Chapter 13 - The Door Beneath the River
The side passage descended beneath the hospital toward the river.
Vivienne moved faster than Mara expected, using the wall for balance but never releasing the drive in her hand.
Mara followed through a narrow concrete tunnel.
Behind her came Nadia, Agent Price, and two federal officers.
“Nadia, stay back,” Mara ordered.
“I know where she is going.”
“How?”
“I saw the facility plans while they questioned me. There is an emergency boat dock.”
The tunnel ended at a reinforced door.
Vivienne pressed her badge to the reader.
The door opened.
Cold air rushed inside.
Beyond it, black river water moved beneath an old concrete platform. A small motorboat waited at the dock.
A man stood beside it wearing a dark coat.
Mara could not see his face.
Vivienne held up the drive.
“I have it.”
The man did not move.
“Where are the keys?” he asked.
“The girl still has hers.”
“Then you failed.”
“I brought the original ledger.”
“The ledger without the keys is useless.”
Vivienne looked back toward the tunnel.
Mara stepped through the door.
“It is over, Vivienne.”
The man in the dark coat entered the boat.
Vivienne turned toward him.
“Wait.”
He started the engine.
“You promised protection.”
“You were given nineteen years of protection.”
“Lighthouse needs me.”
The man looked at her for the first time.
“Lighthouse does not need witnesses.”
He accelerated away from the dock.
Vivienne stared after him.
Her control finally shattered.
“No.”
Mara approached carefully.
“Give me the drive.”
Vivienne held it over the river.
“You think this will make your daughter safe?”
“It will make you answer for what you did.”
“I built hospitals. I funded treatment. I saved thousands of people.”
“You imprisoned patients and stole public money.”
“We used money where it was needed.”
“You used it where you profited.”
Vivienne’s hand trembled.
“You have no idea who ordered those transfers.”
“Then tell me.”
Vivienne laughed bitterly.
“And spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder?”
“You will spend the rest of your life under protection if you cooperate.”
“Protection?”
She looked toward the river where the boat had disappeared.
“There is no protection from Lighthouse.”
Nadia stepped onto the dock.
Vivienne looked at her.
“You should have signed the confession.”
“You should have checked whether I was recording.”
The older woman’s face tightened.
“You think that little recording changed anything?”
“It brought my mother.”
“That was your mistake.”
Nadia moved closer.
“No. Your mistake was believing she would come alone.”
Federal officers appeared behind Agent Price.
Vivienne looked around.
For the first time, she seemed to understand that no one was coming to rescue her.
She lowered the drive.
Mara extended her hand.
Vivienne began to pass it to her.
Then the dock lights shut off.
A suppressed gunshot struck the concrete beside Mara.
Everyone dropped.
The drive fell from Vivienne’s hand and slid toward the edge.
Nadia lunged and caught it before it entered the water.
Another shot came from across the river.
Agent Price pulled Nadia behind a support pillar.
Mara dragged Vivienne into cover.
Federal officers fired toward the opposite bank, but the shooter was hidden among the trees.
“Move back inside,” Price ordered.
Vivienne gripped Mara’s sleeve.
“They know she has it.”
“Who?”
“The man in the boat was only a courier.”
“Name him.”
“I don’t know his real name.”
“What do you know?”
Vivienne stared at Nadia.
“He reports to someone inside your government.”
Mara pulled her toward the tunnel.
“Then you are going to identify everyone you do know.”
As they reached the reinforced door, an explosion shook the dock.
The small boat burst into flames in the distance.
The courier had been eliminated before he could reach the other shore.
Vivienne watched the fire.
“They clean every path behind them,” she whispered.
May you like
Nadia held the drive tightly.
“Not this one.”
