Chapter 12 - THE COUNTDOWNThe first explosion shook the floor.
Maya grabbed Lily.
David shoved a cabinet against the door.
“Where's the exit?”
The doctor pointed downward.
“Emergency tunnel.”
They ran.
The lights flickered.
Another explosion.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Lily clung to Maya.
“Mommy, I'm scared.”
“I know.”
David looked back.
Security doors were closing one by one.
“Keep moving!”
They reached the tunnel.
A figure stepped from the darkness.
Ethan.
David raised his fists.
“You.”
Ethan dropped his gun.
“I came to get her out.”
David stared.
“Why should I trust you?”
“You shouldn't.”
Ethan looked at Lily.
“But she should.”
Lily recognized him.
“Uncle Ethan.”
He knelt.
“I promised your daddy I'd protect you.”
David's heart stopped.
“My daddy?”
Ethan nodded.
“Thomas.”
“What does that mean?”
Ethan looked toward the tunnel entrance.
“There isn't time.”
He handed David a USB drive.
“Thomas left instructions.”
David grabbed it.
“What's on it?”
“Everything.”
The tunnel shook.
Ethan pushed them forward.
“Go!”
They ran.
Behind them, the facility exploded.
The tunnel filled with smoke.
When they reached the surface, federal helicopters were waiting.
Maya climbed aboard.
Then David turned.
“Where's Ethan?”
No answer.
He ran back.
Maya screamed,
“David!”
He disappeared into the smoke.
Three minutes later, he returned.
Alone.
Ethan was gone.
Maya looked at him.
“Is he dead?”
David shook his head.
“I don't know.”
The USB drive contained one final recording.
Thomas appeared.
He looked directly into the camera.
“If Lily survived, then Arthur failed.”
David listened.
Thomas continued.
“But there is another problem.”
Maya leaned closer.
“The government knew.”
David frowned.
“What?”
Thomas continued.
“Project Hush was not just a Vance operation.”
He named senators.
Judges.
Intelligence officials.
Military contractors.
David stared.
“This is bigger than Dad.”
Thomas nodded.
“Much bigger.”
Then Thomas revealed the final piece.
“The trust does not belong to Maya.”
Maya's face changed.
“It belongs to Lily.”
David froze.
“What?”
Thomas continued.
“I designed the trust to transfer to Lily on her seventh birthday.”
Maya whispered,
“Her birthday was three months ago.”
“Yes.”
Thomas smiled sadly.
“Which means the entire network now belongs to your daughter.”
David stared at Lily.
The seven-year-old was holding the red toy boat.
The most powerful inheritance in America had just become hers.
Then Thomas said one final sentence.
“Protect her, because everyone who wants Project Hush will come for her.”
The screen went black.
Outside, helicopters surrounded the facility.
Inside one of them, Donovan received a message.
She read it.
Her face turned pale.
“What?”
Maya asked.
Donovan looked at David.
“The President has issued a nationwide warrant.”
“For whom?”
Donovan swallowed.
“For Lily Vance.”
Maya held her daughter tighter.
Then the helicopter lights died.
And a voice came through the cockpit radio.
“Hand over the child.”
The pilot screamed.
May you like
Something hit the aircraft.
The helicopter began falling.
