Chapter 11 - THE ROOM WITHOUT AIR
At thirty-two percent, Robert collapsed.
Adrian dragged him toward the floor where the air was slightly cooler.
Natalie’s lungs burned.
“Adrian.”
“I know.”
“We’re running out.”
“I know.”
He studied the sealed door.
Reinforced steel.
No hinges.
Then he noticed the fire suppression panel.
He tore it open.
“Can you bypass it?”
“I’m not an engineer.”
“You own buildings.”
“I hire engineers.”
Natalie almost laughed.
Almost.
The upload reached 41%.
Adrian pulled wires.
Nothing.
Natalie looked at Robert.
“His badge.”
“What?”
“Executive access.”
She removed Robert’s credential card.
Adrian slid it into the fire panel.
A hidden maintenance screen appeared.
EMERGENCY PURGE.
He pressed it.
Nothing.
AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.
“Voice,” Natalie whispered.
Robert was barely conscious.
Adrian lifted him.
“Robert. Wake up.”
Robert’s eyes fluttered.
“Say authorization.”
“Mason locked…”
“Robert.”
Natalie touched his face.
“You owe my father.”
His eyes focused.
He whispered:
“Harlan authorization seven-six-one.”
The system beeped.
Air rushed through the vents.
Natalie nearly cried.
Then the door opened.
Gabriel stood outside.
Behind him, three federal agents had weapons drawn.
“Move!”
They escaped.
The upload reached 67%.
But Deputy Attorney General Mason had disappeared.
So had Victor.
Evelyn called.
“We found something.”
“What?”
“Victor transferred money thirty minutes ago.”
“Where?”
“A private airfield.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“He’s running.”
“No.”
Evelyn paused.
“He bought one seat.”
Natalie frowned.
“One?”
“Yes.”
“Then who is the plane for?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Someone he needs out of the country.”
Natalie’s phone rang.
Claire.
“Mom?”
Claire’s voice shook.
“Natalie, someone is here.”
“Where?”
“At the hospital.”
Natalie stood.
“Who?”
A man took the phone.
Victor.
“Hello, Emily.”
Adrian heard.
His face went cold.
“What do you want?” Natalie asked.
“You.”
“No.”
“Then Claire leaves the country with me.”
Natalie gripped the phone.
“You won’t hurt her.”
Victor laughed.
“Daniel believed that too.”
Adrian took the phone.
“You touch Claire and you die.”
“Always dramatic.”
“Location.”
“Mercer Airfield. One hour.”
The call ended.
Gabriel looked at Adrian.
“It’s a trap.”
“Yes.”
Natalie spoke.
“I’m going.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“We had this conversation.”
“This time I mean it.”
“So do I.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“I almost lost you in that room.”
“And I almost lost you.”
“That is not an argument.”
“It is exactly the argument.”
He stared.
Natalie took his hand.
“You don’t protect me by deciding for me.”
His expression changed.
She continued.
“You protected me the first night because you gave me a locked door and a choice.”
Adrian closed his eyes briefly.
When he opened them, he nodded.
“Then we go together.”
At the airfield, they found Claire tied inside the hangar.
Alive.
Victor stood beside the plane.
And next to him was Deputy Attorney General Mason.
But the real surprise came when Mason stepped into the light.
Natalie knew him.
Not as Mason.
As the man who had driven the government car that took her and her mother into Witness Protection twenty years earlier.
May you like
And Claire whispered:
“He was the one who chose where we disappeared.”
