Chapter 8 - No More Running
Marcus had never hated distance more.
Three hundred and fifty miles.
That was what separated him from Sophia and Lily.
Federal agents secured the Wisconsin cabin while Marcus called Chicago.
No answer from Sophia.
No answer from Rafael.
No answer from the hospital security detail.
Then Rafael finally answered.
“Marcus.”
“Where are they?”
“Gone.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“How?”
“Fire alarm. Evacuation. Someone dressed as a paramedic separated Sophia and Lily from the floor.”
“Cameras?”
“Working.”
“Mercer called me.”
“I know.”
“What do you mean?”
“He left something.”
Rafael sent a photograph.
A handwritten note on Lily's hospital bed.
BRING EVELYN HOME.
Marcus showed it to his mother.
Her face changed.
“This is about me.”
“It has always been about control.”
“No.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“You don't understand.”
She sat down.
“Caleb and I grew up together.”
Marcus stared.
“What?”
“His father worked for your grandfather. Caleb and I were friends before I met Victor.”
“What kind of friends?”
Evelyn looked toward the snow.
“The kind who make mistakes when they're young.”
Marcus understood.
“Mercer loved you.”
“He believed he did.”
“And you married Father.”
“Yes.”
“That's what this is?”
“No. But that's where it began.”
Evelyn explained that Mercer had spent decades resenting Victor.
He built his own network inside the Voss organization.
Money became power.
Power became obsession.
When Victor discovered the betrayal, he prepared to expose Mercer.
Then everything fractured.
Dominic learned too much.
Ethan panicked.
Mercer covered up the death.
Evelyn tried to gather evidence.
Victor disappeared.
Everyone spent years hiding.
Marcus stood.
“No more.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“No more what?”
“Running.”
He called Mercer.
The man answered.
“Marcus.”
“You want Evelyn?”
“Yes.”
“You get her.”
Evelyn stared.
Marcus continued.
“In exchange for Sophia and Lily.”
“Marcus,” Evelyn whispered.
Mercer laughed.
“Finally becoming practical.”
“Location.”
“The place your family began.”
Marcus knew immediately.
Voss Shipping Warehouse One.
Near the Chicago River.
“Two hours.”
Mercer disconnected.
Evelyn stood.
“You're not giving me to him.”
“No.”
“You just said—”
“I lied.”
Helen looked at him.
“What's your plan?”
Marcus met her eyes.
“End this legally.”
Helen raised an eyebrow.
“That's disappointingly responsible.”
“My brother tried evidence. My father tried disappearance. My mother tried hiding.”
He looked at Evelyn.
“I'm trying witnesses.”
They returned to Chicago by federal helicopter.
During the flight, Marcus received a message from Sophia's phone.
A photograph.
Sophia and Lily sat together inside the warehouse.
Neither appeared injured.
Then a text.
COME ALONE OR THEY DIE.
Marcus showed Helen.
She said, “Standard hostage demand.”
“Mercer expects me to ignore it.”
“So?”
“So I won't.”
Helen frowned.
Marcus explained.
“If I bring tactical teams close, he has spotters. If I actually arrive alone, he believes he controls the room.”
“You're suggesting we let you walk into a hostage situation.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Then come up with something better in ninety minutes.”
She didn't.
At Warehouse One, Marcus entered alone.
No gun.
No wire visible.
Mercer stood beneath the old steel rafters.
Sophia sat beside Lily.
Her hands were tied.
Lily's weren't.
Ethan stood nearby.
His injured shoulder was bandaged.
Marcus stared.
“You escaped federal custody.”
Ethan smiled weakly.
“Mercer has friends.”
Mercer said, “Drive.”
Marcus held up Evelyn's second drive.
“First, Sophia and Lily.”
“You still think this is negotiation.”
“I think you're a businessman.”
Mercer laughed.
“Your father said the same thing once.”
Sophia looked at Marcus.
There was fear in her eyes.
But something else too.
Trust.
That was more dangerous.
Because Marcus suddenly realized he would do almost anything not to disappoint it.
Mercer asked, “Where is Evelyn?”
“Safe.”
“Then why should I keep them alive?”
“Because Evelyn recorded a confession.”
Mercer's smile faded.
“She recorded everything she knows. Federal prosecutors have it.”
“That isn't enough.”
“No.”
Marcus held up the drive.
“This is.”
Mercer looked at Ethan.
“Get it.”
Ethan approached Marcus.
Marcus handed him the drive.
Ethan returned to Mercer.
Mercer inserted it into a laptop.
Files appeared.
Names.
Transactions.
Records.
His life's work.
Then every file began deleting itself.
Mercer stared.
“What did you do?”
Marcus smiled.
“Wrong drive.”
Mercer pulled a gun.
“You arrogant—”
“Shoot me and the real drive goes public.”
Mercer stopped.
“Where?”
“Multiple servers.”
It was a bluff.
Mostly.
Helen had copies, but Marcus wasn't sure what could be released automatically.
Mercer didn't know that.
Sophia suddenly stood.
She had freed one hand.
Ethan saw.
He didn't warn Mercer.
Interesting.
Sophia grabbed Lily.
Mercer turned.
“Sit down!”
Lily screamed.
Marcus moved.
Mercer fired.
The bullet missed Marcus and struck a metal beam.
Ethan tackled Mercer.
The gun slid away.
Sophia ran toward Marcus.
Then alarms sounded outside.
Federal agents.
Mercer punched Ethan and reached for another weapon.
Ethan grabbed his arm.
“Take Lily!”
he shouted.
Sophia ran.
Marcus met her halfway.
He lifted Lily into his arms.
The girl wrapped herself around him.
“Uncle Marcus!”
The words nearly stopped him.
Then Ethan screamed.
Marcus turned.
Mercer had stabbed him.
Ethan fell.
Federal agents stormed the warehouse.
Mercer ran toward a rear exit.
Marcus handed Lily to Sophia.
“Stay here.”
“Marcus!”
He chased Mercer.
The older man climbed a metal staircase toward the roof.
Marcus followed.
Wind tore across the building.
Mercer reached the edge.
Police surrounded the streets below.
Helicopters circled.
Nowhere left.
Mercer turned.
“You think this ends because you caught me?”
Marcus stopped several feet away.
“Yes.”
Mercer laughed.
“You still don't know your family.”
“I know enough.”
“Victor never told you why he really disappeared.”
Marcus said nothing.
“Ask him.”
“About what?”
Mercer's smile returned.
“The night your mother chose which son to save.”
Marcus's expression changed.
“What are you talking about?”
Mercer stepped backward onto the ledge.
“Dominic wasn't the first Voss son she lost.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
Mercer laughed.
Then stepped off the roof.
Marcus lunged.
Too late.
But Mercer didn't fall.
A helicopter rose from below.
Mercer landed on its skid.
Marcus stared in disbelief.
The aircraft pulled away.
A federal helicopter pursued.
Marcus's phone rang.
Sophia.
He answered.
Her voice was panicked.
“Marcus, come downstairs.”
“What happened?”
“It's Ethan.”
Marcus ran.
He reached the warehouse floor.
Ethan lay bleeding.
Paramedics surrounded him.
Sophia knelt nearby.
Ethan looked at Marcus.
“Come closer.”
Marcus crouched.
Ethan struggled to speak.
“Mercer lied about a lot.”
“I know.”
“But not everything.”
“What?”
Ethan coughed.
“Dominic wasn't trying to expose Mercer when he died.”
Marcus frowned.
“He was trying to find someone.”
“Who?”
Ethan looked toward Lily.
May you like
Then whispered:
“Your sister.”
