Chapter 11 - The Daughter Nathan Left
Nathan had not spoken to Sophie Vale in twelve years.
He had vanished to protect her.
That was how he described it.
Hannah called it what it also was.
Abandonment.
Sophie answered a secure call from Seattle.
“I have a metal case Dad told me never to open.”
Nathan leaned toward the speaker.
“Sophie.”
“You don’t get to say my name like you didn’t disappear.”
He flinched.
Hannah understood.
Sophie agreed to transfer the case through federal agents.
Rusk moved first.
A fake evacuation alert cleared part of the port.
During the confusion, Sophie vanished.
Nathan’s face turned gray.
Then Hannah’s phone rang.
Rusk.
“You keep opening graves,” he said.
“And you keep calling me.”
“You have Thorne’s key card.”
“What do you have?”
“Sophie.”
Nathan grabbed the speakerphone.
“If you hurt her—”
Rusk laughed.
“You abandoned her twelve years ago. Don’t become a father tonight.”
Nathan fell silent.
“Midnight,” Rusk said. “Dry Dock Six. Bring the key card and Michael Mercer’s report.”
Hannah said, “And Sophie walks?”
“If I’m satisfied.”
“No.”
Rusk paused.
“No?”
“You’ve spent twelve years choosing the room, the rules, and who gets scared.”
She looked at Nathan, Clara, and Kane, who was awake in a secure hospital room.
“Tonight you meet me where I choose.”
She ended the call.
Kane frowned from the screen.
“What are you planning?”
Hannah picked up her father’s report.
“The Resolute.”
Clara stared.
“The ship?”
“The same ramp where Victor threw me overboard.”
Kane looked down.
Hannah continued.
“Rusk thinks fear belongs to whoever controls the setting.”
Nathan understood first.
“So take the setting away from him.”
Hannah nodded.
Then an analyst rushed in.
“We found something in Thomas Kane’s archive.”
A scanned transport order.
Signed by Clara Mercer.
Dated the night Michael died.
Hannah slowly turned toward her mother.
Clara’s face collapsed.
“It isn’t what you think.”
May you like
Hannah’s voice went quiet.
“Then tell me why your signature helped put Dad in the car that killed him.”
