Chapter 11 - Nathan woke in darkness.His hands were tied.
His head throbbed.
Someone had placed him in the back of a moving vehicle.
Maggie sat across from him, also restrained.
Sister Elena was gone.
Nathan remembered the explosion.
Then the ledger being pulled away.
A man sat beside the driver.
He turned.
Owen Briggs.
Nathan stared.
“You.”
Owen smiled.
“You always did underestimate me.”
Nathan pulled against the restraints.
“You killed Thomas.”
“I did.”
“You murdered my father.”
Owen's smile disappeared.
“Marcus wasn't supposed to survive that night.”
“So you tried to kill him too.”
“Arthur wanted him dead.”
Nathan's eyes hardened.
“And you obeyed.”
Owen looked at Maggie.
“She should have been dead years ago.”
Maggie glared.
“You missed.”
Owen laughed.
“Not tonight.”
Nathan noticed a bruise around Owen's wrist.
“You're afraid of Arthur.”
Owen's face changed.
Nathan continued.
“You're not doing this because you believe in him.”
Silence.
“You're doing it because you know what he'll do to you.”
Owen stared at him.
“You sound like Marcus.”
“Maybe that's why you're scared.”
The vehicle stopped.
The doors opened.
Nathan was dragged into a warehouse.
A huge room filled with shipping containers.
Arthur stood at the center.
He wore a dark suit.
No blood.
No visible injury from Nathan's earlier shooting.
Nathan stared.
“You survived.”
Arthur smiled.
“You missed my heart.”
Arthur looked at Owen.
“Leave us.”
Owen hesitated.
Arthur turned.
“Now.”
Owen left.
Arthur walked toward Nathan.
“You have no idea how much time I've spent waiting for this moment.”
Nathan said nothing.
Arthur crouched.
“You think I want your money?”
“You want the trust.”
“I already own most of it.”
“Then why need me?”
Arthur smiled.
“Because the system was built to recognize Marcus's chosen heir.”
“You mean me.”
“Yes.”
Nathan laughed.
“You can't force me.”
Arthur leaned closer.
“You misunderstand.”
He pulled out a photograph.
It showed a young girl.
Around ten years old.
Standing beside Maggie.
Nathan looked at Maggie.
Her face had gone blank.
“Who is she?”
Maggie whispered,
“My daughter.”
Arthur smiled.
“She has been living under a different name for twelve years.”
Nathan looked at Maggie.
“You told me she was dead.”
“I had to.”
Arthur stood.
“She isn't dead.”
Maggie looked at him.
“Where is she?”
Arthur turned toward a warehouse door.
It opened.
A teenage girl stepped inside.
Maggie stopped breathing.
The girl looked at her.
“Mom?”
Maggie collapsed to her knees.
Nathan stared.
The girl ran into her arms.
Arthur watched them.
“You see, Nathan?”
He raised the trust agreement.
“Everybody has something to lose.”
Nathan's voice hardened.
“What do you want?”
“Your signature.”
“And then?”
“You become the legal controller.”
Arthur placed a pen on the table.
“Then you sign the control transfer to me.”
Nathan looked at the document.
Maggie shook her head.
“Don't.”
Arthur smiled.
“You have one hour.”
He walked away.
Nathan examined the contract.
Maggie's daughter whispered,
“Don't sign.”
Nathan looked at her.
“Why?”
She pulled something from her pocket.
A tiny memory card.
“My father gave me this.”
Nathan froze.
“Who is your father?”
The girl looked at Maggie.
Then at Nathan.
“Thomas Rowe.”
Nathan's eyes widened.
The girl continued.
“And he left a message for you.”
She inserted the card into a small device.
A recording began.
Thomas's voice filled the warehouse.
“Nathan, if you're hearing this, then my daughter has found you.”
Nathan stared at Maggie.
Thomas continued.
“She knows the truth about what happened at Pier Nine.”
The recording crackled.
Then one final sentence played.
“Arthur didn't kill me.”
Nathan's eyes widened.
“He ordered Marcus to do it.”
The recording stopped.
Nathan looked at his father’s widow.
May you like
Maggie whispered,
“Your father killed Thomas.”
