Chapter 14 - The Lake Where Nathan Died)
The lake looked smaller than Ethan remembered.
As a child, it had seemed endless.
Black water beneath moonlight.
Trees crowding the shore.
The old Mercer boathouse still leaned over the eastern bank.
Ethan parked fifty yards away.
Elena was out of the car before it stopped.
He caught her arm.
"Together."
She looked toward the boathouse.
"Lily is in there."
"We don't know that."
"I do."
A light glowed inside.
Samuel had contacted federal agents.
Thomas had sent his own people around the opposite shore.
Margaret remained behind despite protesting.
Daniel had disappeared during preparations.
Nobody knew whether he had run or gone ahead.
Victoria stood beside Elena.
"He's expecting emotion."
Elena glared at her.
"I am emotional."
"I know. I'm saying use it."
They approached.
The boathouse door opened.
A man stepped out.
Dark hair streaked with gray.
Scar over his eyebrow.
Ethan stopped.
Nathan.
Older.
Alive.
His brother looked exactly like a version of their father Ethan had never seen.
For several seconds neither spoke.
Nathan looked at Ethan.
"Little brother."
Ethan's knees almost failed.
"Where's Lily?"
Nathan smiled sadly.
"Still impatient."
"Where is she?"
"Safe."
Elena stepped forward.
"Show me."
Nathan nodded toward the boathouse.
Lily appeared.
Aaron beside her.
Both unharmed.
Elena ran.
She dropped to her knees and wrapped Lily in both arms.
"You okay?"
Lily nodded.
"The man said we had to leave because fake police came again."
Nathan approached slowly.
"I moved them before Daniel's people returned."
Ethan stared.
"You've been watching Lily for years."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"To protect her."
Elena stood.
"You don't get to call surveillance protection."
Nathan accepted that.
"No."
"Why didn't you tell us who you were?"
"Because the Custodian watches anyone who contacts the Mercer or Ruiz families."
Victoria looked around.
"Where is the Custodian?"
Nathan's expression darkened.
"I don't know."
Ethan laughed.
"Everyone knows half the truth."
"That's how Northstar was designed."
Ethan stepped closer.
"Is Dad alive?"
Nathan looked toward the water.
"Ethan..."
"Answer."
Nathan swallowed.
"He was alive five years ago."
"After that?"
"I don't know."
"Why?"
"Because I helped him disappear."
Margaret's voice came from behind them.
"You did what?"
Everyone turned.
Margaret had ignored instructions and come anyway.
Nathan stared at his mother.
His face broke.
"Mom."
Margaret walked toward him.
Thirty-two years of grief existed between them.
Then she slapped him.
Hard.
Nathan accepted it.
She struck his chest with both hands.
"You were alive."
"I know."
"You were alive."
Then she collapsed against him.
Nathan held her.
Ethan turned away.
He couldn't watch another impossible reunion without feeling the weight of his own lost years.
Lily quietly took his hand.
He looked down.
She squeezed.
Nathan eventually explained.
Charles found him after decades.
Nathan had been raised through Northstar safe houses under different identities.
By the time Charles reached him, Nathan trusted nobody.
Father and son worked together to identify the Custodian.
They failed.
Then Charles disappeared voluntarily.
"Why?"
Ethan asked.
"Because he discovered the Custodian was someone inside our family history."
"Who?"
"He never told me."
"Then what's the point of any of this?"
Nathan looked at Lily.
"The point is ending Northstar before it consumes another generation."
Elena shook her head.
"We're done with Northstar."
"You can be."
"Good."
"After tomorrow."
"No."
Nathan pulled out a document.
"Daniel filed a petition using Victoria's credentials."
Victoria froze.
"What?"
"He transferred operational authority to the Custodian."
"I never authorized that."
"He forged your biometric record."
Ethan stared.
"What happens tomorrow?"
Nathan looked at Elena.
"Lily's temporary voting rights become permanent unless the Ruiz guardian formally rejects them."
"Perfect. I'll reject them."
Nathan's eyes lowered.
"You can."
Elena sensed the problem.
"What aren't you telling me?"
"If you reject the Ruiz share, it passes to the nearest eligible bloodline."
"Who?"
Nathan didn't answer.
Daniel stepped from behind the boathouse.
A pistol hung loosely at his side, pointed at the ground.
"Me."
Everyone froze.
Elena stared.
"What?"
Daniel smiled bitterly.
"Mateo Ruiz was my half-brother."
Elena's face emptied.
Nathan closed his eyes.
"So you finally decided to say it."
Daniel looked at her.
"If Lily gives up her share, I inherit the Ruiz position."
Ethan moved between him and Lily.
Daniel raised his free hand.
"I'm not here to hurt her."
"You've spent seven years doing exactly that."
"I spent seven years trying to keep the Custodian from getting the Ruiz share."
Elena laughed.
"By terrorizing me?"
"I never said I was good."
Police lights appeared through the trees.
Daniel looked toward them.
"That's not Samuel's team."
Nathan agreed.
"No."
Victoria whispered, "Custodian."
Vehicles surrounded the lake.
Men stepped out.
No visible insignia.
Ethan moved Lily behind him.
Then every phone began ringing simultaneously.
Ethan answered.
The distorted voice returned.
"Six chairs."
Nathan stared toward the road.
The voice continued.
"Six debts."
Elena held Lily.
"What do you want?"
"For the first time in thirty years?"
A pause.
"Nothing."
Ethan frowned.
"Then why are you here?"
"To give the Mercer and Ruiz families what they keep claiming to want."
"What?"
"The truth."
The boathouse television turned on by itself.
A live video appeared.
An elderly man sat in a dark room.
Charles Mercer.
Alive.
Ethan forgot how to breathe.
His father looked into the camera.
"Ethan."
The screen flickered.
Charles leaned closer.
"If you're seeing this, don't believe Nathan."
May you like
Nathan's face went white.
Then the screen went black.
