Chapter 13 - The room exploded into gunfire.I pulled Harper behind the stone column.

Daniel returned fire.

Elena dragged Ava down.

Claire crawled toward the control panel.

Victor shot the first officer in the shoulder.

Two more entered.

Too many.

Then the lights died.

Darkness.

Screams.

Gunshots.

When emergency lights returned, Isabel was gone.

So was Harper.

“No!”

I ran through the hallway.

Nothing.

Ava grabbed my sleeve.

“They took her.”

“Which way?”

She pointed.

“The garden.”

We ran outside.

Rain turned the stone path into a mirror.

A black vehicle tore through the gate.

Victor fired.

Missed.

I jumped into a secondary vehicle.

Daniel beside me.

Elena in the back.

Claire drove.

“Where?”

Harper's tracking bracelet flashed on the screen.

“North.”

“Faster.”

The road disappeared beneath us.

Then the tracker stopped.

“Where is she?”

Claire stared at the screen.

“Airport.”

We raced toward a private runway.

A jet waited.

The doors were closing.

A man stood beside it.

Arthur.

My father.

He looked directly at me.

Then he smiled.

I stepped out.

“You.”

He held Harper's hand.

She was crying.

“Let her go.”

Arthur's expression softened.

“My son.”

“Don't call me that.”

“You still don't understand.”

“You're dead.”

“No.”

He glanced at Elena.

“She believed I was dead.”

Elena whispered:

“Arthur…”

He smiled.

“You should have stayed gone.”

“You tried to kill us.”

“I tried to protect the family.”

“You destroyed it.”

Arthur looked at Harper.

“This child can restore it.”

I raised my weapon.

“Take one more step toward her.”

Arthur shook his head.

“You won't shoot.”

“Try me.”

He smiled.

“Because you still think I'm your enemy.”

Behind him, another figure emerged.

Isabel.

Arthur's face changed.

“She's the enemy.”

Isabel pointed a gun at Arthur.

Everyone froze.

She fired.

Arthur fell.

Harper screamed.

I ran.

I grabbed Harper.

“Daddy!”

I held her tight.

Isabel lowered the weapon.

“Now you understand.”

I stared at her.

“Why kill him?”

“He became useless.”

Arthur gasped from the ground.

“She's lying.”

Isabel smiled.

“Of course he is.”

Sirens approached.

Police.

Again.

This time I didn't care.

“Who are you?”

Isabel looked at Harper.

“Her grandmother.”

Elena went rigid.

“No.”

Isabel smiled.

“Yes.”

She looked at me.

“Your father's name wasn't Arthur.”

I felt the old nightmare return.

“Then who?”

She pointed at herself.

“Me.”

Silence.

I stared.

“You're Harper's grandmother.”

“Yes.”

“Elena is your daughter.”

“Yes.”

“And I'm…”

“Harper's father.”

She smiled.

“The final combination.”

Everything suddenly clicked.

The genetic project.

The family lines.

Harper.

The reason they wanted her.

But then I noticed something.

Isabel didn't look at Harper with affection.

She looked at her like an object.

“What does Harper unlock?”

Isabel's smile disappeared.

“The original Black Crown vault.”

“Where?”

She looked at the runway.

“Below the city.”

“What is inside?”

“Your family's history.”

“That doesn't scare me.”

“It should.”

She leaned closer.

“Because the vault contains proof that the United States has been manipulated by Black Crown for thirty years.”

Claire went pale.

“Politicians?”

“Governments.”

Daniel stepped forward.

“That's impossible.”

Isabel smiled.

“Ask your father.”

Arthur groaned.

Everyone looked at him.

He whispered:

“She's not talking about governments.”

“Then what?”

Arthur looked at me.

“She's talking about you.”

My blood froze.

“What did I do?”

“Nothing.”

He smiled weakly.

“Yet.”

I stared.

He continued.

“The network was built to choose a successor.”

“Harper?”

“Yes.”

“Not me?”

“No.”

“Then why me?”

Arthur closed his eyes.

“Because you're the only one who can kill it.”

My heart pounded.

Isabel interrupted.

“Don't listen to him.”

She raised her weapon.

“I need Harper.”

I stepped back.

“No.”

She smiled.

“Then I'll take Ava instead.”

Ava screamed.

Two masked men seized her.

Elena fired.

The runway erupted.

Aircraft engines roared.

The men dragged Ava toward another vehicle.

I had one daughter in my arms.

The other was being taken.

I looked at Elena.

She was already running.

We chased.

But the vehicle disappeared into the darkness.

My phone vibrated.

One message.

ONE DAUGHTER FOR THE OTHER.

Below it:

COME TO THE ORIGINAL VAULT. ALONE.

Then another.

BRING HARPER.

Harper looked up at me.

“Daddy.”

“What?”

She whispered:

“I know where the vault is.”

I stared.

“Where?”

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She pointed beneath the runway.

“Under Grandpa.”