Chapter 15 - The Man Outside the Chair
Arthur had expected a cripple.
He had planned for one.
That was his first mistake.
Luca could not run.
He could barely balance.
But Arthur’s shock gave Dominic enough time to slam the electrical cabinet shut.
The gun swung toward him.
Luca grabbed the railing and drove his shoulder into Arthur.
Both men fell.
Pain exploded through Luca’s legs.
Arthur lost the gun.
Dominic kicked it away.
Marcus returned seconds later.
He pinned Arthur against the floor.
“No more.”
The countdown continued.
01:21.
Dominic crawled back to the panel.
Luca could not stand again.
He dragged himself toward the wheelchair.
Arthur laughed from beneath Marcus.
“You still think this ends with me?”
Luca pulled himself into the chair.
“It ends with the truth.”
“The truth destroys your family.”
“It already destroyed it.”
Arthur smiled.
“Not all of it.”
The timer reached forty seconds.
Dominic shouted.
“I have the suppression line.”
“Then do it.”
“If I cut this relay, the entire system dies.”
“Good.”
“Including the door controls.”
Luca understood.
Anyone still inside would be locked in.
Marcus looked toward the tunnel.
“Elena and Maya are out.”
Luca nodded.
“Cut it.”
Dominic looked at him.
“You?”
“I’m here.”
“So am I.”
“You caused this.”
“Yes.”
Dominic gave a strange smile.
“Then perhaps I should finish something correctly.”
Before Luca could stop him, Dominic slammed the emergency partition.
A steel barrier dropped between the control room and corridor.
Luca and Marcus were pushed outside the room.
Dominic remained inside.
“Dominic!”
His uncle looked through the narrow glass panel.
“I kept you trapped twelve years.”
His hand moved toward the relay.
“I won’t do it for one more minute.”
He pulled.
Everything went black.
The countdown stopped at eleven seconds.
Emergency locks clicked throughout the building.
Marcus forced the outer tunnel hatch manually.
Fresh air entered.
Luca looked back.
“Dominic.”
No answer.
They returned with firefighters twenty minutes later.
Dominic was alive.
Barely conscious from electrical shock.
But alive.
For the first time, Luca was relieved to see him.
Not forgiven.
Not absolved.
Alive.
Outside, Maya ran toward Luca.
She stopped before reaching his chair.
Then looked at his legs.
“Did you stand again?”
“Yes.”
“Without me?”
Luca laughed despite everything.
“Yes.”
Maya threw her arms around him.
Then she whispered something against his shoulder.
“Good job, Dad.”
May you like
Luca stopped breathing.
She had never called him that before.
