Chapter 10 - The Doctor's Secret
Dr. Reed entered.
Gabriel raised his weapon.
Reed didn't react.
“I don't want to hurt anyone.”
Julian stared at him.
“You damaged my spine.”
Reed shook his head.
“I saved your life.”
“You made me paralyzed.”
“I prevented you from being killed.”
Julian looked confused.
Reed explained.
“Your spinal injury was severe, but incomplete.”
Julian's eyes narrowed.
“Meaning?”
“You could have recovered some movement.”
Silence.
“Marcus threatened my family,” Reed continued. “He forced me to perform a procedure that destroyed the remaining function.”
Claire felt sick.
“Why didn't you report him?”
“I tried.”
Reed looked at Andrew.
“Andrew helped me.”
Andrew nodded.
“We recorded everything.”
“Then why did Marcus remain free?”
Reed's expression hardened.
“Because the evidence disappeared.”
Julian looked at Victoria.
“Who destroyed it?”
Victoria whispered:
“Your father.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Reed continued.
“Your father discovered what Marcus was doing.”
“And did nothing?”
“He tried to expose him.”
Julian opened his eyes.
“What happened?”
“He was killed.”
Claire looked at Elena.
She nodded.
“Your father sacrificed himself to protect you.”
Julian was silent.
For the first time, the anger in his face weakened.
“What do we have now?”
Andrew placed a small drive on the table.
“Everything.”
“Enough to convict Marcus?”
“Enough to destroy the entire operation.”
Gabriel took the drive.
Then the lights went out.
A gunshot exploded.
Reed fell.
Claire screamed.
Gabriel fired toward the hallway.
Julian grabbed the edge of his wheelchair.
“Get down!”
Another shot.
Andrew pulled Claire behind the bed.
Someone ran.
Gabriel chased.
Julian remained still.
Too still.
Claire crawled toward him.
“Julian?”
He looked at her.
“I can feel something.”
“What?”
“My left foot.”
She froze.
“Are you sure?”
He nodded.
A tear appeared in his eye.
“It's moving.”
He tried again.
Nothing.
Then a second movement.
Tiny.
Barely visible.
But real.
Claire smiled through tears.
“You're moving.”
Julian looked at her.
Then the smile disappeared.
Because he heard something.
A voice from the hallway.
“Claire Bennett.”
She turned.
Marcus stood at the end of the corridor.
He held Andrew's sister hostage.
Andrew went pale.
Marcus smiled.
“Come with me.”
Claire stood.
Julian grabbed her wrist.
“Don't.”
Marcus raised the gun.
“Or your brother dies.”
Claire looked at Andrew.
Then Julian.
Marcus spoke again.
“You have ten seconds.”
The hospital clock ticked.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Claire stepped forward.
And Marcus whispered:
“Your mother already agreed to the exchange.”
Claire turned toward Elena.
May you like
Elena's face had gone white.
Because behind Marcus stood a woman Claire recognized from an old photograph...
