Chapter 12: The Last Flight from Newport
The helicopter blades were already spinning when Victoria reached the eastern service road.
Rain had begun falling.
The coastal wind swept across the cliffs, whipping her hair around her face.
Samuel drove.
Veronica sat beside him, checking the magazine of her pistol.
Elena and Evelyn followed in the second vehicle with Margaret and James.
Victoria clutched the family trust documents against her chest.
"How much time do we have?""
Samuel glanced at the dashboard.
"Two minutes, maybe less.""
"Can the police stop the helicopter?""
"They've blocked the main road, but Daniel has a private landing authorization.""
Victoria looked toward the horizon.
"How does a man with an arrest warrant still have permission to take off?""
Samuel gave a bitter laugh.
"Because his company owns the aviation contractor.""
They reached the helipad.
The helicopter was a black twin-engine machine with the Vance Global logo painted on its side.
Daniel stood beside the open door.
Two armed men were loading the black case.
When he saw the SUV, he smiled.
"You're late.""
Samuel slammed on the brakes.
Victoria jumped out.
"Daniel!""
He turned.
"Victoria. I was beginning to think you wouldn't come.""
"Put the case down.""
Daniel laughed.
"Do you know what's inside?""
"Evidence.""
"More than that.""
He tapped the case.
"Fourteen biological profiles. Original genetic samples. Medical formulas. Records that could make someone very rich.""
Victoria stepped closer.
"You've destroyed enough lives.""
Daniel looked at her.
"That's what people like you never understand. Power doesn't care about morality.""
"No. People use power to excuse their cruelty.""
Daniel smiled.
"Your mother used it. Your father used it. Richard used it. And now you want to inherit it.""
Victoria shook her head.
"I don't want your empire.""
"Then why are you here?""
"To end it.""
Daniel's expression changed.
He looked toward Veronica.
"Tell your sister what you did.""
Veronica raised her weapon.
"I know what I did.""
"Tell her about the hospital.""
Victoria turned.
"What is he talking about?""
Veronica's eyes filled with tears.
Daniel laughed.
"Go on. Tell her.""
Veronica lowered her pistol slightly.
"Before I met Elena, I worked in the private medical wing.""
Victoria stared at her.
"What?""
"I was trying to find the original records. Daniel gave me access to the laboratory.""
"And?""
Veronica swallowed.
"I found a list of people scheduled for transfer. I was supposed to destroy it.""
Victoria's voice became cold.
"Did you?""
Veronica nodded.
"Yes.""
Samuel stepped forward.
"That was the list containing the names of the fourteen subjects.""
Victoria looked at her sister.
"You destroyed the evidence?""
"I thought I was protecting them. Daniel told me the files contained information that could expose their identities.""
Daniel smiled.
"She was very obedient.""
Veronica's face twisted.
"I didn't know what he was planning.""
Victoria looked away.
She couldn't decide whether she wanted to scream or cry.
Daniel lifted the black case.
"That's enough family therapy.""
He stepped toward the helicopter.
Samuel raised his pistol.
"Put it down.""
Daniel pointed his own weapon toward Victoria.
"Move, and she dies.""
Samuel froze.
Daniel smiled.
"Now, let's be reasonable.""
Victoria stared at the pistol.
"You're going to shoot your own sister?""
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"You're not my sister.""
"Robert Hale was your father.""
For the first time, Daniel's expression cracked.
Victoria continued.
"Elena carried you. Richard raised you. Margaret protected you. Robert gave you his blood.""
She took another step.
"And you betrayed every single one of them.""
Daniel's finger tightened around the trigger.
"Shut up.""
"You spent your entire life trying to prove you deserved to inherit a company that was never yours.""
"SHUT UP!""
He raised the pistol.
Then a voice came from behind him.
"Daniel.""
Richard Vance stood at the edge of the helipad.
He had arrived in a wheelchair, pushed by Elena.
His face was pale.
But his eyes were steady.
Daniel slowly turned.
"Father.""
Richard looked at the black case.
"Put it down.""
Daniel laughed.
"You should be dead.""
"I was.""
"Then stay dead!""
Richard's voice broke.
"I gave you everything.""
"No. You gave me a name!""
Daniel stepped closer.
"You knew I wasn't your biological son. You knew Robert was my father. You knew what the program had done to me.""
Richard nodded.
"I did.""
"And you still expected me to love you?""
Richard looked down.
"No. I expected you to become a better man than I was.""
Daniel stared at him.
Then he laughed.
A harsh, ugly sound.
"You really are pathetic.""
He raised the pistol.
Elena moved between them.
"Daniel, don't.""
For a moment, his expression softened.
"Mother.""
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"Please. Put it down.""
Daniel looked at her.
Then at Richard.
Then at Victoria.
And finally, he lowered the weapon.
Everyone exhaled.
But the moment lasted only a second.
Daniel suddenly threw the black case toward the helicopter.
One of his men caught it.
"GO!""
The helicopter began lifting.
Samuel fired at the ground near the landing gear.
The pilot pulled back.
Veronica sprinted toward the machine.
Victoria grabbed her arm.
"Don't!""
Daniel climbed into the helicopter.
He looked down at them through the open door.
"Enjoy your inheritance!""
The helicopter rose several feet.
Then a warning alarm sounded.
The pilot shouted something.
The aircraft tilted sharply.
Its rear rotor struck a metal lighting tower.
Sparks erupted.
The helicopter dropped back onto the landing pad with a violent crash.
The men inside scrambled out.
Daniel emerged last, clutching the black case.
He tried to run.
A state police vehicle blocked the road.
Officers surrounded him.
"Daniel Vance! Drop the case and get on your knees!""
Daniel looked at Victoria.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then he released the case.
The officers forced him onto the wet concrete.
Handcuffs clicked around his wrists.
Victoria watched as they searched him.
One officer opened the black case.
Inside were dozens of small refrigerated containers, medical documents, and a thick red folder.
He removed the folder.
"Ma'am, you need to see this.""
Victoria approached.
The first page contained the original Project Genesis charter.
The second contained the fourteen names.
The third contained a list of financial beneficiaries.
Victoria scanned the page.
Her eyes stopped at the final entry.
*PRIMARY BENEFICIARY: ROBERT HALE.*
Beneath it was a second name.
*SUCCESSOR BENEFICIARY: DANIEL JAMES VANCE.*
But the date was recent.
The agreement had been amended only three days earlier.
Victoria frowned.
"Robert Hale is dead.""
Richard looked at the document.
Then he slowly shook his head.
"No.""
Victoria turned.
"What do you mean?""
Richard's voice was barely audible.
"Robert Hale isn't dead.""
The rain grew heavier.
Victoria stared at him.
"Richard, I saw his funeral.""
Richard nodded.
"That was the body they wanted you to identify.""
Elena stepped closer.
"Where is he?""
Richard looked toward the helicopter.
Then toward Daniel, who was being pushed into a police vehicle.
"He's been running Project Genesis from the beginning.""
Victoria looked at the final page again.
A photograph had been attached to the bottom.
It showed an elderly man sitting inside a private office.
His hair was white.
His face was thinner.
But Victoria recognized him immediately.
Her father.
Robert Hale.
And beneath his photograph was an address.
*VANCE GLOBAL — EXECUTIVE HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK.*
Samuel stared at the document.
"He's waiting for us.""
Victoria slowly folded the page.
"No.""
She looked toward the police vehicle carrying Daniel.
"He's been waiting for twenty-eight years.""
Then her phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A message appeared.
*Congratulations, Victoria. You have finally found your family. Now come meet your father. Alone.*
A second message followed.
It contained a photograph of Margaret's hospital room.
The bed was empty.
May you like
And written across the pillow in red ink were four words:
*YOUR MOTHER IS WITH ME.*
