Chapter 11 - THE MAN WHO RAN“ELENA!”
Elias attacked the locked door.
Margaret screamed.
Poppy covered her ears.
Then the steel door clicked.
Unlocked.
It opened three inches.
Elias forced it wider.
They ran.
The control room was two corridors away.
The door was open.
Blood stained the floor.
Elena was gone.
Marlo's heart pounded.
“Find her.”
Elias crouched beside the blood.
“This isn't hers.”
“What?”
He touched it.
“Too much.”
A shadow moved behind the glass.
Preston.
He stepped out slowly.
Gun in hand.
Marlo froze.
“You shot her.”
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
“She escaped.”
Elias raised his weapon.
“Drop yours.”
Preston did.
The gun hit the floor.
He looked at Marlo.
“I'm sorry.”
“You kidnapped our daughter.”
“I saved her.”
“You handed her to them.”
“I was trying to buy time.”
“For eleven years?”
Preston's face crumpled.
“I was afraid.”
“You let me think you left us because you didn't care.”
“I was protecting you.”
“You destroyed me.”
“I know.”
Poppy stood behind Marlo.
“Daddy?”
Preston looked at her.
His face broke.
“Poppy.”
She took one step.
Marlo stopped her.
“No.”
Preston nodded.
“That's fair.”
He reached inside his coat.
Elias raised his weapon.
“Slowly.”
Preston pulled out a small key.
“I stole this.”
He handed it to Elias.
“The master key.”
Elias took it.
“Why?”
“Because Victor doesn't trust his own people.”
“And you do?”
“No.”
Preston looked at Marlo.
“I trust you.”
Marlo nearly laughed.
“Why?”
“Because you're the only person I've ever lied to who still believes people can change.”
Silence.
Then a gunshot rang from the corridor.
Preston was hit.
He collapsed.
Marlo screamed.
“Preston!”
He looked at her.
“I'm sorry.”
Then he died.
Poppy cried.
Elias pulled Marlo away.
“We have to move.”
“No.”
“Marlo.”
“He saved us.”
“Not yet.”
Elias grabbed the master key.
A door at the end of the corridor opened.
Victor Vale stepped through.
He was holding Elena.
A gun pressed against her temple.
Elias froze.
Victor smiled.
“You've been busy.”
Marlo stared at Elena.
She was bleeding.
Alive.
Barely.
Victor looked at Marlo.
“Give me the blue envelope.”
“No.”
Victor pressed the gun against Elena's head.
Marlo's hands shook.
“Don't.”
“Envelope.”
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“Then watch.”
Elena screamed.
Elias lunged.
The lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
When the lights returned, Victor was gone.
Elena was gone.
And the blue envelope was gone.
Marlo stared at her empty hands.
Someone had taken it.
Then she heard Poppy whisper,
“Mommy?”
“What?”
Poppy pointed toward the floor.
A single page remained.
A page Marlo had never seen.
At the top was a handwritten note.
THE REAL FATHER OF POPPY HART IS NOT ELIAS MARCHETTI.
Marlo looked at Elias.
He stared back.
May you like
Then another line became visible beneath it.
ELIAS WAS ONLY THE DONOR.
