Chapter 6 - Maeve had never understood how quickly the world could collapse.One moment, she was standing in a hospital room.
The next, every certainty she had ever trusted had become useless.
“My brother is in Chicago?”
Elias nodded.
“He never went to the hospital.”
“That isn't possible.”
“His medical records were altered.”
“By whom?”
“We don't know.”
Maeve grabbed Elias's sleeve.
“Where is he?”
Elias didn't move.
“Maeve.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled.
“You said he was safe.”
“He is.”
“You lied to me.”
“I protected him.”
“From what?”
“From the people who took him.”
She stared at him.
“Who?”
“Daniel Ashford.”
Maeve's face went white.
“My brother knows him?”
“No.”
“Then why would he have him?”
“Because Daniel needs something.”
“What?”
Elias hesitated.
“Your brother has access to medical research.”
Maeve frowned.
“He's nineteen.”
“He worked in a laboratory before his illness.”
“He was an intern.”
“He saw something.”
“What?”
Elias looked at her.
“A ledger.”
“What kind?”
“A financial ledger.”
Maeve didn't understand.
“Why would my brother see that?”
“Because the laboratory was a front.”
“For what?”
Elias's expression darkened.
“The black circle.”
Meanwhile, across the city, Daniel Ashford sat inside an abandoned warehouse.
His wrists were tied.
His mouth was bleeding.
A man stood in front of him.
“Where is the ledger?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don't know.”
The man hit him.
Daniel laughed.
“You still think fear works?”
The man leaned closer.
“You should ask Elias Marchetti how well courage works when the people he loves are threatened.”
Daniel looked up.
“Maeve?”
The man smiled.
“Exactly.”
Back at the hospital, Elias received a phone call.
His face changed.
“Where?”
Gabriel answered.
“We found the warehouse.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Then move.”
Maeve stepped in front of him.
“I am coming.”
“No.”
“He's my brother.”
“That makes you a liability.”
“That makes me his sister.”
Elias stared at her.
“You don't understand what we're walking into.”
“Then explain it.”
“No.”
“Then I'll find another way.”
She turned.
Elias caught her wrist.
“Maeve.”
She looked back.
His grip softened.
“You're staying behind me.”
“I need a promise.”
“What?”
“If you find him, you don't leave him.”
“I won't.”
“No matter what.”
Elias held her gaze.
“I swear.”
Two hours later, the warehouse doors exploded inward.
Elias's men stormed the building.
Gunfire erupted.
Maeve stayed behind the armored vehicle.
Then she heard a scream.
“Maeve!”
Her brother.
She ran.
A guard tried to stop her.
She pushed past him.
Inside the warehouse, Daniel was on his knees.
A gun pressed to his head.
The man holding it looked at Elias.
“You came.”
Elias raised his weapon.
“Let him go.”
“You don't negotiate.”
“I am today.”
The man smiled.
“Because of her.”
He glanced at Maeve.
Daniel saw her.
“Maeve!”
The gunman turned.
That was enough.
Elias fired.
The man's weapon flew from his hand.
Gabriel shot the second attacker.
The warehouse went silent.
Maeve ran to her brother.
She fell beside him.
“Oh God.”
Daniel wrapped his arms around her.
“I knew you'd come.”
Maeve cried.
“I thought I lost you.”
“You didn't.”
Elias stood several feet away.
Watching.
Then Daniel pulled back.
His face became serious.
“Maeve.”
“What?”
“There is something you need to know.”
Elias stepped closer.
“Not here.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You should hear it too.”
Elias stopped.
Daniel reached into his shirt.
He pulled out a small metal key.
“I didn't steal the ledger.”
Maeve stared.
“I hid it.”
“Where?”
Daniel looked at Elias.
“Inside your father's grave.”
Elias went still.
“My father doesn't have a grave.”
Daniel swallowed.
“That's the problem.”
Silence.
Maeve looked between them.
“What are you saying?”
May you like
Daniel whispered:
“Your father wasn't buried.”
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