Chapter 11 - THE RIVER UNDER THE CITYFreezing water swallowed them.
Julian surfaced.
“ELENA!”
“I'M HERE!”
He heard Daniel crying.
Relief hit him.
He swam toward Elena.
She had one arm around the baby.
The underground river dragged them through darkness.
Adrian surfaced nearby.
“Hold the wall!”
Julian grabbed a rusted ladder.
Elena caught it.
The current weakened.
They climbed into a concrete tunnel.
Everyone was soaked.
Daniel was screaming.
Elena checked him.
“He's breathing.”
Julian touched the baby's face.
“Thank God.”
Adrian looked behind them.
“They'll follow.”
“Where does this lead?”
“East River.”
Julian stared.
“You built an escape tunnel to the river?”
“My father did.”
“Your father built everything.”
Adrian smiled bitterly.
“He was afraid of himself.”
A noise echoed behind them.
Boots.
Chloe's people.
Adrian pointed.
“Move.”
They ran.
After several hundred meters, they reached a steel hatch.
Adrian pushed.
It opened into an abandoned warehouse.
Snow fell outside.
New York glittered beyond the windows.
Elena collapsed against a wall.
Julian removed his jacket and wrapped it around her and Daniel.
Adrian looked at him.
“You gave up the Sterling name.”
Julian nodded.
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because now they can't control you through inheritance.”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“They've controlled me my whole life.”
Adrian stared at him.
“You're finally free.”
Julian looked at the city.
“No.”
He looked at Daniel.
“They still have my son.”
Adrian's expression hardened.
“They want him alive.”
“That gives us an advantage.”
“No.”
Adrian shook his head.
“They want his body alive.”
Julian understood.
“For extraction.”
“Yes.”
Elena looked up.
“How do we stop it?”
Adrian answered:
“We destroy Genesis.”
“How?”
“By killing the source.”
Julian stared.
“Your grandfather.”
Adrian nodded.
“He operates from a private facility outside Manhattan.”
“Where?”
“Briar House.”
Julian knew the name.
It was an old Sterling estate.
Abandoned decades ago.
“Why would he be there?”
“Because your father is there too.”
Julian stopped.
“My father.”
Adrian nodded.
“He allowed himself to be captured.”
“Why?”
“To get close to him.”
Elena looked at Julian.
“It's a trap.”
“Yes.”
“Then why go?”
Julian looked at Daniel.
“Because he knows what we don't.”
A black car pulled up outside.
Julian raised his weapon.
The driver's door opened.
Margaret stepped out.
She was covered in blood.
Elena stared.
“Where's Marianne?”
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
“Dead.”
Julian froze.
“Chloe killed her?”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at Julian.
“Daniel did.”
Silence.
“My father?”
“Your father shot her.”
Julian couldn't breathe.
“Why?”
“Because she knew where Briar House was.”
Adrian stepped toward her.
“You're lying.”
Margaret shook her head.
“He killed her to stop Chloe getting there.”
Julian looked at his mother.
“You're coming with us.”
She nodded.
“Why?”
“Because I finally remember everything.”
Julian frowned.
“Everything about what?”
Margaret looked at Elena.
“Your pregnancy.”
Elena stiffened.
“You knew I was pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“The day you found out.”
Julian stared.
“How?”
Margaret's eyes filled with shame.
“Chloe told me.”
Elena's face hardened.
“You were watching me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather ordered me to.”
Julian stepped forward.
“And you obeyed.”
“I was afraid.”
“You chose them.”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at Daniel.
“I chose you.”
Julian stopped.
Then Margaret said the words that changed everything.
“The baby wasn't supposed to be born.”
Elena went completely still.
“What?”
“Chloe was instructed to make sure you miscarried.”
Silence.
Julian looked at Chloe's enemies.
His own mother.
His own family.
For six months, he had believed the worst thing they had done was destroy his marriage.
Now he understood.
They had tried to destroy his child before he ever took his first breath.
Elena whispered:
“I knew someone was following me.”
Julian looked at her.
“I thought I was paranoid.”
Margaret nodded.
“You weren't.”
She opened the car door.
“Get in.”
“Where are we going?”
“Briar House.”
Julian looked at Daniel.
“Why?”
Margaret stared toward the dark skyline.
“Because your father left one thing there.”
“What?”
“A weapon.”
“Against the Genesis project?”
“No.”
May you like
She looked directly at Elena.
“Against your grandfather.”
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