Chapter 8 - JULIAN'S LAST WARNINGJulian raised the gun.
“Put the lights down.”
Davis immediately aimed his weapon.
“Drop yours.”
Julian smiled.
“If you shoot me, you lose the only person who knows what comes next.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“Tell us who Nathan Cross is.”
Julian's eyes moved to Claire.
“Your real father.”
Silence.
Claire stared.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You knew all these years?”
“Yes.”
Her voice cracked.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Julian lowered the weapon slightly.
“Because Victor would have killed you.”
Marcus said:
“You were working with Victor.”
“I was trying to survive him.”
Claire shook her head.
“You locked me in a basement.”
Julian's expression hardened.
“Because you found the account.”
“You tried to hurt me.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“By chaining me to a pipe?”
Julian looked toward Davis.
“They were coming.”
“Who?”
“The people who funded the trust.”
Marcus frowned.
“Victor doesn't control them?”
Julian shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Julian looked at Claire.
“Your mother.”
Claire froze.
“My mother died.”
Julian whispered:
“She never left.”
Davis stepped closer.
“What are you talking about?”
Julian pointed to the photographs.
“The original agreement wasn't between Victor and Nathan.”
“It was between Nathan and your mother.”
Claire stared at the photograph.
Her mother had been pregnant.
With her.
“What did they agree to?”
Julian's voice dropped.
“To protect you.”
“From what?”
Julian looked at Claire.
“From your bloodline.”
No one understood.
Then Julian's phone rang.
He glanced at it.
His face changed.
Marcus noticed.
“Who's calling?”
Julian didn't answer.
The phone rang again.
Then a message appeared.
Julian read it.
His eyes filled with fear.
“What's wrong?”
Julian looked at Claire.
“You need to leave.”
“Why?”
“They found Lily.”
Claire's blood turned cold.
“My daughter is with Emily at the car.”
Julian shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed toward the forest.
“Look.”
Davis moved to the broken window.
Far away, headlights appeared.
Several vehicles.
Marcus whispered:
“How many?”
“Four,” Davis said.
Julian suddenly threw the gun to the floor.
“I am not your enemy.”
Davis cuffed him.
“Save it.”
Julian turned toward Claire.
“They don't want the money.”
Claire stared.
“What do they want?”
Julian whispered:
“They want you.”
Marcus immediately grabbed Claire.
“Why?”
Julian answered:
“Because Claire is the final beneficiary.”
Davis frowned.
“Of the trust?”
“No.”
Julian shook his head.
“Of everything.”
The headlights multiplied.
Five vehicles.
Then six.
They were surrounding the property.
Davis drew his radio.
“We're surrounded.”
Julian looked at Claire.
“There is one way out.”
“Where?”
“Below.”
Claire stared at him.
“Another basement?”
Julian nodded.
“Under this one.”
He pointed toward the floor.
“There's a tunnel.”
Marcus looked at Davis.
The officer hesitated.
Then a gunshot shattered the window.
Everyone dropped.
“Move!”
Davis pushed Claire behind cover.
Bullets struck the walls.
Emily screamed from outside.
“Claire!”
Marcus ran toward the entrance.
“No!”
Claire grabbed him.
He turned.
“I have to get Lily.”
Julian shouted:
“There's a trapdoor under the chair!”
Marcus lifted the chair.
A square seam appeared in the floor.
They pulled it open.
A dark shaft waited beneath.
Claire looked at Julian.
“How do you know this?”
Julian's voice was barely audible.
“Because I built it.”
Marcus stared.
“You built a tunnel beneath the estate?”
Julian nodded.
“For Victor.”
Claire climbed down.
Then Marcus.
Then Emily and Lily.
Davis followed.
Julian entered last.
The trapdoor slammed shut above them.
The gunfire continued.
The tunnel was narrow and wet.
They moved blindly.
Then Lily stopped.
“Mommy.”
“What?”
She pointed ahead.
A tiny red light blinked.
Another camera.
May you like
And beneath it, painted on the wall, were six words:
WELCOME TO THE REAL VALE FAMILY.
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