Chapter 10 - The Father Who Refused to Stay Dead
Alexander watched the footage six times.
Each viewing stripped away another excuse.
William Bennett lived.
He had faked his death.
He had remained hidden while Alexander mourned him.
While Lily struggled through rehabilitation.
While Claire remained somewhere inside a network built by the Bennett family.
Alexander felt something unexpected.
Not grief.
Not shock.
Relief.
Because hatred was easier when the dead became alive enough to punish.
Daniel stood beside him.
“I told you.”
“You suspected.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t know.”
“No.”
Alexander turned.
“Where would he go next?”
“If North House is compromised, he’ll move to a transport site.”
“What does that mean?”
“Blackridge used medical aircraft.”
Price interrupted.
“We’ve already alerted airports.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not airports.”
He pulled up an old map.
“Private reservoir north of Danbury.”
Alexander stared.
“There’s no runway.”
“Water.”
“Seaplanes.”
Daniel nodded.
They moved immediately.
Price coordinated Connecticut authorities while Alexander arranged a helicopter.
Evelyn begged him not to go.
“Stay with Lily.”
“I can’t.”
“She needs you.”
“She needs her mother too.”
Evelyn grabbed his arm.
“If William is there, he wants you angry.”
Alexander looked at her.
“He should be more worried about what I want.”
The reservoir appeared beneath them at sunset.
Police vehicles were already approaching from two directions.
A large lakeside lodge sat near the water.
A seaplane floated beside a dock.
Alexander saw movement.
People carrying cases.
One stretcher.
His heart slammed.
“Land.”
The pilot hesitated.
“Sir, police haven’t secured—”
“Land.”
They touched down in a clearing.
Alexander jumped out before the rotors fully slowed.
Gunfire erupted near the lodge.
Officers shouted.
Alexander ran toward cover.
Price grabbed him.
“You are not a cop!”
“My wife is inside!”
“And you help her by staying alive!”
A vehicle burst through the rear gate.
Daniel pointed.
“That’s Vale!”
Police intercepted it.
The driver crashed into a tree.
Another group fled toward the seaplane.
Alexander saw Rebecca.
She was dragging someone.
Claire.
“Claire!”
She turned.
Even from fifty yards away, he saw her face change.
“Alex!”
Rebecca pulled her harder.
Claire fought back.
William Bennett appeared on the dock.
White hair.
Dark coat.
Walking cane.
Alive.
Alexander stepped from cover.
“Father!”
William turned.
For the first time in more than two years, father and son looked at each other.
William smiled.
“Alexander.”
Police shouted for everyone to get down.
William ignored them.
“You always were dramatic.”
Alexander walked closer.
Price cursed behind him.
“Where is my daughter?” William asked.
Alexander laughed.
“You will never see her again.”
“She belongs to this family.”
“She is my family.”
“So was Daniel.”
Alexander’s expression changed.
William looked toward Daniel emerging from the trees.
“And see what sentiment did to him.”
Daniel raised a gun.
William smiled.
“You still can’t pull the trigger.”
Daniel’s hand shook.
Rebecca suddenly shoved Claire toward the plane.
Claire struck her.
They fell.
Alexander ran.
A security guard fired.
Police returned fire.
The guard collapsed.
Alexander reached the dock.
Rebecca had Claire by the throat.
Claire clawed at her arm.
“Stop!”
Rebecca looked at him.
Her face was wet with tears.
“I didn’t want this.”
Alexander slowed.
“You tortured Lily.”
“I needed her to remember.”
“You hurt a five-year-old child.”
“She had the sequence!”
Claire shouted, “Anna, let me go!”
The name changed Rebecca.
For one second, she became someone else.
A frightened child beneath years of cruelty.
William snapped, “Subject Two.”
Rebecca stiffened.
Claire whispered, “You are not Subject Two.”
Rebecca’s grip loosened.
William’s face hardened.
“You ungrateful little animal.”
Rebecca turned.
Something inside her broke.
“No.”
William raised his cane.
A concealed gun appeared from its handle.
He fired.
Rebecca jerked backward.
Claire screamed.
Alexander caught Claire as she fell sideways.
Rebecca collapsed on the dock.
Blood spread across her pale-blue dress.
William aimed again.
Daniel fired first.
The bullet struck William’s shoulder.
He dropped the weapon.
Police tackled him.
Alexander held Claire.
She stared at him.
Four years.
Four years compressed into one impossible moment.
He touched her face.
“You’re alive.”
Claire began sobbing.
“I’m sorry.”
He pulled her against him.
Behind them, Rebecca coughed.
Claire turned.
“Anna.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“Don’t let him...”
Blood touched her lips.
Claire knelt.
“Don’t talk.”
Rebecca grabbed Claire’s wrist.
“The archive.”
“We’ll destroy it.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“No.”
Her eyes found Alexander.
“You can’t destroy it.”
“Why?”
Rebecca smiled faintly.
May you like
“Because Lily already opened it.”
Then she lost consciousness.
