Chapter 13 - The Tunnel
“Move!”
Sarah shoved Thomas toward the stairs.
Smoke rolled across the ceiling.
Another explosion hit the west side of the mill.
Glass rained down.
Thomas ran back for Madeleine.
Émilie had already freed her completely.
They reached the main floor.
Fire blocked the front exit.
Sarah shouted, “Tunnel!”
They dropped through the grate.
The underground passage was narrow and wet.
Emergency lights flickered.
Madeleine struggled to breathe.
Thomas put one arm around her.
“Stay with me.”
“I am.”
Behind them, part of the mill collapsed.
Dust blasted through the tunnel.
They ran.
Ahead, a body lay against the wall.
One of Gabriel's men.
Alive.
Shot in the leg.
Sarah checked him.
“Who shot you?”
The man coughed.
“Renaud.”
“Why?”
“He said nobody leaves.”
Sarah looked toward the dark tunnel.
“Where is he?”
“Dock.”
They continued.
Thomas stayed beside Émilie now.
There were a thousand questions between them.
Only one mattered.
“Why didn't you contact me after Sophie was born?”
Émilie's face tightened.
“I tried.”
Thomas stopped.
“What?”
“Keep moving,” Sarah ordered.
They walked.
Émilie spoke between breaths.
“I sent you a letter six weeks after she was born.”
“I never got it.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Pierre contacted me.”
Thomas stared at her.
“He said Gabriel had intercepted it before it reached your apartment.”
Thomas felt sick.
“He was watching my mail?”
“Your phone. Your office. Your car.”
“Why didn't you try again?”
“I did.”
“How many times?”
“Three.”
Thomas could barely speak.
“What happened?”
“The third time, someone broke into Sophie's nursery.”
Thomas stopped walking.
Émilie's eyes filled.
“She was four months old.”
“What did they do?”
“Nothing.”
She swallowed.
“That was the message.”
On Sophie's crib, Gabriel's men had apparently left a photograph of Thomas leaving his office.
Thomas understood.
Contact him again and we kill him.
Émilie whispered, “After that, I stopped.”
He wanted to be furious.
He also wanted to hold her.
He did neither.
“Pierre visited you?”
“Yes.”
“Did he know Sophie?”
Émilie smiled through tears.
“He adored her.”
Thomas looked away.
That hurt almost as much as losing twelve years.
“My father knew my daughter better than I did.”
“He hated himself for it.”
“So do I.”
“This wasn't your choice.”
Thomas looked at her.
“It wasn't yours either.”
For the first time, something passed between them that wasn't anger.
Then Sarah raised one hand.
“Quiet.”
Footsteps ahead.
Thomas pulled Madeleine behind a concrete support.
Sarah advanced.
Gabriel stepped into the dim light.
His shoulder was bleeding.
A gun was in his right hand.
His left arm held Sophie against his chest.
Thomas's world stopped.
“Sophie?”
Her face was wet with tears.
“Dad!”
The word hit Thomas like electricity.
Gabriel smiled.
“Beautiful timing.”
Émilie whispered, “No.”
Gabriel pressed the gun against Sophie's side.
Sarah aimed at him.
“Let her go.”
“Drop your weapon.”
Sarah didn't move.
Gabriel tightened his grip.
Sophie cried out.
Thomas raised both hands.
“Sarah.”
“No.”
“Drop it.”
“Thomas—”
“Please.”
Sarah slowly lowered her gun.
Gabriel kicked it away.
“Good.”
Thomas stepped forward.
“Take me.”
Gabriel laughed.
“I already have the only person here you would trade everything for.”
Thomas looked at Sophie.
She was terrified.
But her right hand was hidden against Gabriel's coat.
Thomas noticed something red between her fingers.
Her transmitter.
Sophie looked at Thomas.
Then pressed the button.
Five seconds.
Gabriel glanced down.
May you like
That was all Thomas needed.
He charged.
