Chapter 9 - THE LAST BETRAYAL
They reached the surface with less than a minute remaining.
The explosion shook the building.
Windows shattered.
Smoke filled the street.
Claire collapsed onto the pavement.
Mark pulled her away from the building.
Samuel emerged behind them.
The archive was gone.
Or so Claire thought.
Then she noticed the small flash drive in Mark's hand.
“What is that?”
“The real archive.”
Claire stared.
“How?”
“Your father made three copies.”
“Where?”
“One with your mother.”
“One with Samuel.”
“And one with me.”
Claire looked at him.
“You had it all along.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Richard was watching.”
Samuel stepped forward.
“He wasn't lying.”
Claire looked at him.
“How do we stop Richard?”
Samuel answered:
“We don't.”
“What?”
“We let him expose himself.”
They had one advantage.
The confession.
If Richard believed the evidence was destroyed, he would come after Claire personally.
They created a trap.
A fake announcement was sent through the financial press.
Claire was supposedly transferring the Northbridge archive to a foreign trust.
Richard would have to act.
And he did.
Within six hours, several shell companies began moving money.
Patricia called Mark.
“Where is Claire?”
Mark answered:
“Safe.”
“You have the archive.”
“No.”
“Then find it.”
Patricia's voice became furious.
“You don't understand what happens if Richard loses control.”
Mark replied:
“I understand perfectly.”
The call ended.
Claire looked at him.
“You recorded that?”
“Yes.”
Samuel smiled.
“Good.”
But then another message arrived.
From Claire's mother.
DON'T TRUST THE COPY.
Claire froze.
A second message followed.
RICHARD HAS THE ORIGINAL.
She stared.
“Then what's on our drive?”
Samuel's face changed.
“A decoy.”
Claire felt sick.
They had been fooled.
Richard had deliberately let them believe they had the archive.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
Richard's voice.
“You finally understand.”
“Where is my mother?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“You'll see her soon.”
“What do you want?”
“Your pendant.”
Claire touched it.
“Why?”
“Because the final archive is not in Northbridge.”
“Where is it?”
“Inside the pendant.”
Claire froze.
“The microchip?”
“Only half.”
Samuel looked at her.
Richard continued:
“Your father divided the key.”
“Why?”
“To prevent me from accessing it.”
Claire understood.
The pendant contained one part.
Her mother's flash drive contained another.
The final piece was held by Richard.
He needed Claire alive.
He needed the key.
And now he knew they were close.
Richard gave her an address.
“Come alone.”
Claire refused.
“If you hurt my mother…”
Richard laughed.
“You're beginning to sound like your father.”
She hung up.
Mark looked at her.
“You can't go.”
“I have to.”
“We'll follow.”
“No.”
Claire shook her head.
“He expects that.”
Samuel understood.
“You're bait.”
“Yes.”
Claire looked at Mark.
“You said you wanted to protect me.”
“I do.”
“Then trust me.”
He stared at her.
Finally, he nodded.
The meeting took place in an abandoned train station.
Claire entered alone.
Richard stood beside her mother.
Her mother looked unharmed.
Claire ran toward her.
Richard raised a hand.
“Slowly.”
Claire stopped.
Richard smiled.
“Give me the pendant.”
She removed it.
Then stopped.
“First let her go.”
Richard shook his head.
“You're negotiating from weakness.”
Claire smiled.
“No.”
She pressed a button on her phone.
Every light in the station turned on.
Cameras appeared.
Federal agents surrounded the building.
Richard's smile disappeared.
Claire said:
“You made one mistake.”
“What?”
“You thought I was still alone.”
Richard looked around.
Samuel stepped from the shadows.
Mark appeared behind him.
Then Lauren.
Then the police chief who had secretly turned state's witness.
Richard's face went pale.
Claire held up the pendant.
“You wanted the final key.”
She smiled.
“So I brought it.”
Richard reached for it.
Claire dropped it.
It shattered on the floor.
Richard screamed.
“No!”
Claire looked at him.
“You forgot one thing.”
“What?”
“My father wasn't protecting the archive.”
“He was protecting me.”
The floor opened beneath Richard.
The police moved in.
He was arrested.
But as he was led away, he looked at Claire and smiled.
“You still don't know who killed your father.”
Claire froze.
Richard whispered:
“Ask your mother.”
The room went silent.
Claire turned toward her mother.
Her mother began to cry.
May you like
And Claire realized the final secret had not been exposed.
It had been waiting for her.
