Chapter 10 - The Choice Julian Made Eleven Years Too Late
Elena did not go alone.
She simply made Julian believe she had.
The warehouse stood beside an abandoned shipping terminal outside Baltimore.
Arthur’s security remained three blocks away.
Federal agents monitored from farther back.
Elena wore a concealed transmitter.
No weapon.
She entered through a side door.
Julian stood beneath a hanging industrial lamp.
His suit was gone.
White shirt.
Sleeves rolled.
Blood on one cuff.
Malcolm Brooks sat tied to a chair.
His face was swollen.
Elena stopped.
“You kidnapped him.”
Julian looked exhausted.
“Yes.”
“That’s a crime.”
“Yes.”
“You beat him.”
“Yes.”
Malcolm laughed weakly.
“You always were disappointing.”
Julian ignored him.
Elena looked around.
“Why bring me here?”
“Because once the government gets him, you won’t get the truth.”
“That’s not how investigations work.”
“You still believe systems protect people.”
“And you believe kidnapping doctors makes you heroic?”
Julian flinched.
“Don’t call me that.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
He looked at her.
For eleven years Elena had known every version of Julian’s face.
Charm.
Anger.
Coldness.
Desire.
Contempt.
This expression was new.
Shame.
She hated that it affected her.
“Did you marry me because Marrow told you to?”
“Yes.”
The answer was immediate.
Elena felt it anyway.
A clean cut.
“Did you know who I was before the fundraiser?”
“Yes.”
“Did you follow me?”
“Yes.”
“Did you study me?”
“Yes.”
“Was anything real?”
Julian looked toward Malcolm.
Malcolm smiled.
“This part is always entertaining.”
Julian walked over and struck him.
Elena shouted, “Stop!”
Julian froze.
She stepped closer.
“Answer me.”
He looked at her.
“The first year?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Elena’s throat tightened.
“The second?”
Julian said nothing.
“The third?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s convenient.”
“I don’t know when it changed.”
“What changed?”
“You became a person.”
Elena stared.
Julian laughed bitterly.
“I know how that sounds.”
“Like I was a file until you decided I was human?”
“Yes.”
She slapped him.
Hard.
Julian did not move.
Malcolm laughed again.
Elena wanted to hit Julian a second time.
Instead she asked, “Why didn’t you leave?”
“Because Marrow doesn’t allow that.”
“You could have told me.”
“And then what?”
“We could have gone to my father.”
“Your father was one of the reasons I was there.”
Arthur listened through the transmitter somewhere outside.
Elena knew those words would hurt him.
“What does that mean?”
“Thomas wanted Arthur watched.”
“Through me?”
“Through the family.”
“Where is Thomas?”
Julian looked toward Malcolm.
“That’s why he’s here.”
Malcolm smiled.
“You still think Thomas runs Marrow.”
Julian turned.
“Tell her.”
Malcolm said nothing.
Julian grabbed the back of the chair.
“Tell her.”
Malcolm looked at Elena.
“Thomas is a frightened old man who spent thirty years pretending he inherited a machine.”
Elena felt cold.
“Who built the machine?”
“Jonathan Vance.”
“My grandfather is dead.”
“Yes.”
“Then who runs it now?”
Malcolm smiled.
“People who learned not to need a single leader.”
Julian cursed.
Elena asked, “Where is Thomas?”
Malcolm’s expression became amused.
“Closer than Arthur would enjoy.”
Julian hit the chair.
“Location.”
“Do you know what I always hated about you, Julian?”
Malcolm looked at him almost affectionately.
“You were our best placement.”
Julian’s jaw tightened.
“And then you fell in love.”
Elena looked at Julian.
He did not look back.
Malcolm continued.
“That made you unpredictable.”
Julian’s voice became low.
“Location.”
“You want Thomas?”
“Yes.”
“Then ask Elena what happened the night Katherine died.”
Elena froze.
“My mother had cancer.”
Malcolm looked at her.
“No.”
“She died from complications.”
“No.”
Arthur’s voice suddenly came through Elena’s earpiece.
“Elena, get out.”
She ignored him.
Malcolm smiled.
“Katherine Vance was dying.”
He leaned forward as far as the restraints allowed.
“But she did not die when the doctors expected.”
Elena’s stomach turned.
“What are you saying?”
“Your mother discovered Marrow’s succession network.”
“I know.”
“She planned to expose it.”
Elena could barely breathe.
Malcolm continued.
“So someone accelerated the schedule.”
Julian went pale.
“You told me her death was natural.”
Malcolm looked at him.
“You were nineteen. You believed many things.”
Elena stared at Julian.
“You knew them then.”
“I knew Marrow watched your family. I did not know they killed Katherine.”
“Did they?”
Malcolm smiled.
“You’re asking the wrong question.”
Elena’s hands shook.
“What is the right question?”
“Who gave the order?”
Julian moved closer.
“Who?”
Malcolm looked directly at Elena.
Then at the transmitter hidden beneath her collar.
His smile widened.
“You brought Arthur with you.”
Elena froze.
Malcolm raised his voice.
“Hello, Arthur.”
Silence.
“You want to know who signed Katherine’s final medication authorization?”
Elena felt the room tilt.
Malcolm whispered the name.
“Arthur Vance.”
Elena stopped breathing.
May you like
Julian stared at her.
Then every light in the warehouse went out.
