Chapter 20 Seven Minutes
The explosion threw everyone against the walls.
Glass cracked somewhere above them.
The floor trembled beneath Audrey's feet.
Ethan caught her before she fell.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Another blast sounded.
Closer.
Marcus looked toward the ceiling.
“We have less than seven minutes now.”
Caleb helped Nathan toward the hidden opening.
“Can he make it?”
“He has to.”
Nathan grimaced.
“I've survived worse.”
Ethan looked at the shaft.
“How do we get down?”
Marcus pointed toward a narrow metal ladder.
“It leads to the maintenance tunnels.”
Audrey stared into the darkness.
“You expect us to climb down there?”
“I expect us to live.”
That was enough.
Audrey descended first.
The metal was cold beneath her hands.
Ethan followed.
Below them, Caleb supported Nathan while Marcus climbed behind.
Evelyn came last.
Halfway down, another explosion shook the building.
Audrey nearly lost her grip.
Ethan caught her ankle.
“I've got you.”
She looked down.
“Don't let go.”
“I won't.”
The words came without hesitation.
Audrey continued downward.
When her feet finally touched the ground, she stepped aside.
The tunnel was narrow and dark.
Marcus switched on a flashlight.
“Move.”
They hurried through the passage.
Behind them, the tower groaned.
Audrey looked back.
“Is the whole building going to collapse?”
“No,” Marcus said.
“How do you know?”
“Because Richard wants the evidence destroyed.”
“So?”
“He built the system.”
Marcus stopped at a metal door.
“He knows exactly how much damage it can take.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You're saying he doesn't want to kill us.”
Marcus looked at him.
“I didn't say that.”
The door opened.
They entered an underground parking level.
A black vehicle waited near the exit.
Marcus tossed the keys to Caleb.
“Take Nathan.”
Caleb caught them.
“What about you?”
“I'll deal with the security system.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“No.”
Marcus looked at him.
“You need to get Audrey somewhere safe.”
“I can help.”
“You've helped enough.”
Ethan's expression hardened.
“You don't get to decide that.”
For the first time, Marcus smiled.
“There you are.”
Ethan frowned.
“What?”
“The boy I remember.”
Before Ethan could answer, another explosion shook the structure.
Marcus pointed toward the vehicle.
“Go.”
They moved.
Audrey climbed into the back seat beside Nathan.
Ethan got in beside her.
Caleb drove.
Marcus and Evelyn remained behind.
As the vehicle sped away, Audrey looked through the rear window.
The tower's upper floors flickered.
Then the lights went out.
She turned toward Ethan.
“Do you think they made it?”
“We'll find out.”
Nathan was breathing heavily.
Caleb glanced at him through the mirror.
“You need a doctor.”
Nathan shook his head.
“Later.”
“You've been saying that for an hour.”
“I've been right for an hour.”
Audrey looked at him.
“Why didn't you tell Ethan about the plan?”
Nathan stared out the window.
“Because I didn't know whether he was part of it.”
Ethan went silent.
Audrey noticed.
He looked hurt.
Nathan saw it.
“I wasn't accusing you.”
“It sounded like you were.”
“I was protecting myself.”
Ethan looked at him.
“You spent your entire life believing I was your enemy.”
“I spent my entire life believing everyone was.”
That answer silenced them.
Audrey looked between the brothers.
“You were both children.”
Neither answered.
The city lights moved across the windows.
After several minutes, Ethan spoke.
“Why didn't you come back for me?”
Nathan's eyes remained on the road.
“I tried.”
“When?”
“Three years after I disappeared.”
“I don't remember.”
“You weren't supposed to.”
“Who stopped you?”
Nathan finally looked at him.
“Richard.”
Ethan's jaw tightened.
“What did he say?”
“That if I came near you, he would make you disappear too.”
Ethan stared at him.
“And you believed him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he had already done it once.”
Silence settled over the vehicle.
Audrey looked at Ethan.
His face had changed.
He was no longer looking at Nathan with anger.
He was looking at him with something closer to grief.
“I thought I was abandoned,” Ethan said.
Nathan looked away.
“So did I.”
The words remained between them.
Audrey reached across the space and rested her hand on Ethan's.
He looked down.
Neither spoke.
It was not forgiveness.
Not yet.
But it was a beginning.
They reached the abandoned clinic shortly before midnight.
Caleb helped Nathan inside.
An elderly doctor emerged from a back room.
He looked at the wound.
“You were lucky.”
Nathan gave him a faint smile.
“I've heard that before.”
“Tonight you were.”
The doctor led him away.
Audrey stood in the waiting room with Ethan.
She looked exhausted.
Ethan noticed.
“You should sit.”
“I don't want to.”
“Then lean against the wall.”
She gave him a tired look.
“You're becoming bossy.”
“I've always been bossy.”
“I know.”
He smiled faintly.
Then his expression became serious.
“Audrey.”
“What?”
“I need to tell you something.”
She waited.
“I knew about the trust.”
Her expression changed.
“You knew?”
“Not everything.”
“How much?”
“I knew my father expected me to marry you.”
Audrey stared at him.
“Before we met?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know the reason.”
“You knew there was an arrangement.”
“I knew there was a plan.”
“And you still married me.”
“I loved you.”
The words came quietly.
Audrey looked away.
Ethan continued.
“I didn't know how much of our relationship had been manipulated.”
“You should have told me.”
“Yes.”
“You should have trusted me.”
“Yes.”
“Instead, you tried to handle everything yourself.”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“You're finally admitting it.”
“I've been admitting it for weeks.”
“Maybe I wasn't listening.”
“Maybe I wasn't saying it clearly enough.”
Audrey's eyes softened.
“But you can't undo those years.”
“I know.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Whatever you need.”
She shook her head.
“That's not enough.”
“I know.”
“Then what?”
He took a breath.
“I want to become someone who doesn't need to be told what matters.”
Audrey looked at him.
“That sounds difficult.”
“It will be.”
“Good.”
A faint smile appeared between them.
Then Audrey's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
No response.
Then a man's voice.
Richard.
“You have the drive.”
Audrey stiffened.
“How did you get this number?”
“I've always had it.”
“What do you want?”
“The drive.”
“No.”
“Then I'll take something else.”
Audrey's heart stopped.
“What?”
“Your husband.”
Ethan took the phone.
“Leave her alone.”
Richard laughed.
“You still think you're the one making decisions.”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere you should have found years ago.”
“Tell me.”
“Come to the old estate.”
“Which one?”
“Your father's childhood home.”
Ethan went still.
“That place was sold.”
“No.”
Richard's voice became colder.
“It was never sold.”
The call ended.
Ethan lowered the phone.
Audrey watched him.
“What?”
“My father has been hiding another property.”
“Where?”
“Outside the city.”
“Then we go.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Audrey—”
“You said you wanted to stop making decisions for me.”
He stared at her.
She continued.
“If Richard has another trap waiting, I need to know what we're walking into.”
Ethan nodded.
“All right.”
Caleb appeared in the doorway.
“Nathan is stable.”
Audrey exhaled.
“Can he travel?”
“No.”
“Then we'll leave him here.”
Caleb nodded.
“I'll stay with him.”
Audrey looked at Ethan.
“Ready?”
He picked up his coat.
“No.”
“Good.”
They walked outside.
The rain had stopped.
The city was quiet.
But as they reached the car, Audrey noticed something beneath the windshield wiper.
An envelope.
Her name was written on it.
She opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
Ethan as a child.
Nathan beside him.
Richard standing behind them.
And a fourth child.
A girl.
Audrey stared.
She had never seen her before.
On the back, someone had written:
You were not the only child they were protecting.
Below it was another sentence.
Ask Ethan what happened to her.
Audrey slowly looked at her husband.
“Ethan.”
He saw the photograph.
His face drained of color.
“What?”
She held it out.
He stared at the girl.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then Audrey heard him whisper,
“I thought she was dead.”
Audrey's heart began to pound.
“Who is she?”
Ethan looked at her.
“My sister.”
Audrey stared.
“You have a sister?”
“I did.”
“What was her name?”
Ethan's eyes filled with something she had never seen in him before.
Fear.
“Lydia.”
He looked at the photograph again.
“She disappeared the same night Nathan did.”
A car engine suddenly roared somewhere behind them.
Headlights flooded the street.
Ethan pulled Audrey toward him.
A vehicle accelerated straight toward them.
“Run!”
They jumped aside.
The car crashed into their vehicle.
Metal screamed.
The driver's door opened.
A man stepped out.
He looked at Ethan.
Then at Audrey.
And said,
“Lydia wants her sister back.”