Chapter 12 - Nobody spoke.Nathan stared at Maggie.
“You knew.”
Maggie looked down.
“I knew Marcus pulled the trigger.”
Nathan's jaw tightened.
“Then why defend him?”
“Because he didn't have a choice.”
“He chose to kill Thomas.”
“He chose to save you.”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
Maggie's daughter stepped forward.
“He saved both of us.”
Nathan looked at her.
“My father killed Thomas.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
The girl answered.
“Because Arthur told him Thomas had betrayed everyone.”
Nathan looked at Maggie.
“Was that true?”
“No.”
“What was Thomas trying to do?”
“Get you out.”
Nathan felt his anger collapse into something heavier.
Maggie explained.
“Thomas discovered that the organization was using your identity. Marcus wanted to expose it.”
“But Arthur stopped him.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did Marcus kill Thomas?”
“Because Arthur had you.”
Nathan froze.
“What?”
“The night Thomas died, Arthur had you kidnapped.”
Nathan's face went pale.
“I was twelve.”
Maggie nodded.
“Marcus thought Thomas had betrayed him. Arthur convinced him that Thomas was responsible.”
“Then what happened?”
“Thomas was shot.”
“By Marcus.”
“Yes.”
“And Arthur?”
“He took you.”
Nathan stared.
“What happened to me?”
“You were returned home the next morning.”
Nathan remembered waking in his bed.
A fever.
A nightmare.
Nothing else.
Arthur had erased the truth.
Maggie's daughter stepped closer.
“My father left me one more thing.”
She handed Nathan a folded piece of paper.
On it was a sequence of numbers.
Nathan recognized them.
9-1-7.
17-4-12.
The coordinates of another warehouse.
Nathan looked at Maggie.
“That's where the original transaction records are.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Thomas wrote it.”
Arthur entered the room.
His expression had changed.
“You found the numbers.”
Nathan turned.
“You lied.”
Arthur smiled.
“About what?”
“You didn't order Marcus to kill Thomas.”
Arthur's smile faded.
“You convinced him.”
Arthur said nothing.
Nathan understood.
“You never actually controlled Marcus.”
“No.”
“You manipulated him.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you need me?”
Arthur slowly walked toward him.
“Because Marcus left one weakness.”
“What?”
“You.”
Arthur's voice became colder.
“You were the only person he loved enough to betray everyone.”
Nathan stared.
Arthur took the contract.
“Sign.”
“No.”
Arthur looked at Maggie's daughter.
A gunman appeared behind her.
Nathan's face changed.
Arthur said,
“One signature.”
Maggie shook her head.
Nathan looked at the girl.
Then at the contract.
He picked up the pen.
Maggie whispered,
“Nathan, don't.”
Nathan signed.
Arthur smiled.
Then Nathan smiled too.
Arthur frowned.
“What?”
Nathan held up the pen.
“You should have checked the ink.”
Arthur's expression changed.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
Nathan pointed toward the contract.
“You said the trust recognizes blood.”
“Yes.”
“You never said it recognizes the signature.”
Arthur stared.
Nathan continued.
“You gave me a transfer document.”
Arthur's face went pale.
“I signed the wrong page.”
Arthur grabbed the paper.
The contract was already electronically registered.
Nathan had transferred control.
But not to Arthur.
To a dormant corporate entity.
A company Nathan had created years ago.
Arthur looked up.
“What did you do?”
Nathan stepped backward.
“I buried the trust under a legal firewall.”
Maggie smiled faintly.
Arthur's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
Nathan watched him.
Arthur lowered the phone.
“What did you do?”
Nathan said,
“Called your bank.”
Arthur stared.
Nathan continued.
“The account that funds your operation is frozen.”
Arthur's eyes widened.
“You can't.”
“I already did.”
Arthur looked toward Owen.
“Owen!”
The security chief entered.
Arthur shouted,
“Kill them!”
Owen didn't move.
Instead, Owen slowly raised his gun.
And pointed it at Arthur.
Arthur stared.
“You?”
Owen's voice was quiet.
“You promised me protection.”
Arthur took a step backward.
“You were never protected.”
Owen fired.
Arthur fell.
But before he hit the ground, he laughed.
Because his phone had already begun ringing.
Every device in the warehouse started ringing at once.
Nathan's phone.
Maggie's.
Owen's.
The girl's.
A message appeared on every screen.
YOU STOPPED THE ACCOUNT.
Then another.
YOU DIDN'T STOP THE BOOK.
Nathan looked at Maggie.
She whispered,
“The original ledger was never in the monastery.”
May you like
A final message appeared.
PIER NINE. TONIGHT.
