Chapter 14 - The Terminal
Nicholas rolled into the terminal alone.
At least that was what Carlo was meant to believe.
Broken clocks hung above the empty terminal while rain leaked through the glass roof.
Carlo stood beside Ethan with a pistol held low.
He was seventy, thin, silver-haired, and very much alive.
Rebecca sat several feet away, wrists bound.
Claire stood near the wall with a bruise across her temple.
"You look like your father," Carlo said.
Nicholas stopped ten yards away.
"That is not a compliment."
Carlo smiled.
"He understood survival."
"He murdered Hannah's father."
"He protected the family."
Hannah listened from behind a service partition, every muscle tight.
Ethan saw her shadow but gave no sign.
Good kid.
Smart kid.
Nicholas placed the black ledger on his lap.
"Let them go."
"Give me the book."
"Rebecca first."
Carlo laughed.
"Still negotiating as if standing matters."
Nicholas's face did not change.
"You arranged the crash."
"I arranged a lesson. Your driver panicked."
"And Claire drugged me because you threatened her family."
Carlo glanced toward Claire.
"Claire was useful because she wanted the life you offered. Fear simply made her more reliable."
Claire's eyes filled with hatred.
"You said my sister would be safe."
"She is. So far."
Nicholas slowly lifted the ledger.
Carlo stepped closer.
That was the mistake.
Claire kicked the pistol from his hand.
Ethan dropped sideways with the chair.
Hannah ran.
Vincent's team surged through both doors.
Carlo reached inside his coat.
Nicholas threw the ledger at his face.
A guard tackled him before he could draw the second weapon.
Rebecca screamed Nicholas's name.
Then the terminal filled with police commands.
May you like
Within thirty seconds, Carlo was in handcuffs. Hannah freed Ethan. Nicholas reached Rebecca, who touched his face and whispered, "You came." He lowered his forehead to her hand and cried.
Then Rebecca whispered, "Nicky, the ledger isn't the worst thing Father left behind.
