
Sofia shook her head.
"No."
Everyone turned.
Sofia looked at Elena.
"I made a mistake."
"What?"
"I told you your father was dead."
"Was he?"
"No."
Sofia's voice broke.
"He was taken."
"By whom?"
Sofia looked toward Marco.
"By your grandfather."
Elena felt the world stop.
"My father is alive?"
Sofia nodded.
"He's been alive all these years."
"Where?"
Sofia whispered:
"I don't know."
Then Mia spoke from the doorway.
"Mommy."
Elena turned.
Mia was holding an old photograph.
"Look what I found."
Elena took it.
Her heart stopped.
The man in the photograph was older.
But unmistakable.
May you like
Her father.
And beside him stood Nathaniel Cross.
