Chapter 11 - MY FATHER’S LAST HOSTAGE
Arthur chose an abandoned shipyard for the exchange.
Reed wanted tactical officers.
I wanted Julian alive.
We compromised.
I went inside carrying the cassette.
A team waited beyond the perimeter.
Arthur stood beneath a hanging work light.
Julian sat nearby.
His hands were bound.
“You came.”
Arthur said.
“You knew I would.”
His eyes moved over my face.
“You always were sentimental.”
“You mean human.”
Arthur smiled.
“Give me the tape.”
“Release Julian.”
“Not yet.”
I held up the cassette.
“This destroys you.”
“No.”
He said.
“It embarrasses me.”
“You delayed medical care while Mom was dying.”
“Mercer will deny it.”
“Vanessa won’t.”
That landed.
Arthur’s smile disappeared.
“She talked?”
“She remembered.”
“She remembers whatever you convinced her to remember.”
“You’re finished.”
Arthur stepped closer.
“You still don’t understand power.”
“I understand it better than you think.”
“No.”
He looked almost disappointed.
“You think power is rank.”
“You think it is money.”
“It is control.”
Arthur nodded toward Julian.
“Control is knowing which person someone loves enough to become irrational.”
I looked at my brother.
He shook his head.
“Don’t.”
Arthur extended his hand.
“The tape.”
I walked forward.
Then stopped.
“You made one mistake.”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“You taught all three of us fear.”
I glanced at Julian.
“But you never taught us loyalty to you.”
Julian suddenly threw himself sideways.
His chair crashed into Arthur’s guard.
I hurled the cassette toward the steel floor.
Arthur lunged.
The cassette shattered.
His face transformed.
Pure rage.
“You idiot.”
I smiled.
“That was a copy.”
Floodlights exploded across the shipyard.
Federal agents moved in from both sides.
Arthur froze.
Reed’s voice thundered.
“Hands where we can see them.”
For one second, I believed it was over.
Then Arthur laughed.
“You think this is enough?”
Agents moved toward him.
Arthur slowly raised his hands.
“I’m not the top of this chain.”
I felt cold.
“What does that mean?”
He looked directly at me.
“The Meridian sailed because people far above me wanted it to sail.”
“Names.”
“You’ll never get them.”
An agent cuffed him.
Arthur leaned toward me as he passed.
“You think you came home to destroy my empire.”
His whisper was almost affectionate.
“You came home because someone inside your Navy wanted you here.”
I went still.
Arthur smiled.
“Ask Admiral Reed why your transfer orders were changed six months ago.”
Then they led him away.
I turned toward Reed.
May you like
He did not meet my eyes.
And suddenly, the one man I trusted most looked like another person keeping secrets.
