Chapter 5 - Nobody spoke.Rain hammered the pavement.
Sadie looked at the giant.
“You said my twin was alive.”
“Yes.”
“And he ordered you to kill Dominic.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
The giant looked toward Dominic.
“Because he believes Dominic killed your father.”
Sadie turned.
“Did you?”
Dominic didn't answer.
“Did you kill my father?”
“No.”
“Then say it.”
“No.”
Sadie's eyes filled with tears.
“Why won't you say it?”
“Because I know what happened.”
“Then tell me!”
Dominic closed his eyes.
“Your father died protecting me.”
Sadie stopped.
“He was supposed to deliver me to my execution.”
“What?”
“My father had discovered Daniel was helping someone steal from us.”
Dominic's voice grew lower.
“Daniel wasn't stealing.”
“He was trying to destroy the organization.”
“Why?”
“Because he discovered what the Russo family had done with your birth.”
Sadie felt cold.
“What did they do?”
Dominic looked at her.
“They took your brother.”
“Why?”
“Because he was born first.”
“That doesn't explain anything.”
Dominic swallowed.
“Your brother had a rare blood condition.”
Sadie stared.
“And?”
“The Russo family had another child dying from it.”
The pieces crashed together.
“You used my brother?”
Dominic's expression twisted.
“No.”
“My family did.”
The giant looked away.
Sadie couldn't stop shaking.
“My brother was given to another family.”
“Yes.”
“Which family?”
The answer came from Elena.
“The Vosses.”
Sadie looked at her.
“Your family raised him.”
Elena nodded.
“Until he learned the truth.”
“What's his name?”
Elena hesitated.
“Marcus.”
The giant spoke softly.
“Marcus Voss.”
Sadie repeated it.
“Marcus.”
Dominic suddenly raised his gun.
Everyone turned.
A laser dot appeared on his chest.
Elena shouted.
“Down!”
Dominic shoved Sadie aside.
A sniper round punched through his shoulder.
He crashed backward.
Sadie screamed.
The giant moved faster than a man with an injured leg should have been able to move.
He grabbed Sadie.
“Run!”
They disappeared into an alley.
Behind them, Elena fired back.
Sadie stumbled beside the giant.
“Dominic!”
“He's alive.”
“He got shot!”
“He's a Russo.”
“That doesn't mean anything!”
“It means he won't die quietly.”
They reached an abandoned warehouse.
The giant slammed the door shut.
Sadie turned on him.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Gabriel Holt.”
“Why are you helping me?”
“Because your father asked me to.”
“When?”
“Before he died.”
Sadie stared.
Gabriel reached into his coat.
He pulled out a battered cassette recorder.
“This is for you.”
She pressed the button.
Static.
Then a man's voice.
Her father's voice.
Sadie covered her mouth.
“Sadie.”
She began crying.
“Daddy?”
The recording continued.
“If you're hearing this, I'm dead.”
A pause.
“I need you to forgive me.”
Sadie cried harder.
“I had no choice.”
A second voice came through the recording.
A baby crying.
Then a woman whispering.
“Daniel, they're coming.”
Her father answered.
“Take the boy.”
Sadie froze.
The recording ended.
A door slammed somewhere inside the warehouse.
Gabriel grabbed his crowbar.
“What was that?”
Sadie whispered.
“It was my brother.”
“No.”
She looked up.
The warehouse lights came on.
Slowly.
A figure stood at the far end of the building.
Tall.
Thin.
Wearing a black suit.
His face was hidden in shadow.
Then he stepped into the light.
Sadie stopped breathing.
The man looked exactly like her.
Same eyes.
Same jaw.
Same scar above the eyebrow.
May you like
He smiled.
“Hello, Sadie.”
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