Chapter 14 - Adrian stared at the screen.Eleanor smiled.
“You finally figured it out.”
“Where is Evelyn?”
“Alive.”
“You hurt her…”
“Not yet.”
Adrian raised his weapon toward the monitor as if he could shoot through it.
“What do you want?”
“The key.”
“What key?”
“The one inside Adrian Vale.”
He looked at the device in his hand.
“You're talking about this.”
“Yes.”
“What does it unlock?”
Eleanor laughed.
“The future.”
She turned toward Evelyn.
“Your wife believed she could destroy the Black Ledger.”
“She failed.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
Eleanor's smile faded.
“What?”
“She created it.”
Eleanor stared.
“For me.”
Silence.
Adrian looked at the girls.
“They were never meant to inherit it.”
He understood now.
“The key isn't a key.”
Eleanor frowned.
“It is a kill switch.”
Thomas looked at Adrian.
“You're right.”
Adrian stared.
“What?”
“The network doesn't control the Ledger.”
“Then who does?”
“You.”
Adrian looked at the device.
A small screen opened.
ONE FINAL COMMAND.
DESTROY SYSTEM?
YES.
NO.
Eleanor screamed.
“Don't!”
Adrian smiled.
For the first time that night, he wasn't afraid.
“You were right.”
Eleanor narrowed her eyes.
“About what?”
“You said I'm the weapon.”
He pressed YES.
The entire mansion went dark.
Every server shut down.
Every account.
Every payment.
Every surveillance system.
Everything vanished.
Across the world, The Black Ledger disappeared.
Eleanor stared at the screen.
“No.”
Her voice cracked.
Adrian turned to Thomas.
“Where is Evelyn?”
Thomas pointed to a location.
“Underground transport tunnel.”
Adrian ran.
He found her tied to a chair beneath the east wing.
Blood covered her forehead.
Adrian dropped beside her.
“Evelyn.”
Her eyes opened.
“Adrian.”
He cut the restraints.
She collapsed into his arms.
“I thought I'd lost you again.”
“You never had me.”
He held her tightly.
“I hated you.”
“I know.”
“I still love you.”
“I know.”
A slow clap echoed from the tunnel.
Adrian turned.
Marcus.
Alive.
Again.
He stepped forward.
“You two really are pathetic.”
Adrian raised his gun.
Marcus smiled.
“You destroyed the Ledger.”
“Yes.”
“You think that ends it?”
Adrian stared.
Marcus pointed upward.
“You forgot one thing.”
“What?”
“The Ledger was never the system.”
He stepped closer.
“The Ledger was the map.”
Adrian's expression changed.
Marcus continued.
“The real power was never money.”
“Then what?”
“People.”
He pulled a phone from his pocket.
The screen showed hundreds of names.
Politicians.
Generals.
Judges.
Executives.
Celebrities.
All of them received one message.
THE VALE HEIR HAS DESTROYED THE LEDGER.
PROTOCOL NIGHTFALL BEGINS.
Adrian looked at Evelyn.
“What is Nightfall?”
She whispered:
“A war.”
Outside, sirens erupted.
Helicopters appeared.
Explosions shook the property.
Marcus laughed.
“Congratulations.”
“You just made yourself the world's most wanted man.”
Adrian looked at the girls.
Then at Evelyn.
“No.”
He turned to Marcus.
“I ended your system.”
Marcus smiled.
“You started something much worse.”
A bullet struck Marcus in the chest.
He fell.
Adrian turned.
Victor stood behind him.
Blood ran from Victor's shoulder.
“It isn't over.”
Adrian stared.
“Who shot you?”
Victor looked toward the doorway.
A woman stood there.
Cora.
Holding a gun.
She looked at Adrian.
May you like
“Nightfall has already begun.”
Then she shot Victor.
