Chapter 15 - TWELVE HOURS
Julian held Maya so tightly she could barely breathe.
She did not complain.
His face buried against her hair.
Her hands clutched the back of his coat.
For several seconds there were no debts.
No Gabriel.
No Black Harbor.
No lies.
Only relief.
Then Julian pulled back.
“Are you all right?”
Maya nodded too quickly.
He noticed.
Of course he did.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
His expression changed.
Maya immediately hated herself.
Julian stared at her.
“Nothing?”
“I’m just overwhelmed.”
That part was true.
He studied her.
She forced herself not to look toward the envelope.
Julian touched her cheek.
“You look frightened.”
“I spent the last two days wondering whether you’d spend your life in prison.”
“Maya.”
She smiled.
“You’re home.”
He did not look convinced.
But he let it go.
For now.
Derek arrived ten minutes later.
He hugged Julian once.
Hard.
Then pretended it never happened.
“Never mention that.”
Julian adjusted his coat.
“I was planning to have it engraved.”
Derek looked at Maya.
“He’s been free twenty minutes and already unbearable.”
“Normality is healing.”
Thomas entered carrying files.
“Kell survived surgery.”
Julian’s expression darkened.
“Good.”
Maya stared.
“You’re glad?”
“I want him alive long enough to testify.”
She relaxed slightly.
Thomas continued.
“His confession is enough to shred the trafficking case against Julian.”
“But?”
Everyone looked at him.
“There is still the organized-crime investigation.”
Julian shrugged.
“That one is less fictional.”
Maya stared at him.
“You’re joking.”
“Marginally.”
Thomas placed another file down.
“Federal investigators are examining the Black Harbor archive.”
Julian looked at Maya.
“Where is it?”
“Derek secured the original copy.”
Maya’s stomach tightened.
Gabriel wanted the survivor list.
She looked at the clock.
Eleven hours.
Julian noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Again.
His expression hardened.
Maya looked away.
Derek frowned.
“Maya?”
“I need a shower.”
She left before anyone could stop her.
Inside her room, she locked the door.
Then immediately hated that too.
Her phone buzzed.
Gabriel.
TEXT ONLY.
NO POLICE.
NO CROFT.
YOU HAVE ELEVEN HOURS.
Maya sat on the bed.
She could tell Julian.
Gabriel might be bluffing.
But the photograph of Daniel was real.
Gabriel had reached him.
Maya called the hospital.
A nurse answered.
Daniel had been transferred.
“Transferred where?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, the order was sealed.”
“Who authorized it?”
“Federal protective custody.”
Maya’s blood ran cold.
Kell’s network was not gone.
She called Rosa.
Voicemail.
Maya closed her eyes.
A knock sounded.
“Maya.”
Julian.
She deleted Gabriel’s text.
“One second.”
“You locked the door.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because that is traditionally what locks are for.”
Silence.
Maya winced.
The handle turned.
He did not force it.
“Open the door.”
“Julian.”
“Please.”
That stopped her.
Julian rarely said please when afraid.
Maya opened it.
He stood outside.
No anger.
Only concern.
“What happened?”
She nearly told him.
Then remembered Daniel in the photograph.
Gabriel’s warning.
“I’m tired.”
Julian stared.
“You lie badly.”
“So I’ve been told.”
He stepped inside.
“Maya.”
She backed away.
“I need you to trust me.”
His expression changed.
“That is not an answer.”
“I know.”
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
His eyes hardened.
“There is that word again.”
Maya looked down.
Julian lowered his voice.
“You promised me you would stop running.”
“I’m not.”
“You locked a door between us.”
“That isn’t running.”
“For you, it is.”
The truth hurt.
Maya looked at him.
“I cannot tell you.”
Julian went still.
“Cannot?”
“Yes.”
“Or will not?”
“Both.”
He studied her.
“Are you in danger?”
She hesitated.
That was enough.
Julian’s face emptied.
“Who contacted you?”
Maya said nothing.
“Gabriel.”
Still nothing.
Julian’s eyes closed.
“Maya.”
“If I tell you, someone dies.”
His face changed.
“Daniel.”
She stared.
Julian understood.
“Rosa too?”
Tears filled Maya’s eyes.
“I don’t know where they are.”
Julian’s jaw tightened.
“He took them.”
“I don’t know.”
“What does he want?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“He specifically told you not to.”
“Yes.”
Julian laughed once without humor.
“Of course.”
He walked toward the window.
Maya waited for anger.
It did not come.
Instead he asked.
“How many hours?”
She froze.
“What?”
“Gabriel always gives deadlines.”
Maya swallowed.
“Ten and a half.”
Julian nodded.
“What does he want you to bring?”
“I can’t.”
“All right.”
She stared.
“All right?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not going to force me?”
“No.”
Maya almost hated that more.
Julian turned.
“But I am going to ask one question.”
“What?”
“Do you believe obeying him will save them?”
Maya said nothing.
Julian waited.
Finally she whispered.
“No.”
“Then let me help.”
“If you get involved—”
“I am already involved.”
“He said he’ll kill Dad.”
“And if you give Gabriel what he wants, what prevents him from killing Daniel afterward?”
Nothing.
Maya knew.
Julian stepped closer.
“I will not order you.”
Another step.
“I will not take your phone.”
Another.
“I will not lock you in this building.”
Her eyes filled.
“But I am asking you to trust me enough to be afraid together.”
That broke her.
Maya covered her face.
“He wants the survivor list.”
Julian went still.
She told him everything.
The photograph.
Daniel’s transfer.
Rosa missing.
Twelve-hour deadline.
Julian listened without interruption.
When she finished, he called Derek.
“Find Daniel.”
Derek’s voice came through speaker.
“Already trying.”
Maya frowned.
“What?”
Derek sighed.
“Julian asked me five minutes after getting home.”
She looked at Julian.
“You knew?”
“I knew something was wrong.”
“You started searching without asking.”
“Yes.”
“Julian.”
“I said I was working on it.”
She almost laughed despite herself.
Derek continued.
“We found the ambulance.”
“Where?”
“Abandoned near Cicero.”
“Driver?”
“Missing.”
Julian looked at Maya.
“Gabriel moved Daniel.”
“What about Rosa?”
“No hospital record.”
Maya’s stomach tightened.
Thomas arrived at the doorway.
“I have something.”
He placed a map on the desk.
“The survivor list isn’t names.”
Maya frowned.
“What?”
“The original archive used coded locations.”
“Safe houses?”
“Yes.”
Julian’s eyes sharpened.
“Gabriel doesn’t know where the survivors are.”
“Not without the list.”
Maya understood.
“If I give it to him…”
“You potentially expose dozens of people.”
Her face crumpled.
“And if I don’t, my parents die.”
Julian looked at her.
“Not if we find them first.”
“How?”
Thomas smiled slightly.
“Gabriel made one mistake.”
“What?”
“He used a federal transport unit to move Daniel.”
Maya stared.
“So?”
“Federal ambulances use fleet tracking.”
Derek’s voice came through.
“Found it.”
Everyone froze.
“The tracking unit was disabled near Cicero.”
Maya’s hope fell.
Derek continued.
“But the fuel card was used twenty-three minutes later.”
Julian leaned forward.
“Where?”
“A private marina.”
Thomas looked at the map.
“River route.”
Julian understood.
“He moved Daniel by boat.”
Maya’s pulse accelerated.
“To where?”
Derek typed.
“There are seven Vale properties accessible by river.”
“Too many.”
Thomas shook his head.
“Not if he needs privacy and power.”
Julian pointed.
“Old grain terminal.”
Maya stared.
“Black Harbor again?”
“Gabriel likes history.”
They prepared.
The deadline showed eight hours.
Julian ordered a second team to retrieve the survivor list from the secure archive.
Maya stopped him.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“If Gabriel expects me to bring it, I need something.”
“You want a fake.”
“Yes.”
Thomas smiled.
“I like her.”
Julian glared.
“I do not.”
Maya stared.
Julian sighed.
“I like you too much.”
Derek laughed from the phone.
They constructed a decoy file containing falsified coordinates.
It would open once.
Then erase itself.
Maya carried it on a drive.
Julian looked at her.
“You are not meeting him alone.”
“He’ll expect me to.”
“He can continue expecting.”
They reached the grain terminal after dark.
Maya’s phone buzzed.
Gabriel.
COME INSIDE ALONE.
She looked at Julian.
“He knows we’re here.”
Julian’s eyes scanned the terminal.
“Probably cameras.”
Another message.
CROFT STAYS OUTSIDE.
OR DANIEL LOSES A HAND.
A photograph followed.
Daniel sat bound to a chair.
Rosa beside him.
Alive.
Maya felt sick.
Julian saw the image.
His face hardened.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“Maya.”
“You asked me to trust you.”
“Yes.”
“Now trust me.”
His jaw tightened.
“This is different.”
“No.”
She touched his chest.
“It isn’t.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Every instinct in him screamed against it.
Finally he handed her a tiny earpiece.
“One word.”
“What?”
“If you say moon, we enter.”
Maya nodded.
“One word.”
She entered alone.
The grain terminal smelled of rust and river water.
Gabriel stood beneath a hanging light.
Daniel and Rosa were tied behind him.
Maya nearly ran toward them.
Gabriel raised a gun.
“Stop.”
She stopped.
“Give me the drive.”
“Let them go.”
Gabriel laughed.
“You have terrible negotiating instincts.”
“I learned from Julian.”
“That explains it.”
Maya held up the drive.
“You need this.”
Gabriel’s eyes sharpened.
“Yes.”
“So they walk.”
“No.”
“Then you don’t get it.”
Gabriel smiled.
“Do you think I won’t shoot your father?”
Maya looked at Daniel.
He stared back.
Slowly.
Almost imperceptibly.
Daniel shook his head.
Do not give it.
Maya’s chest hurt.
Gabriel pressed the gun against Daniel’s shoulder.
“Last chance.”
Maya’s hand trembled.
Inside her earpiece, Julian’s breathing was silent.
Waiting.
Maya looked at Gabriel.
Then at Rosa.
Then Daniel.
She made her choice.
“No.”
Gabriel fired.
Maya screamed.
Daniel jerked sideways.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“MOON!”
The walls exploded inward.
Julian’s team entered from three directions.
Gunfire erupted.
Maya dropped.
Gabriel grabbed her.
A gun pressed beneath her chin.
Julian appeared through the smoke.
He froze.
Gabriel dragged Maya backward.
“Drop it.”
Julian lowered his weapon.
Maya stared at him.
Gabriel smiled.
“There.”
His voice was almost affectionate.
“The great Julian Croft.”
Julian’s hand began shaking.
Gabriel laughed.
“All because of a maid.”
Maya’s eyes filled.
Julian looked at her.
Then something changed in Maya’s expression.
He understood.
Maya stomped backward onto Gabriel’s foot.
Gabriel flinched.
She slammed her head into his nose.
Julian fired.
The bullet struck Gabriel’s gun hand.
Gabriel screamed.
Maya broke free.
Derek tackled Gabriel.
Thomas freed Rosa.
Julian ran to Maya.
She crashed into him.
“Dad.”
They reached Daniel.
The bullet had struck his upper chest.
Blood everywhere.
Maya pressed her hands against the wound.
“Stay with me.”
Daniel smiled weakly.
“You said that before.”
“Stop joking.”
“Your mother likes jokes.”
Rosa was sobbing.
Paramedics entered.
Daniel was rushed out.
Gabriel lay handcuffed on the floor.
For the first time in twenty-three years, he looked afraid.
Maya stood over him.
Gabriel stared at her.
“You think this ends anything?”
She looked down.
“It ends you.”
Gabriel smiled through blood.
“No.”
He looked toward Julian.
“You still haven’t learned who betrayed Adrian.”
Julian froze.
Gabriel laughed.
“It wasn’t me.”
Silence.
Julian’s face hardened.
“You ordered the bombing.”
“Yes.”
“But someone gave me Adrian’s route.”
Julian stopped breathing.
Gabriel smiled.
“Someone your father trusted.”
Thomas went still.
Derek looked at him.
May you like
Gabriel’s grin widened.
“The traitor is standing in this room.”
