Chapter 10 - LUCASNobody moved.
Lucas Hail stood in the center of the water plant as if he had simply returned from a long trip.
Nathan couldn't breathe.
“You're dead.”
Lucas smiled.
“That was the idea.”
Mara raised her weapon.
“Put your hands where I can see them.”
Lucas laughed.
“You still give orders.”
“You work for Shaw.”
“I worked for him.”
Karen stared.
“Then who do you work for now?”
Lucas looked at her.
“No one.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“Where were you?”
“Everywhere.”
“Why didn't you come home?”
Lucas's expression changed.
“Because the people who took me told me what would happen if I did.”
“They killed Mom.”
Lucas shook his head.
“No.”
Nathan froze.
“They didn't kill her either.”
“What?”
“She escaped.”
Nathan looked at Mara.
“You knew?”
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
Lucas nodded.
“That is why they kept you both apart.”
He reached into his coat.
Mara raised her weapon higher.
Lucas pulled out a small flash drive.
“Your father hid the original Black Harbor ledger.”
Nathan stared.
“The case.”
Lucas nodded.
“The case is fake.”
Mara's eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“The black case contains decoy documents.”
Nathan opened it.
Empty envelopes.
Blank photographs.
He looked at Mara.
“They switched it.”
Lucas nodded.
“Three years ago.”
“Who?”
“Someone inside your agency.”
Mara immediately thought of Shaw.
Lucas shook his head.
“Not Shaw.”
She stared.
“Then who?”
Lucas said a name.
Mara's face went pale.
Agent Ruiz.
“The man questioning Karen?”
Lucas nodded.
“He isn't an agent.”
Karen whispered,
“What?”
“He's Harbor Nine.”
Mara looked at the door.
Ruiz had been with them all day.
He knew everything.
He knew where the house was.
He knew the tunnel.
He knew the clinic.
He knew about Lucas.
Mara cursed.
“We have to move.”
Lucas shook his head.
“Too late.”
The water plant doors exploded inward.
Federal tactical teams flooded the room.
Weapons pointed at Nathan.
Ruiz stepped forward.
“Drop your weapons.”
Mara stared at him.
“Who are you?”
Ruiz smiled.
“You already know.”
He pointed at Lucas.
“Kill him.”
The agents hesitated.
Lucas looked at Nathan.
“Run.”
Gunfire erupted.
Nathan grabbed Mara.
Karen pulled Lucas behind a concrete support.
The room became chaos.
Mara fired at Ruiz.
He disappeared behind cover.
Lucas moved with terrifying speed.
He shot one attacker in the shoulder.
Nathan grabbed Karen.
“Where's the exit?”
“Below!”
They reached the maintenance stairs.
Mara followed.
Lucas stayed behind.
Nathan turned.
“Come on!”
Lucas shook his head.
“I'm buying time.”
Then he looked directly at Nathan.
“Dad left something for you.”
“What?”
“A location.”
Lucas tossed him a brass token.
“Find the lighthouse.”
Then he slammed the steel door shut.
Nathan heard gunfire on the other side.
“Mara!”
She grabbed him.
“We have to go.”
Nathan stared at the door.
Then the tunnel shook.
Lucas had detonated something.
The water plant began collapsing.
They ran.
By the time they reached the surface, the building was on fire.
Nathan turned.
Lucas was nowhere.
Karen looked at the brass token.
A symbol was engraved on it.
A lighthouse.
Mara recognized the location.
“Cape Harlow.”
Nathan looked at her.
“What’s there?”
She swallowed.
“The federal detention site your father used.”
Nathan stared toward the burning plant.
“Then that's where we go.”
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because Cape Harlow isn't a detention site anymore.”
“What is it?”
Mara looked terrified.
“A prison.”
“For who?”
May you like
She answered quietly.
“People who officially don't exist.”
