Chapter 14: The Fifteen Men and the Final Truth
Caleb couldn't move.
His mother stood in front of him, looking healthier than she had in weeks.
Beside her stood an older man with gray hair and a deep scar across his cheek.
Daniel Reed.
The man everyone had believed was dead.
The man whose name had been buried beneath decades of lies.
Caleb's mother approached him.
"Sweetheart.""
He stepped backward.
"Don't.""
Her eyes filled.
"Please.""
"You let me believe Dad was dead.""
She swallowed.
"He was.""
"Then who is this?""
Daniel looked at Caleb.
"I'm your biological father.""
Caleb shook his head.
"No. My father was Marcus.""
Daniel nodded.
"Marcus raised you. He loved you. He was your father in every way that mattered.""
"Then why didn't you come home?""
Daniel looked at Elizabeth.
She lowered her eyes.
"Because I was afraid," he answered.
"Of what?""
"Of Thomas. Of Arthur. Of the people who controlled the club.""
Caleb laughed bitterly.
"So you let another man raise your son?""
Daniel's eyes filled.
"Yes.""
The honesty hurt more than any excuse.
Damon stepped forward.
"Where were you when Marcus died?""
Daniel looked at him.
"At the hospital. I was supposed to meet him that night. I got there too late.""
Victor looked up from the floor.
"You were supposed to meet him at Black Ridge.""
Daniel turned.
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you?""
"Because someone called me and said Marcus had been injured.""
Hank stared.
"Who called?""
Daniel looked at him.
"You.""
Hank's face collapsed.
Daniel continued.
"You told me Marcus had crashed near the old service station. You said he was alive and needed help.""
Hank shook his head.
"I never made that call.""
Daniel looked at Margaret.
"Then who did?""
Margaret removed another phone from her handbag.
It was old, scratched, and missing its back cover.
She pressed a button.
A recording began.
A man's voice spoke.
Daniel, this is Hank. Marcus is hurt. Come to the service station. Don't bring anyone.
The recording ended.
Hank stared at the phone.
"That's my voice.""
Margaret nodded.
"Yes.""
"But I never made that call.""
Daniel looked at him.
"Then someone had your phone again.""
Victor slowly raised his head.
"Thomas.""
Hank turned.
Victor continued.
"He had access to every phone in the clubhouse. He could have recorded Hank's voice and used it.""
Daniel nodded.
"That's what I believe.""
Caleb looked at his mother.
"Where were you that night?""
She approached him.
"I was following Marcus.""
"Why?""
"Because I knew he was going to expose Thomas.""
She took a breath.
"Your father had discovered that Thomas was using the family fund to pay people who helped him hide the truth about the warehouse. He had also discovered that Thomas planned to transfer the remaining money into a private account.""
"Whose account?""
His mother looked at Hank.
"Yours.""
Hank shook his head.
"No.""
She handed him a document.
The account belonged to Hank Sullivan.
But the beneficiary was listed as:
*CALEB REED.*
Damon stared.
"Why would Thomas put the money in Caleb's name?""
Daniel answered.
"Because Thomas wanted Caleb to inherit the Iron Saints.""
Caleb frowned.
"I'm seventeen.""
"Exactly," Daniel replied.
"Thomas believed he could control you until you were old enough to take over.""
Frank stepped forward.
"Then why did he involve me?""
Daniel looked at him.
"Because Arthur was your father. Thomas used you to monitor the family.""
Frank looked devastated.
"I never knew.""
"I believe you.""
Victor stood slowly.
"What happened to Arthur?""
Daniel looked at him.
"Arthur followed Marcus to Black Ridge. He attacked him. Marcus fought back. They both went over the guardrail.""
Caleb covered his mouth.
"Both?""
Daniel nodded.
"Marcus died at the scene. Arthur survived long enough to be taken away.""
Elizabeth looked at Margaret.
"Then who was the body buried under Marcus's name?""
Margaret answered.
"An unidentified man who died in the same crash.""
Damon shook his head.
"That's how they fooled everyone?""
"Yes.""
Caleb looked at Daniel.
"Why did you stay away after that?""
Daniel removed a folded letter from his jacket.
"Because Marcus left this for me.""
He handed it to Caleb.
Daniel,
If you are reading this, I've failed.
Take care of my son. Don't let him become another man who believes family means ownership.
Tell him I loved him.
Tell him I chose him.
And if you ever have the chance, bring him home.
Caleb pressed the letter against his chest.
For the first time since Marcus died, he allowed himself to cry.
Daniel approached him.
"I know I can't replace him.""
"You can't.""
"I know.""
Caleb looked at him.
"But I want to know who you are.""
Daniel nodded.
"That's all I ask.""
A sudden crash came from the lobby.
The hospital lights flickered.
Then every light went out.
Someone shouted.
Damon pulled Caleb behind a pillar.
A gunshot echoed down the corridor.
When the emergency lights came on, the reception desk was overturned.
Margaret was gone.
So was the envelope containing Thomas's confession.
Hank ran toward the elevator.
"Margaret!""
The elevator doors were closing.
He caught them with his hand.
Inside stood a man wearing a black leather jacket.
Arthur Miller.
Alive.
Hank stared.
"You should be dead.""
Arthur smiled.
"That's what everyone keeps saying.""
He pressed a button.
The elevator began moving.
Damon ran forward, but the doors closed.
Daniel grabbed a nearby chair and smashed the emergency glass beside the elevator controls.
Victor shouted for security.
Caleb looked at the floor.
A small object lay near the reception desk.
Margaret's wedding ring.
He picked it up.
Inside was an engraving.
*FOR THE FIFTEENTH RIDER.*
He turned toward his mother.
"What does this mean?""
Her face changed.
She took the ring.
"Your grandfather didn't choose fifteen bikers by accident.""
Daniel nodded.
"The original Iron Saints had fifteen founding members.""
Hank frowned.
"Fourteen.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Fifteen.""
He looked at Caleb.
"The last member was your mother.""
Everyone turned toward her.
She removed her jacket.
Beneath the Iron Saints patch was another emblem.
A silver number fifteen.
She spoke quietly.
"I was the one who created the family fund.""
Caleb stared.
"Why?""
"Because I watched the men in this club lose everything when their brothers died. I wanted their families protected.""
Damon looked at her.
"Then why did the money disappear?""
"Because Thomas stole it.""
She paused.
"And because I helped him.""
Hank looked horrified.
"What?""
She nodded.
"I gave him access to the accounts. I believed he was using the money to protect the families.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"You were wrong.""
She began crying.
"I know.""
Caleb looked at her.
"Did you know Marcus was going to die?""
"No.""
"Did you know Arthur was going to attack him?""
"No.""
"Then why did you follow him?""
She looked directly at Caleb.
"Because I was the one who sent him the warning.""
"What warning?""
She handed him a folded note.
It contained four words.
*DON'T TRUST THE FIFTEEN.*
Caleb looked at the date.
It was written three days before Marcus died.
He turned it over.
A second message appeared.
One of the founding members never left.
Daniel looked at the note.
Then he slowly turned toward Frank.
Frank shook his head.
"No.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Arthur wasn't the only Miller who survived that fire.""
Frank stepped backward.
"You're wrong.""
Daniel looked at him.
"Your mother was pregnant when the warehouse burned.""
Frank's face went white.
"Stop.""
Daniel continued.
"She gave birth to twins.""
Caleb stared.
"Twins?""
Frank looked at the floor.
Daniel nodded.
"One was raised by Arthur. The other was taken by Thomas.""
Damon stepped forward.
"Who was the other child?""
Daniel looked at the empty elevator.
Then he answered.
"The person who has been sending the messages.""
A phone vibrated.
Caleb looked down.
One new message.
*UNKNOWN NUMBER:*
Midnight. Black Ridge Pass.
Bring the key.
Bring the fifteen.
And bring the boy who belongs to me.
Then a photograph appeared.
It showed Margaret tied to a chair.
Behind her stood a man.
His face was identical to Frank Miller's.
May you like
And beneath the picture was one final sentence.
*YOUR BROTHER IS WAITING.*
