Chapter 17: The Son Who Came Back Twice
Nobody moved.
Daniel stood beside the motorcycle, his injured arm pressed against his chest.
The voice from the stairwell sounded exactly like his.
Wade looked toward the darkness.
"Who's there?""
A flashlight clicked on.
A man descended the stairs.
He was tall, perhaps forty years old, with dark hair and a scar running from his left eyebrow to his cheek.
He looked remarkably like Daniel.
Wade's mouth fell open.
Daniel stared at him.
"Who the hell are you?""
The man smiled.
"Your brother.""
Wade stepped forward.
"No.""
The stranger continued down the stairs.
"My name is Michael Bell.""
Frank raised his pistol.
"Stop right there.""
Michael laughed.
"Still playing hero, Frank?""
Susan moved in front of Martha.
"Michael, don't do this.""
He looked at her.
"You should have stayed hidden.""
Wade's voice shook.
"Are you Thomas's son?""
Michael nodded.
"One of them.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Then why do you look like me?""
"Because we share the same father.""
Daniel stared.
"Thomas?""
Michael nodded.
"You're the son he never got to raise. I was the one he kept.""
Wade looked sick.
"How many children did he have?""
Michael smiled.
"Enough to build an empire.""
Lucas quietly moved toward the delivery van.
Michael noticed.
"Don't.""
He pointed a pistol at him.
"Your computer is the reason we're all here. Give it to me.""
Lucas held it tighter.
"No.""
Michael raised the weapon.
Wade stepped between them.
"Touch him and I'll kill you.""
Michael laughed.
"You've always been sentimental, Uncle Wade.""
Wade froze.
Michael's smile widened.
"Thomas told me everything. He said you were a good man, just not a particularly smart one.""
Wade lunged.
Frank caught his arm.
"Don't.""
Michael raised his gun.
"Listen to Frank. He's the only person here who understands what happens when you lose control.""
Martha looked at Susan.
"Why is he here?""
Susan whispered:
"Because Thomas sent him to collect the trust documents.""
Michael heard her.
"Not just the documents.""
He looked at Martha.
"You're coming with me.""
"No," Frank said.
Michael shrugged.
"Then I'll take the grandson.""
Lucas stepped backward.
Martha moved toward him.
"You won't touch him.""
Michael aimed at Lucas.
"Sign the transfer, and nobody gets hurt.""
Lucas shook his head.
"I don't even know what you're talking about.""
"Your inheritance. The forty-seven million dollars.""
Michael smiled.
"Your grandfather left you a beautiful little trap.""
Martha looked at him.
"Thomas isn't his grandfather.""
Michael laughed.
"Technically, he is. Blood doesn't lie, does it?""
Wade suddenly moved.
He threw a heavy wrench toward Michael.
The weapon struck the man's shoulder.
Frank tackled him.
A shot exploded.
The bullet struck a concrete pillar.
Daniel rushed forward despite his injury and kicked Michael's pistol away.
Michael hit the floor.
Wade grabbed him by the collar.
"Where is Thomas?""
Michael spat blood onto the concrete.
"Closer than you think.""
A metallic click came from the staircase.
Another figure appeared.
A woman in a dark coat.
Martha recognized her immediately.
Eleanor.
Her pistol was pointed at Frank.
Again.
Martha stared.
"You?""
Eleanor looked exhausted.
"Put him down, Wade.""
Wade released Michael.
Frank slowly stood.
"Eleanor, what are you doing?""
She looked at Martha.
"I'm sorry.""
Martha shook her head.
"Not again.""
Eleanor's eyes filled with tears.
"I never wanted Michael to get involved.""
Michael laughed from the floor.
"She didn't have much choice.""
Eleanor turned toward him.
"Shut up.""
Michael pushed himself upright.
"You should tell them, Aunt Eleanor.""
Martha froze.
"Aunt?""
Michael smiled.
"Didn't you know? Eleanor was Thomas's daughter.""
Martha looked at her sister.
Eleanor lowered her eyes.
"Yes.""
Martha's voice was barely audible.
"You're his daughter?""
"I found out when I was twenty.""
"And you kept it from me?""
"Thomas threatened to destroy you if I ever told you.""
Martha shook her head.
"Every person in this family has a secret.""
Eleanor looked toward Frank.
"Thomas wants the ledger. He says if we give it to him, he'll release everyone.""
Frank laughed bitterly.
"Everyone? He's been lying to you for thirty years.""
Michael stood.
"That's enough.""
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small remote.
Lucas recognized it immediately.
"Don't press that.""
Michael smiled.
"What do you think it does?""
Lucas looked toward the garage ceiling.
"Explosives.""
Susan gasped.
Michael nodded.
"Thomas built this passage as an escape route. He also made sure nobody could use it against him.""
Wade stepped forward.
"Put it down.""
Michael pressed the button.
A warning light flashed.
Then a countdown appeared on the small screen.
<badge color="danger">00:59</badge>
"Sixty seconds," Michael said.
Lucas rushed toward the electrical panel.
"There's a manual cutoff!""
Michael aimed at him.
"Don't move!""
Daniel charged.
Michael fired.
Daniel fell.
"Daniel!"" Wade shouted.
The countdown continued.
00:42.
Frank dragged Daniel behind the van.
Susan grabbed Martha's arm.
"We have to go!""
Martha looked at Eleanor.
"Come with us.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"I can't.""
"You're my sister.""
"And I have spent my entire life trying to make sure you survived.""
Martha grabbed her hand.
"Then survive with me.""
For a moment, Eleanor hesitated.
Then she lowered the pistol.
Michael shouted.
"Traitor!""
He raised his weapon.
Eleanor turned and fired.
The bullet struck Michael in the chest.
He collapsed.
00:19.
Lucas ripped open the electrical panel.
"Get back!""
He pulled a thick cable.
The warning light went out.
The countdown stopped at 00:11.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then a distant explosion shook the building above them.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Lucas stared at the panel.
"That wasn't the main charge.""
Frank looked at Susan.
"What do you mean?""
Susan's face went pale.
"The main charge is beneath the dealership.""
Martha remembered the motorcycle.
The engine.
The ledger.
Everything.
Frank grabbed the delivery van keys.
"We have to get there.""
Wade looked at Daniel.
"Can you ride?""
Daniel gritted his teeth.
"I can do anything.""
Susan stopped them.
"Wait.""
She pointed at Michael.
His eyes were open.
He was breathing.
And he was smiling.
"You're too late," he whispered.
Frank crouched beside him.
"Where's Thomas?""
Michael coughed.
"At the dealership.""
Then he looked at Martha.
"He's waiting for his daughter.""
Martha frowned.
"Which daughter?""
Michael's smile disappeared.
"Not Eleanor.""
May you like
He looked directly at Martha.
"He's waiting for you.""
