Chapter 9 - THE FATHER WITHOUT A NAME
“Renley.”
Vincent's voice was careful.
Too careful.
“What did Walter write?”
Renley gripped the red box against her chest.
Eleanor kept the gun against Claire.
Daniel stared at the envelope sticking from Renley's coat.
Marcus watched Eleanor.
Claire watched her daughter.
Every adult wanted the same thing.
The truth.
Renley suddenly hated the truth.
Truth had killed Walter.
Truth had put guns in a church tunnel.
Truth had turned her mother into a stranger.
“I didn't finish reading.”
Eleanor laughed softly.
“But you saw enough.”
Vincent's eyes moved to Claire.
“Who is her father?”
Claire closed her eyes.
“Don't.”
Daniel's expression changed.
“Claire.”
“Don't make me say it.”
Vincent lowered his weapon slightly.
“Say what?”
Renley pulled the letter out.
The paper shook in her hands.
She read.
Your father loved your mother, but his name became dangerous before you were born.
The next sentence was smeared.
Then:
Claire believed you would be safe if everyone thought his bloodline ended.
Renley looked up.
“Bloodline?”
Nobody answered.
She read the final visible line.
His name was—
A gunshot exploded.
The paper flew from Renley's hand.
Claire screamed.
The bullet had struck the wall inches from Renley.
Marcus had fired.
Everyone turned on him.
“What are you doing?” Vincent shouted.
Marcus looked horrified.
“I didn't shoot.”
Smoke drifted from his weapon.
Daniel stared.
Marcus looked down.
The gun had fired in his hand.
His finger wasn't on the trigger.
For half a second, nobody understood.
Then Eleanor moved.
She shoved Claire forward and grabbed the red box.
Vincent fired.
Eleanor ducked.
Daniel tackled her.
The box hit the water.
Documents scattered.
Claire pulled Renley behind a brick support.
More gunshots.
The tunnel became thunder.
Renley covered her ears.
Daniel and Eleanor fought in the water.
Marcus kicked his weapon away.
“It was modified!”
Vincent grabbed Eleanor.
She slashed his arm with a small blade.
He recoiled.
Claire reached for the floating documents.
“Renley, run!”
Renley didn't.
The letter.
She searched the water.
Paper floated everywhere.
Walter's page was disappearing into the current.
Then she saw the torn bottom half trapped against a pipe.
She grabbed it.
Only two words remained readable.
...CALDER'S SON.
Renley stopped breathing.
She looked toward Vincent.
Then Daniel.
Two brothers.
Both Calder.
Claire saw what she was holding.
Her face collapsed.
“Renley.”
“No.”
“Sweetheart.”
“Which one?”
Claire didn't answer.
Renley shouted:
“WHICH ONE?”
Vincent heard.
So did Daniel.
The fighting stopped.
Even Eleanor smiled through blood on her mouth.
“Oh,” she whispered.
“This is better than I hoped.”
Vincent looked at Claire.
“Tell me she's not mine.”
Daniel stared at her too.
Claire began shaking.
Eleanor laughed.
“You two really never knew?”
Vincent pointed his gun at her.
“Shut up.”
Eleanor spread her arms.
“Walter's greatest secret. Claire's precious little miracle.”
Renley felt sick.
“Stop calling me that.”
Eleanor looked directly at her.
“The massacre happened because someone learned a Calder heir might survive.”
Renley shook her head.
“I wasn't born yet.”
“No.”
Eleanor smiled.
“But people were already afraid of what you represented.”
“I'm twelve!”
“Now.”
Claire stepped in front of Renley.
“Enough.”
Eleanor's eyes hardened.
“You think hiding her in cheap apartments and sending her to public school changed what she is?”
Renley shouted:
“I'M NOT ANYTHING!”
Silence.
The words echoed down the tunnel.
Then the old ceiling shook.
Dust fell.
Daniel looked upward.
“Everybody out.”
Another tremor.
Water began rising around their ankles.
A pipe had ruptured.
Vincent grabbed the box.
Marcus lifted Eleanor's weapon.
Claire pulled Renley toward the exit.
Daniel stayed behind to gather the documents.
Then Eleanor suddenly lunged at him.
The tunnel wall cracked.
Water exploded through.
Renley screamed.
Vincent grabbed her.
Claire disappeared beneath the surge.
Daniel vanished.
Eleanor vanished.
The lights went out.
For nearly thirty seconds there was only black water and screaming.
Then Renley was dragged upward through the hatch.
Rain hit her face.
Vincent collapsed beside her.
Marcus climbed out seconds later.
Renley crawled toward the opening.
“Mom!”
No answer.
“DANIEL!”
Nothing.
The tunnel below roared with water.
Vincent pulled her back.
“We can't go down.”
“My mom is down there!”
“The tunnel is collapsing!”
“I DON'T CARE!”
Then someone coughed behind the cemetery wall.
Claire appeared.
Alive.
Renley ran toward her.
Claire hugged her.
Vincent stared at Claire over Renley's shoulder.
One question still burned in his eyes.
Claire knew it.
Finally, she whispered:
“Vincent...”
He waited.
Claire looked toward the flooded tunnel.
Then toward Renley.
And said:
May you like
“You're not her father.”
Deep beneath them, unseen in the darkness, Daniel Cross opened his eyes.
