Chapter 12 - BENEATH THE FOUNDATION
Darkness swallowed them.
Harper screamed.
Dominic followed the sound.
“Harper!”
“Here!”
He found her hand.
Mia was coughing nearby.
Daniel switched on a flashlight.
“Emergency masks!”
Emily pointed.
A cabinet hung near the wall.
Claire smashed the glass.
There were six masks.
Eight people.
Vincent lay bleeding.
Nathan sat against the wall.
Dominic counted.
Himself.
Mia.
Harper.
Claire.
Emily.
Daniel.
Vincent.
Nathan.
Six masks.
Harper received the first.
Mia the second.
Emily the third.
Claire the fourth.
Vincent the fifth.
Daniel held the last.
He offered it to Dominic.
Dominic pushed it away.
“You.”
“Boss—”
“Put it on.”
Daniel obeyed reluctantly.
Nathan laughed.
“Heroic.”
Dominic grabbed his shirt.
“You know another exit.”
“Maybe.”
“You planned this.”
“Yes.”
“So how were you leaving?”
Nathan said nothing.
Dominic searched him.
He found a small respirator in his jacket.
Nathan smiled.
Dominic put it on.
“Thanks.”
Then he dragged Nathan through the gas.
“Where?”
Nathan pointed toward the rear.
A floor panel.
Dominic kicked it open.
A ladder dropped into darkness.
One by one, they climbed down.
Nathan went last, held at gunpoint.
The tunnel below was narrow and ancient.
They moved for nearly ten minutes.
Harper clung to Mia.
Then they reached a rusted door.
Dominic pushed it open.
Cold night air hit them.
They emerged nearly half a mile from the estate.
Fire crews could be heard in the distance.
Vincent collapsed.
Emily pressed fabric against his wound.
“He needs surgery.”
Daniel radioed the team.
Nathan sat on the ground.
He looked suddenly old.
Dominic stood over him.
“You killed Elena.”
Nathan looked up.
“Yes.”
The honesty felt worse than denial.
“I meant to kill you.”
Nathan’s voice was empty.
“She changed cars with you that morning.”
Dominic remembered.
Elena wanted the SUV.
He took her sedan.
Then switched back because she forgot their daughter’s old car seat at home.
One meaningless decision.
One death.
Nathan continued.
“When the car crashed, I followed you.”
“You pulled me out.”
“I almost left you.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Nathan looked toward the trees.
“Because I realized death was too easy.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“I wanted you alive enough to watch everything disappear.”
Mia stepped closer.
“You were willing to use your own daughter.”
Nathan looked at Harper.
Something moved in his face.
Regret.
Maybe.
Harper hid behind Mia.
Nathan lowered his eyes.
Then Daniel’s radio crackled.
“Movement at north perimeter.”
Dominic frowned.
“Whose?”
“Unknown convoy.”
Nathan started laughing.
Dominic looked at him.
“What?”
Nathan smiled through bloody teeth.
“You thought I was the last betrayal.”
Headlights appeared across the trees.
May you like
Dozens.
Nathan whispered, “The Morettis are here.”
