Chapter 11 - What Roman Was Willing to Lose
Roman received Viktor's video at 10:36 a.m.
Harper sat bound to a chair.
Derek beside her.
Viktor stood between them.
Bring Daniel Quinn's signature key to Pier 19 tonight. You come alone. Harper leaves alive.
Elias watched Roman replay it three times.
Finally he said, "It's a trap."
Roman looked at him.
"Obviously."
"If you give Viktor that key, he can access every account."
"Yes."
"He'll erase evidence."
"Yes."
"He can rebuild his network."
"Yes."
Elias stared.
"You plan to give it to him."
Roman closed the laptop.
"Yes."
Elias swore.
"Boss."
"Harper's life first."
"She would hate that."
"I'll survive her anger."
"You might not survive Pier 19."
Roman stood.
Elias blocked him.
"You spent nine years trying to destroy Viktor."
Roman's eyes hardened.
"I know."
"Julian died for those files."
Roman stopped.
The name hurt.
Elias continued.
"Daniel died protecting them."
Roman looked toward the window.
Then quietly said, "Daniel also died protecting me."
"Exactly."
"I won't repay that by sacrificing his daughter."
Elias had no answer.
Roman retrieved the real microchip from his vault.
He stared at it.
Seventeen million dollars.
Names.
Evidence.
Viktor's empire.
Nine years of guilt.
Julian's death.
All compressed into something smaller than a fingernail.
Roman closed his fist.
"Prepare the car."
Meanwhile Harper studied the room where Viktor held her.
Underground.
Concrete walls.
Low vibration.
Occasional metallic screech.
"Derek."
He looked over.
"What?"
"Where are we?"
"No idea."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"You always twitch your left thumb when you lie."
Derek glanced at his hand.
Harper almost smiled.
Three years had taught her more than he realized.
"You're doing it now."
Derek sighed.
"Freight tunnel."
"Where?"
"Near the river."
"Pier 19?"
His eyes sharpened.
Harper knew.
Same network of service tunnels.
Viktor had kept them near the meeting point.
Harper examined her restraints.
Plastic zip cuffs.
Derek's too.
"Can you reach your shoe?"
"What?"
"Your shoe."
"Why?"
"Just answer."
"Maybe."
"Take out the metal lace clip."
Derek frowned.
"Since when do you know how to escape zip ties?"
"I watched a video once because you said it was stupid."
Derek almost laughed.
Then pain crossed his face.
"I'm sorry."
Harper's expression cooled.
"Stop."
"What?"
"Apologizing every five minutes."
"I don't know what else to say."
"Then say something useful."
Derek worked the small metal clip loose.
Harper guided him.
"Slide it into the locking tab."
"This won't work."
"Try."
He did.
The restraint loosened slightly.
Derek stared.
Harper whispered, "Again."
Within three minutes one wrist was free.
Derek loosened Harper's restraints.
They remained seated, pretending to be bound.
"Now what?" Derek whispered.
"Wait."
"For?"
"An opportunity."
Derek studied her.
"You really changed."
Harper looked at him.
"No."
A pause.
"I stopped apologizing for who I already was."
Derek lowered his eyes.
A guard entered.
Food.
Water.
He placed it on the table.
Harper watched his key card.
Right pocket.
Gun left side.
Radio shoulder.
When he turned, Derek moved.
Too early.
"Derek—"
He tackled the guard.
They crashed.
Harper grabbed the key card.
Alarm sounded.
"Great plan."
Derek shouted, "Run!"
They ran.
Corridor left.
Then right.
Metal staircase.
Harper could hear men behind them.
Derek grabbed her hand.
She pulled away.
"Don't."
He looked wounded but released her.
They reached an intersection.
Derek pointed.
"Pier exit that way."
"How do you know?"
"I've been here."
Harper stared.
He had lied again.
"No time."
They continued.
Gunfire cracked.
Derek shoved Harper behind a pillar.
A bullet struck concrete.
They moved again.
Then Marcus appeared.
Gun raised.
"End of road."
Harper froze.
Derek stepped in front of her.
Marcus laughed.
"Now you protect her?"
Derek said, "Let her go."
"Viktor needs her."
"He needs Roman."
"Same thing now."
Harper's pulse pounded.
Marcus aimed at Derek.
"You created an impressive mess."
Derek slowly raised his hands.
"Marcus."
"Yeah?"
"Behind you."
Marcus smiled.
"Old trick."
A voice behind him said, "Not this time."
Marcus turned.
Kinsley stood holding a fire extinguisher.
She smashed it into his shoulder.
Gun fell.
Harper lunged.
Derek tackled Marcus.
Kinsley grabbed Harper.
"Move!"
They ran.
"How did you get here?" Harper gasped.
"Roman."
Harper's heart jumped.
"He's here?"
"No. He sent me with Hale."
Agent Hale appeared at the corridor end with two federal tactical officers.
"Down!"
Shots.
Marcus disappeared through another door.
Harper reached Hale.
"Roman thinks I'm still captured."
"Yes."
"He'll bring the key."
"That's why we need to reach him."
They raced toward Pier 19.
Aboveground, the sun had gone down.
Wind whipped off Lake Michigan.
Cargo containers created long corridors.
Harper saw Roman walking alone toward Viktor.
Her chest tightened.
"Roman!"
He turned.
Shock crossed his face.
Viktor turned too.
Harper ran.
Roman moved toward her.
Viktor raised his weapon.
Everything happened at once.
Federal agents emerged.
Viktor's men drew guns.
Roman grabbed Harper and pulled her behind a container.
Gunfire erupted.
Harper shouted, "He doesn't have me! Don't give him the key!"
Roman looked at her.
For one second relief overwhelmed every other emotion.
He grabbed her face and kissed her forehead.
"Never do that again."
"You came alone."
"I said never do that again."
"So did you."
Another shot hit the container.
Roman smiled despite himself.
"Later."
Derek and Kinsley reached cover nearby.
Viktor retreated toward the dock.
Marcus appeared behind Roman.
Harper saw him.
Again.
"Roman!"
This time Roman turned before Marcus fired.
They fought.
Brutal.
Marcus shouted, "You always get everything!"
Roman blocked a strike.
"You chose Viktor."
"You chose everyone over family!"
"You stopped being family when you sold people to him."
Marcus hesitated.
Roman's face hardened.
"So that's what this was really about."
Marcus struck again.
Roman disarmed him.
The gun slid toward the water.
Marcus lunged.
Roman stepped aside.
Marcus went over the dock edge.
He caught the rail.
For one moment Roman could have let him fall.
Harper watched.
Roman grabbed his wrist.
Marcus stared up.
"Why?"
Roman strained.
"Because I'm done becoming Viktor."
Elias arrived and helped pull Marcus up.
Federal agents arrested him.
Across the pier, Viktor reached a speedboat.
Agent Hale shouted.
Too far.
The boat pulled away.
Viktor escaped.
Again.
Roman stood beside Harper.
She touched his face.
"You're hurt."
Small cut near his eyebrow.
"Nothing."
"You always say that."
He looked at her.
"You escaped."
"Kinsley helped."
Roman glanced toward her.
Kinsley stood with Derek.
Federal agents were cuffing Derek.
Harper walked toward him.
Derek looked at the cuffs.
"This is probably goodbye."
"Probably."
He swallowed.
"I did love you."
Harper didn't react.
Derek looked desperate.
"I need you to know that."
She studied him.
"Maybe you did."
Hope flickered.
Then Harper continued.
"But love isn't just what you feel."
His face fell.
"It's what you do with what you feel."
Derek lowered his head.
Harper looked at Kinsley.
"You okay?"
Kinsley nodded weakly.
"Baby?"
"Okay."
Harper exhaled.
Kinsley whispered, "I don't expect forgiveness."
"Good."
Kinsley looked down.
Harper continued.
"But I hope you become someone your child can trust."
Kinsley's eyes filled.
Federal agents led them away.
Harper turned toward Roman.
He stood watching her.
"Now what?"
Roman looked toward the water where Viktor vanished.
"Now we finish it."
But Agent Hale approached.
"We have another problem."
Harper groaned.
"Of course."
Hale held up a phone.
"The microchip Roman brought is gone."
Roman checked his pocket.
Empty.
His face hardened.
Hale continued.
"Marcus took it during the fight."
Harper looked toward the police vehicle.
Marcus sat inside.
He smiled through the window.
Then the car exploded.
Everyone ducked.
Flames engulfed the vehicle.
Harper screamed.
Roman pulled her behind him.
When the fire settled enough to see, the rear door stood open.
Marcus was gone.
And so was the key.
Viktor hadn't escaped empty-handed after all.
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Continue to Chapter 12…
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