Chapter 14 - THE CHOICE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
The first explosion shook the abandoned hospital's lower floor.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
Victoria screamed as the lights flickered.
Mitchell stumbled backward, his weapon slipping from his hand.
Gabriel rushed toward his mother.
"Can you walk?"
She nodded weakly.
"I think so."
He helped her stand.
Vincent moved toward a side exit, but Evelyn blocked his path.
"You promised me money!"
Vincent shoved past her.
"Get out of my way."
The building groaned.
Somewhere below, investigators shouted for everyone to evacuate.
Gabriel could hear them through his concealed earpiece.
"Fourth floor," he whispered. "We need emergency access."
Then he heard Harper's voice.
"Gabriel?"
His stomach tightened.
She was connected through the emergency communications line at the secure command vehicle.
"I'm here."
"Please tell me you're okay."
"I'm getting my mother out."
There was a pause.
Then Harper said the words he needed most.
"I'm proud of you."
Gabriel closed his eyes for half a second.
Then he moved.
He guided Victoria toward a service stairwell while investigators worked to open the emergency exit.
Mitchell attempted to follow.
Gabriel stepped aside as officers entered from the adjacent corridor and ordered Mitchell to the ground.
The younger man dropped his weapon.
For the first time, the man who had terrorized Harper looked afraid.
"Gabriel, tell them—"
Gabriel interrupted him.
"Tell them everything you did. Under oath."
Officers restrained Mitchell.
Evelyn was arrested near the stairwell after surrendering the hard drive.
Vincent tried to escape through a maintenance passage.
But the route had already been secured.
When investigators led him out, he looked at Gabriel with hatred.
"You destroyed this family."
Gabriel answered quietly.
"No. You did."
Outside, ambulances filled the street.
Firefighters worked to stabilize the building and extinguish the small fires started by the blasts.
Victoria was taken for emergency evaluation.
Gabriel followed the stretcher, refusing to let go of her hand.
Then he saw Harper.
She was standing beside Noah near the command vehicle, still wearing the blue coat Gabriel had lent her.
Her eyes filled when she saw him.
"You're alive."
Gabriel crossed the distance between them.
She rushed toward him, stopping just before reaching his injured shoulder.
"Are you hurt?"
"Nothing serious."
Harper's hands trembled as she touched his face.
"You scared me."
Gabriel smiled faintly.
"I know."
Then he looked toward Noah.
"There's someone you need to meet."
Noah stepped forward.
Victoria turned her head on the stretcher.
Her eyes widened.
"Nathaniel?"
Noah swallowed.
"My name is Noah."
Tears streamed down Victoria's cheeks.
"My beautiful boy."
Noah took her hand.
For the first time in sixteen years, a mother held the son she thought she would never see again.
Harper stepped back, giving them room.
But as she turned, someone called her name.
"Harper!"
She froze.
A woman stood beside an ambulance.
Older.
Thinner.
Her hair streaked with silver.
But unmistakable.
"Mom?"
Elena Monroe opened her arms.
Harper crossed the pavement as quickly as her healing ribs allowed.
And after eleven years, she finally felt her mother's embrace again.
May you like
But as Elena held her daughter, she whispered something that made Harper's tears stop.
"Sweetheart, there's one final thing you need to know about Gabriel."
