Chapter 12 - The Son He Almost Lost
Vincent caught Madison before she hit the pavement and shouted, “Stay with me!”
Blood covered the front of her dress.
Leo screamed against her chest.
Then Vincent pulled the fabric aside.
The bullet had never touched her.
“Madison.”
She stared down.
Blood.
Too much blood.
But there was no wound.
Vincent looked at Leo.
His face changed.
“No.”
Madison stopped breathing.
“No, no, no.”
Her hands flew toward the baby.
Vincent carefully pulled back the sling.
Leo was crying.
Moving.
Alive.
Madison searched his tiny body.
“Where is it?”
Vincent saw the blood first.
Not on Leo.
Inside the sling.
A dark stain spread from a small medical pouch that had been tucked beside Madison's abdomen.
The pouch had burst.
Dr. Reeves had placed it there earlier when he checked her incision.
Drainage fluid mixed with old blood.
Madison almost collapsed from relief.
“He's okay.”
Vincent checked Leo again.
“He's okay.”
Madison kissed her son frantically.
“Oh, thank God.”
Another gunshot shattered the wall behind them.
Vincent pulled Madison down.
“Nico!”
“On it!”
Nico fired toward Margaret.
She disappeared behind the sedan.
Vincent pushed Madison toward the SUV.
“Get inside.”
Madison didn't argue.
That frightened him more than if she had.
He opened the rear door.
She climbed in with Leo.
Vincent turned.
Margaret was running toward the second vehicle.
Nico aimed.
“Don't.”
Nico looked at him.
Vincent's face was cold.
“I want her alive.”
Margaret reached the car.
The engine roared.
Vincent's driver accelerated the SUV and blocked the alley.
Margaret stopped.
Trapped.
She turned.
Gun raised.
Vincent walked toward her.
“Put it down.”
“Stay back.”
“You had your chance.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain it.”
Margaret laughed.
“You think this is about Anthony?”
“No.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“You made that clear.”
Margaret looked toward Madison.
“The key.”
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
“What key?”
“Ask your wife.”
Madison stepped out of the SUV.
Vincent immediately turned.
“Stay inside.”
She gave him a look.
He stopped himself.
“Right.”
Madison approached but remained behind the open vehicle door.
“She said Michael left something to Leo.”
Vincent stared at Margaret.
“My father?”
“The man who raised you.”
Vincent's jaw tightened.
“What did he leave?”
Margaret smiled.
“Something Anthony has spent twenty-two years trying to find.”
“Why would my son have it?”
“He doesn't.”
She looked at Madison.
“His mother knows where it is.”
Madison shook her head.
“I found a small silver object in Leo's blanket.”
Vincent turned toward her.
“When?”
“The day after he was born.”
“Where is it now?”
“In his diaper bag.”
“Where's the bag?”
“Daniel had it when we left the apartment.”
Margaret's smile widened.
Vincent understood.
“Daniel.”
Madison's face changed.
“What about him?”
Margaret didn't answer.
Vincent moved closer.
“What about Daniel?”
“You still haven't figured out why your dead brother-in-law suddenly appeared exactly when Madison needed to disappear?”
“He's her brother.”
“Yes.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“No.”
Margaret tilted her head.
“It's a distraction.”
Madison stared at her.
“Don't.”
Margaret looked at her.
“You think Daniel survived seven years because he was lucky?”
“He had help.”
“Yes.”
“From Elena.”
Margaret smiled.
“Among others.”
Vincent's patience ended.
He took Margaret's gun from her hand so quickly she barely reacted.
Then he pressed her against the car.
“Who are you?”
For the first time, Margaret looked afraid.
Vincent repeated it.
“Who are you?”
She laughed softly.
“Your father knew.”
“Michael?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I worked for him.”
Vincent froze.
Madison stared.
Margaret continued.
“Long before I became a nanny.”
Vincent released her slightly.
“What did you do?”
“I kept records.”
“For the organization?”
“For Michael.”
“What records?”
“The ones Anthony couldn't be allowed to see.”
Vincent looked at Madison.
Then back at Margaret.
“Why?”
“Because Michael was preparing to dismantle the Carter criminal network.”
That matched what Vincent already knew.
“He wanted legitimate businesses.”
“Yes.”
“He was killed before he could do it.”
“Yes.”
“By Anthony.”
Margaret hesitated.
Vincent noticed.
“Wasn't he?”
“Anthony ordered it.”
“Then who pulled the trigger?”
Margaret said nothing.
Madison stepped closer.
“Who killed Michael?”
Margaret looked at her.
“Daniel knows.”
Madison's face went pale.
Vincent lowered his weapon slightly.
“Why would Daniel know?”
“Because he was there.”
Silence.
Madison shook her head.
“No.”
Margaret's expression remained steady.
“He saw Michael die.”
“Daniel would've been—”
“Twenty-four.”
Madison stopped.
Daniel had told her almost nothing about those years.
He had been estranged from their parents.
Always moving.
Always involved with people Madison didn't know.
Then one day police had told the family he was dead.
Seven years ago.
But Michael Carter had died much earlier.
Daniel could have been there.
Vincent looked at Margaret.
“The key.”
“Michael created a contingency.”
“For what?”
“If Anthony ever took control.”
“What does it open?”
“A vault.”
“Money?”
“Evidence.”
Vincent's eyes sharpened.
“Against Anthony?”
“Against everyone.”
Margaret looked at him.
“Including you.”
Madison glanced at Vincent.
He didn't flinch.
“What kind of evidence?”
“Accounts. Names. payments. recordings. police contacts. judges. politicians. shipments. murders.”
Vincent understood immediately.
A map of the entire Carter organization.
Enough to destroy it.
Enough to destroy him.
“Michael wanted me to find it?”
“No.”
Margaret looked at Leo.
“He wanted his grandson to inherit the choice.”
Vincent's face hardened.
“My father died before I was married.”
“He prepared for possibilities.”
“That makes no sense.”
“The key wasn't originally meant for Leo.”
Vincent waited.
“It was meant for your first child.”
“Why?”
“Because Michael knew you would never dismantle the organization for yourself.”
Margaret's voice softened.
“But he believed you might do it for your child.”
Vincent looked toward the SUV.
Leo had stopped crying.
Madison stood beside him.
Something inside Vincent twisted.
Michael had understood him better than Vincent understood himself.
Twenty-two years earlier.
His father had known.
Vincent looked at Margaret.
“Why did you shoot at Madison?”
“I wasn't aiming at her.”
Madison laughed bitterly.
“That's comforting.”
“I was aiming at the tracker beneath the sling.”
Vincent froze.
“What tracker?”
Margaret pointed.
Nico immediately checked the damaged medical pouch.
His fingers found a tiny black device.
He held it up.
“She's right.”
Madison went cold.
“Reeves?”
Margaret nodded.
“He put it there.”
“Why?”
“Because Anthony's people forced him.”
Vincent stared at Margaret.
“Then why didn't you just tell us?”
“Because I didn't know whether Nico was still working for Anthony.”
Nico looked at her.
“I'm standing right here.”
“I noticed.”
Vincent looked at Nico.
“Is she wrong?”
Nico's expression tightened.
“No.”
Madison turned.
“What?”
Nico lowered his eyes.
“I sent Anthony information.”
“We know that.”
“More recently than I admitted.”
Vincent's face hardened.
“How recently?”
“The day you left Madison in labor.”
Silence.
Madison stared at him.
Nico continued.
“I told Anthony you had left the delivery room.”
Vincent stepped forward.
Nico didn't move.
“I didn't know what he planned.”
“You told him where I was.”
“Yes.”
“You helped him.”
“Yes.”
Vincent hit him.
Nico crashed against the SUV.
Madison gasped.
Vincent grabbed his collar.
“Fifteen days.”
“I know.”
“She almost died.”
“I didn't know.”
“You sound like me.”
That stopped Vincent.
His fist remained raised.
Nico looked at him.
“Yeah.”
Vincent slowly lowered it.
Nico wiped blood from his mouth.
“I spent fifteen days telling myself I didn't know enough to be responsible.”
Vincent released him.
Nico continued.
“Then I watched you do the same thing.”
Madison said nothing.
Vincent stepped backward.
The resemblance between their excuses disgusted him.
Margaret looked toward the alley entrance.
“We're wasting time.”
Vincent turned.
“Why?”
“Anthony knows about the vault.”
“Does he know where it is?”
“No.”
“Does Daniel?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Yes.”
Madison felt cold.
“And Daniel has the key.”
“If he still has the diaper bag.”
Madison immediately reached for a phone.
Vincent stopped her.
“If Daniel is involved—”
“He's my brother.”
“I know.”
“Then I'm calling him.”
Vincent nodded.
No argument.
Madison dialed.
Daniel answered.
“Maddie?”
Relief hit her.
“Where are you?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“Why?”
Madison looked at Vincent.
“Do you still have Leo's diaper bag?”
Silence.
Madison's heart sank.
“Daniel?”
“Who told you about the key?”
Vincent's eyes hardened.
Madison whispered:
“You knew.”
Daniel exhaled.
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Seven years.”
Madison closed her eyes.
“Of course.”
“Maddie—”
“No. Don't Maddie me.”
“Listen.”
“You came into my hospital room pretending the only reason you were helping me was because you're my brother.”
“That was the main reason.”
“The main reason?”
“I was protecting you.”
“Stop using that sentence!”
Everyone went silent.
Madison's voice broke.
“Every man in my life keeps lying to me and calling it protection.”
Daniel didn't answer.
“Where is the key?”
“With me.”
“Bring it.”
“No.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“Daniel.”
“I can hear you, Vincent.”
“Bring the key.”
“You don't understand what it opens.”
“Margaret told us.”
Silence.
Daniel's voice changed.
“Margaret is alive?”
“She just tried to shoot your sister.”
“I wasn't shooting her,” Margaret called.
Daniel cursed.
“Do not trust that woman.”
Margaret laughed.
“That's rich.”
Madison pressed the phone closer.
“Daniel, where are you?”
“Going to the vault.”
Vincent stared.
“Don't.”
“I have to.”
“Why?”
“Because Anthony found the location.”
Margaret went pale.
“How?”
“I don't know.”
Vincent looked at the clock.
“Where is it?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Union Station.”
Vincent frowned.
“Where?”
“Under the old mail tunnels.”
Margaret immediately moved toward the SUV.
“We have to go.”
Vincent stopped her.
“Why?”
“Because Anthony won't open that vault.”
“What will he do?”
“Destroy it.”
Daniel answered through the phone.
“Exactly.”
Madison looked at Vincent.
“If that evidence disappears—”
“Anthony wins.”
Vincent took the phone.
“Daniel, wait for us.”
“No.”
“That's not a request.”
Daniel laughed.
“Still working on the control thing, I see.”
“Daniel.”
“Get Madison and Leo somewhere safe.”
Madison grabbed the phone back.
“No.”
“Maddie.”
“We're coming.”
“You just gave birth.”
“And somehow I'm still the only person here capable of making decisions without lying first.”
Daniel sighed.
“Fine.”
Vincent looked at her.
“You're not going into the tunnels.”
Madison raised an eyebrow.
He corrected himself.
“I would strongly prefer that you not enter the tunnels.”
“Better.”
Margaret stared at them.
“Is this really the time?”
“No,” they said together.
Twenty minutes later, they reached Union Station.
Nico drove.
Margaret sat beside him under Vincent's watch.
Madison held Leo.
Vincent stayed beside her.
He looked at his son.
Then at Madison.
“You should hate all of us.”
“I currently have a schedule.”
Vincent almost smiled.
“Am I first?”
“You were.”
“Improvement?”
“Don't push it.”
The SUV stopped.
Daniel waited beside an employee entrance.
He held Leo's diaper bag.
Madison stepped out.
Daniel approached.
She slapped him.
Hard.
He accepted it.
“Fair.”
She hugged him immediately afterward.
Also hard.
“You're an idiot.”
“I know.”
“Apparently I collect them.”
Vincent looked away.
Daniel opened the diaper bag.
He removed a tiny silver key.
Simple.
Old.
An engraved letter M covered one side.
Michael.
Vincent stared.
Daniel handed it to Madison.
“Your son’s.”
She closed her fingers around it.
They entered the service corridor.
Down two staircases.
Through an abandoned maintenance tunnel.
Margaret led.
Vincent watched every shadow.
Finally, they reached a steel door hidden behind an old utility panel.
No electronic lock.
One keyhole.
Madison looked at Vincent.
“This is it?”
Margaret nodded.
Madison inserted the key.
Turned.
A heavy mechanism moved behind the wall.
The door opened.
Inside was a small concrete room.
Shelves.
Boxes.
Documents.
Old tapes.
Hard drives.
And one wooden desk.
Vincent walked toward it.
A photograph rested in the center.
Michael Carter holding a fifteen-year-old Vincent.
On the back:
For the day you choose your own family.
Vincent stared.
Madison touched his shoulder.
Then a red light appeared on the wall.
Daniel froze.
“That's not supposed to be on.”
Margaret's face changed.
“What is it?”
A speaker crackled overhead.
Anthony's voice filled the vault.
“Thank you for opening it.”
Vincent grabbed Madison.
Daniel turned toward the steel door.
It slammed shut.
The lock engaged.
Then a digital timer illuminated above them.
05:00.
04:59.
04:58.
Madison held Leo tighter.
Vincent stared at the countdown.
“What did he activate?”
Margaret went white.
“The fire system.”
Daniel looked at her.
“That's good, isn't it?”
“No.”
She backed away from the vents.
“This vault doesn't use water.”
A hiss came from the ceiling.
Vincent looked up.
Gas began pouring into the room.
May you like
Madison covered Leo's face.
Then the lights went out.
