Chapter 11 - the rescue that was not a rescue
Mara remained on the roof.
Marco stood below beside the armored vehicles, looking up at her through the rain.
“Mara, come down. Sophie is safe.”
“Where is she?”
“With Vincent.”
“Let me speak to him.”
“We don’t have time.”
Dario’s men were forcing open the stairwell door behind her.
Marco held out his hand.
“Jump to the lower platform. I’ll catch you.”
Mara studied the men around him. Their uniforms matched Vincent’s security team, but they stood too far apart and held their radios differently.
Then she noticed Marco’s left hand.
A white cloth had been tied around his wrist.
Earlier, during the tunnel confrontation, Marco had worn a black watch.
This man’s face looked correct from a distance, but the details were wrong.
Mara stepped back.
“You’re not Marco.”
The man smiled.
He removed a thin mask from his face.
Beneath it was someone Mara did not recognize.
“Very good.”
Dario reached the roof.
Mara was trapped between him and the false rescue team.
A train crossed beneath the depot bridge, filling the air with noise.
Mara looked at the wet roof, the loading platform, and the row of suspended maintenance cables.
She pulled one cable free and wrapped it around a metal vent.
Dario advanced.
“There is nowhere to go.”
“I don’t need to go far.”
She stepped over the roof edge.
Dario lunged forward, but Mara slid down the cable to the lower platform. The descent was fast but controlled, leaving her shaken rather than injured.
The false Marco climbed after her.
Before he reached the platform, headlights appeared at the western gate.
A vehicle smashed through the chain barrier and stopped between Mara and the impostors.
The real Marco stepped out.
Tony emerged from the passenger side.
Vincent got out from the rear.
He saw Mara on the platform.
For the first time that night, the restraint left his face.
“Mara!”
She ran down the metal stairs.
Dario’s men moved to intercept her, but Captain Holcomb and a group of officers entered through the eastern gate.
“Police! Stay where you are!”
Dario retreated into the depot.
The impostors scattered toward the railway tunnels.
Vincent reached Mara and caught her as her knees weakened.
“Where is Sophie?” she asked.
“Safe.”
“I need to see her.”
“You will.”
Mara gripped his jacket.
“They’re using your uniforms. Julian isn’t in charge. Someone called the Architect is giving the orders.”
“I know.”
“You know who it is?”
“No.”
A phone rang inside Vincent’s pocket.
Sophie’s name appeared on the screen.
He answered and placed the call on speaker.
“Mama?” Sophie cried.
Mara closed her eyes.
“I’m here, sweetheart.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yes. Vincent found me.”
“I told him he had to.”
Despite everything, Mara laughed through her tears.
“You did the right thing.”
A loud sound echoed from inside the depot.
Vincent pulled Mara behind the vehicle.
Smoke began rising from the loading area, but no flames reached them.
“They’re destroying the records,” Tony said.
Mara looked toward the building.
“There are servers beneath the freight elevator.”
“How do you know?”
“The foundation paid for a cooling system here. I thought it was medical storage. It’s a data center.”
Vincent ordered Holcomb’s officers to secure the elevator.
The basement was empty when they reached it.
The server racks had been removed minutes earlier.
Only one computer remained.
Its screen displayed a live video feed from Bellavista.
Sophie was sitting in Vincent’s private office with Mrs. Bell and Dr. Chen.
A figure entered the room behind them.
Julian Cross.
Vincent called Tony.
“Get Sophie out.”
Tony checked his phone.
“No signal.”
On the screen, Julian closed the office door.
Sophie looked up at him.
May you like
Julian smiled and held out his hand.
“I’m taking you to your mother.”
