CHAPTER 9 THE GRANDFATHER WHO NEVER DIED
The helicopter hovered above the harbor like a black bird of prey.
Its spotlight swallowed the darkness.
Gavin dropped beside Priscilla.
“Priscilla!”
Blood stained the front of her dress.
Taylor screamed.
“She's hurt!”
Gavin pressed his hand against the wound.
“Stay with me.”
Priscilla's eyes fluttered.
“Gavin…”
“Don't talk.”
“I have to…”
“No.”
She grabbed his wrist with surprising strength.
“Don't trust…”
Her voice broke.
Gavin leaned closer.
“Don't trust who?”
Priscilla stared at him.
Then whispered,
“Me.”
Her eyes closed.
Gavin froze.
“Priscilla?”
Nothing.
Above them, the helicopter door opened wider.
The old man stepped toward the edge.
Gavin knew that face.
Every childhood photograph.
Every family portrait.
Every Christmas dinner.
His grandfather.
Augustus Roberson.
Dead for fifteen years.
Yet standing twenty meters above him.
Alive.
Augustus looked down.
“Hello, Gavin.”
Gavin's entire body went cold.
“You're dead.”
Augustus smiled.
“So everyone believed.”
“Where is my mother?”
“Alive.”
“Let her go.”
“You're in no position to make demands.”
Gavin raised his weapon.
Augustus laughed.
“Put it down.”
Gavin didn't.
A red laser appeared on his chest.
Then another.
Then another.
Three snipers.
Gavin slowly lowered the gun.
Augustus nodded.
“Good.”
Gavin looked at Taylor.
“Stay behind me.”
The little girl clung to his jacket.
Augustus's eyes moved toward her.
“There she is.”
Gavin stepped in front of Taylor.
“You're not touching her.”
“My dear boy…”
Augustus smiled.
“You still don't understand why she's important.”
“She’s a child.”
“She is my blood.”
“She is my sister.”
Augustus's expression changed.
“Exactly.”
Gavin looked up.
“Why did you try to kill her?”
“I didn't.”
“Then who did?”
“Victor.”
Gavin's jaw tightened.
“You ordered him.”
“No.”
Augustus shook his head.
“I ordered him to find her.”
“Why?”
“To protect her.”
Gavin laughed bitterly.
“By hunting her?”
“Because other people were hunting her.”
“Who?”
Augustus's smile disappeared.
“Your father.”
Gavin froze.
“My father is dead.”
“Yes.”
“Then how could he be hunting her?”
Augustus looked toward the city.
“Because Richard isn't dead.”
Gavin's blood ran cold.
He remembered Daniel.
The photographs.
The vault.
The contradictions.
Someone had been lying.
But who?
Augustus continued.
“Your father disappeared twenty-two years ago.”
“He was murdered.”
“No.”
“Daniel said…”
“Daniel lied.”
Gavin looked at the helicopter.
“Where is Richard?”
Augustus stared at him.
“Closer than you think.”
Gavin's heart pounded.
“Where?”
Augustus pointed toward the harbor.
“The warehouse.”
Gavin turned.
The abandoned building stood behind them.
“Why?”
“Because that's where he has been hiding.”
Gavin shook his head.
“That's impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible in this family.”
The helicopter began lowering.
Gavin looked at Priscilla.
“She's still alive.”
Augustus nodded.
“Bring her.”
“Why?”
“She knows where the third vault is.”
Gavin looked at him.
“You know about the vault.”
“Of course.”
“Then why did you need Taylor?”
Augustus smiled.
“Because the vault won't open for me.”
Gavin's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather doesn't have the bloodline.”
Gavin stared.
“What?”
Augustus pointed at Taylor.
“She does.”
A silence fell.
Taylor looked up at Gavin.
“Why is the old man looking at me?”
Gavin swallowed.
“Don't worry.”
Augustus laughed.
“She should worry.”
Gavin raised his gun again.
The lasers immediately returned.
“Put it down.”
Gavin didn't.
Augustus sighed.
“You've inherited your mother's stubbornness.”
Gavin's eyes narrowed.
“You knew Evelyn.”
“I knew her very well.”
“Then why did you destroy her life?”
“Because she betrayed me.”
“What did she do?”
“She chose Richard.”
Gavin froze.
Augustus's voice became bitter.
“Your mother was supposed to marry me.”
Gavin stared.
“What?”
“Yes.”
“Evelyn was engaged to you?”
“She was.”
“Then Richard…”
“Stole her.”
Gavin's mind raced.
The family history was darker than he had imagined.
Augustus continued.
“She loved Richard.”
“And you killed him.”
“I didn't.”
“Then who?”
Augustus looked toward the warehouse.
“Your mother.”
Gavin's face went blank.
“What?”
“She killed Richard.”
“No.”
“She shot him.”
“No.”
“Ask her.”
Gavin shook his head.
“You're lying.”
Augustus smiled.
“You're beginning to understand.”
A voice suddenly came from behind Gavin.
“He's lying.”
Gavin turned.
Priscilla was standing.
Blood still covered her dress.
But the wound wasn't bleeding anymore.
Gavin stared.
“You were shot.”
Priscilla looked down.
“I wasn't.”
She pulled open her dress slightly.
A small bulletproof vest was visible underneath.
Gavin's mouth fell open.
“You…”
Priscilla smiled weakly.
“I told you not to trust me.”
Gavin stepped backward.
“Then whose side are you on?”
Priscilla looked toward Augustus.
“Not his.”
Augustus's face hardened.
“Get in the helicopter.”
Priscilla shook her head.
“No.”
A gunshot came from the helicopter.
Priscilla ducked.
Gavin grabbed Taylor.
They ran behind the SUV.
Marissa crawled toward them.
“Go!”
Gavin looked at her.
“Where?”
“Warehouse.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard is there.”
Gavin froze.
Marissa nodded.
“He's alive.”
Another shot.
Concrete exploded beside them.
Gavin grabbed Taylor.
“Move!”
They ran.
Priscilla followed.
Marissa stayed behind.
Gavin shouted,
“Marissa!”
“GO!”
They reached the warehouse.
Gavin kicked open the side door.
Darkness.
Dust.
Old machinery.
He raised his weapon.
“Richard?”
No answer.
They moved deeper.
A single light flickered above them.
Then a voice came from the shadows.
“You shouldn't have come.”
Gavin froze.
The voice was familiar.
Too familiar.
A man stepped into the light.
Gavin's heart stopped.
He looked exactly like the photographs.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same scar.
Richard Roberson.
His father.
Alive.
Gavin stared at him.
“Dad?”
Richard's eyes filled with tears.
“My son.”
Gavin couldn't move.
Twenty-two years.
Twenty-two years of believing he had died.
Twenty-two years of mourning a man who had apparently been alive all along.
Gavin stepped forward.
“Why?”
Richard looked away.
“Because I had no choice.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From whom?”
Richard looked toward the entrance.
“Everyone.”
Gavin's voice cracked.
“Did you know I wasn't your biological son?”
Richard froze.
Silence.
That was enough.
Gavin's face changed.
“You knew.”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
“Who am I?”
Richard walked closer.
“You are my son.”
“Biologically?”
“No.”
Gavin's eyes filled with anger.
“Then what am I?”
Richard looked at him.
“You are the boy I chose.”
Gavin stared.
Richard continued.
“Your biological parents were never able to protect you.”
“Who are they?”
Richard hesitated.
“Your mother…”
“Which one?”
Richard closed his eyes.
“Evelyn.”
Gavin's heart stopped.
“And my father?”
Richard looked toward the warehouse entrance.
Before he could answer, the doors exploded open.
Armed men stormed inside.
Richard grabbed Gavin.
“RUN!”
Gavin pulled Taylor.
Priscilla fired toward the entrance.
The men returned fire.
Richard pushed Gavin toward a hidden staircase.
“Down!”
They descended.
Gavin shouted,
“Where are we going?”
“The third vault.”
Gavin stopped.
“What?”
Richard grabbed his shoulder.
“The vault contains your original birth records.”
Gavin stared at him.
“Why would you hide them?”
“Because they contain the name of your biological father.”
“Tell me.”
Richard's eyes filled with regret.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because if I say his name…”
A gunshot echoed from above.
Richard looked toward the stairs.
“…he'll know you're alive.”
Gavin's blood ran cold.
“Who?”
Richard whispered:
“The man who has been controlling this family for twenty-two years.”
The lights suddenly went out.
Then a woman's voice echoed through the darkness.
“Richard.”
Everyone froze.
Evelyn.
Gavin shouted,
“Mom!”
A light switched on.
Evelyn stood at the bottom of the stairs.
Her hands were tied.
A gun pressed against her head.
Behind her stood a man.
Gavin stared.
It was Victor Kane.
But Victor wasn't smiling anymore.
He looked terrified.
Because beside him stood someone Gavin had never seen before.
An elderly man with white hair.
Richard's face went pale.
Evelyn whispered:
“Gavin…”
The elderly man stepped forward.
“You finally found the truth.”
Gavin raised his weapon.
“Who are you?”
The old man smiled.
“My name is Samuel Bell.”
Gavin looked at Richard.
“Who is he?”
Richard whispered,
“Your real grandfather.”
Gavin froze.
Samuel Bell smiled.
“And the reason your entire family has been lying to you…”
He looked toward Taylor.
“…is because that little girl is not Richard's daughter.”
Taylor stepped backward.
Samuel continued:
“She is mine.”
Gavin's blood ran cold.
“No.”
Samuel smiled.
“And you, Gavin…”
He pointed directly at him.
“…are not the heir.”
He paused.
“Your biological father is.”
The room went silent.
Then Samuel said the name.
May you like
And Gavin's entire world collapsed.
“Victor Kane.”
