Chapter 8 - THE HOUSE AT THE LAKEThe signal led them to a remote house in Wisconsin.
Luca brought six men.
Elena stayed in the second vehicle.
The first thing they found was silence.
The house looked abandoned.
Lights were on.
No cars.
No guards.
Too quiet.
Luca entered through the front door.
Inside, he found photographs.
Hundreds.
Most were of him.
Some were of Elena.
Some were of Maya.
But the oldest photograph stopped him.
It showed Luca standing beside his father.
His father was dead.
Luca was fifteen.
Behind them stood Anthony.
Only fourteen.
The picture had been taken outside the family estate.
On the back was a date.
And a name.
DR. DANIEL VOSS.
Luca stared at it.
Anthony had known Voss long before Luca ever met him.
A sound came from upstairs.
Luca raised his weapon.
They moved up the staircase.
At the end of the hall was a locked room.
Luca kicked the door open.
Empty.
A television flickered.
Then Anthony appeared on screen.
"You're getting closer."
Luca's jaw tightened.
"Where is Maya?"
"Safe."
"Let me hear her."
The screen changed.
Maya appeared.
She was sitting in a chair.
Her wrists were tied.
But she was calm.
"Dad."
"I'm here."
She smiled.
Then Anthony stepped into frame.
"You have something I need."
"What?"
"A memory."
Luca stared.
Anthony continued.
"You don't remember the night you collapsed."
"I remember enough."
"No."
Anthony smiled.
"You remember what we told you."
Luca's stomach tightened.
Anthony held up a small vial.
"This was in your blood."
"What is it?"
"The second part."
Luca stared at it.
"Second part of what?"
Anthony's face became serious.
"Your father's plan."
The screen went black.
A door behind Luca opened.
Viktor Sloane stepped through.
"Drop the gun."
Luca turned.
Before anyone could fire, the lights went out.
Gunshots filled the room.
Luca dropped to the floor.
Men shouted.
Someone screamed.
He heard Elena.
Then a crash.
Luca crawled forward.
His hand touched the edge of a staircase.
He pulled himself up.
His legs were shaking.
He forced one foot forward.
Then the other.
He had not walked in twelve years.
Pain ripped through every muscle.
He almost collapsed.
But he kept moving.
At the end of the corridor, he found Maya.
Her ropes had been cut.
She ran toward him.
"Dad!"
He dropped to one knee.
She threw her arms around him.
Luca held her.
"I'm here."
A gunshot cracked.
Maya screamed.
Luca turned.
Elena was standing in the doorway.
Viktor was aiming at her.
Luca moved before thinking.
He stepped forward.
One full step.
Then another.
He raised his gun.
Viktor fired.
Luca fired first.
Viktor fell.
Silence.
Elena stared at Luca.
He was standing.
Barely.
But standing.
She whispered:
"You're walking."
Luca looked down.
Blood was running from his torn trousers.
His legs were shaking violently.
But they were holding him.
For twelve years, he had believed his body had betrayed him.
Now he understood.
Someone had betrayed his body for him.
Then Maya looked at the television.
Anthony had left one final message.
YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR THE MAN WHO POISONED YOU.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE MAN WHO ORDERED IT.
Below the message was a name.
CONNOR COSTELLO.
Luca's father.
May you like
A dead man.
Or so Luca had believed.
