Chapter 14 - The Last FlightWe reached the airport fifteen minutes before departure.

Victor had already boarded.

My mother was being held near the private terminal.

Marcus called for backup.

But I knew Victor would have people inside.

We entered through the service corridor.

At the end stood Juliette.

She had been captured.

Victor held a gun against her head.

My mother stood behind him.

"Drop the weapon."

I raised mine.

Victor smiled.

"You always were your mother's daughter."

"Let her go."

"Give me the ledger."

My mother looked at me.

Her eyes said no.

Victor pressed the gun against Juliette's temple.

"Now."

Juliette whispered:

"Don't."

Victor pulled the trigger.

Click.

Nothing happened.

Juliette smiled.

She had removed the magazine earlier.

Victor stared at the weapon.

Marcus tackled him.

The terminal exploded into chaos.

Daniel grabbed the ledger.

My mother ran toward me.

I caught her.

For twelve years, I had imagined this moment.

I had imagined anger.

Questions.

Revenge.

Instead I hugged her.

She cried into my shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

Behind us, Victor was arrested.

But the story wasn't over.

Because when the police opened the ledger, they found one final page.

A list of names.

At the top was Victor.

Beneath him was Daniel.

Then Juliette.

Then my mother.

Then me.

I stared.

"Why is my name here?"

Marcus took the page.

He read the note beneath it.

THE LAST BETRAYAL HAS NOT HAPPENED YET.

Everyone became silent.

Juliette looked at me.

Daniel stepped back.

My mother whispered:

"No."

The airport lights flickered.

A phone began ringing.

Victor's phone.

An unknown number.

Marcus answered.

A distorted voice spoke.

"You arrested the wrong man."

Marcus looked at Victor.

Victor smiled.

The voice continued.

"Victor was never in charge."

Then the call ended.

We searched the phone.

One message remained.

A photograph.

Taken inside the airport.

The picture showed all of us.

Caroline.

Juliette.

Daniel.

My mother.

Marcus.

Someone had been watching us.

The message beneath it contained four words.

WELCOME HOME, CAROLINE.

Then the airport screens went black.

Every screen displayed the same image.

My childhood photograph.

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