Chapter 9 - Someone Inside the Estate
Arthur did not deny that his father had known Elaine.
His father, Malcolm Finch, had served Gideon’s father for thirty years.
But Malcolm had died five years earlier.
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
Again, the dead refused to stay dead.
Malcolm had staged his death just as Dominic later did.
Only Malcolm’s reasons were darker.
He had built a hidden network inside the Wolf organization.
Thomas had helped launder money.
Elaine discovered them.
The bomb was Malcolm’s solution.
For twenty years, he waited.
Then Gideon began modernizing the organization, cutting illegal operations, removing old alliances, and threatening the empire Malcolm believed belonged to men like him.
So Malcolm returned.
The medical plot was only preparation.
Weak Gideon.
Confused leadership.
Distrust.
Then assassination.
Samuel’s attempt to keep Gideon away from the planned meeting accidentally gave Malcolm a better weapon.
The medicine itself.
Norah’s question ruined it.
Arthur looked shattered.
“My father is alive?”
Thomas nodded.
“And close.”
“How close?”
Thomas looked toward the ceiling.
“Inside this estate.”
Security locked every door.
One guard failed to answer his radio.
They found him unconscious near the service elevators.
His uniform was gone.
Gideon ordered Norah into the panic room.
She refused.
“You're the target.”
“So are you now.”
Arthur agreed with Gideon.
That ended the argument.
Norah entered the reinforced room with Elias and Thomas.
Ten minutes later, the power failed.
Emergency systems activated.
Then those failed too.
Somebody knew the estate better than Arthur.
Thomas began panicking.
“He built the old security network.”
A mechanical click came from the door.
Impossible.
The panic room was designed to resist explosives.
But someone was entering the override code.
Norah looked at Thomas.
“You know that code.”
“So does Malcolm.”
The final digit sounded.
The lock disengaged.
Elias grabbed a metal instrument.
Norah held her breath.
The door opened.
A figure stood outside.
Arthur.
Blood covered his shirt.
“My father has Gideon.”
Norah stepped forward.
“Where?”
“The old chapel.”
Thomas made a sound of terror.
Arthur looked at him.
“You know why.”
Thomas nodded.
Norah didn't.
Arthur explained as they ran.
The chapel was where Elaine Blake’s memorial service had been held.
Malcolm had chosen it deliberately.
When they reached the corridor, Gideon's voice came through Arthur’s radio.
Weak.
Controlled.
“Do not come in.”
Then another voice followed.
Older.
Amused.
“Bring me the maid.”
Arthur stopped.
Norah didn't.
She walked toward the chapel doors.
May you like
One opened from the inside.
And the man waiting beyond it was wearing Arthur Finch’s face twenty-five years older.
