Chapter 5 - The Blue RoomThe old Walsh estate had been abandoned for decades.
Yet Declan knew every hidden entrance.
He led six men through the woods.
Nora stayed beside him.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“My daughter is here.”
“I know.”
“You're not leaving me behind.”
Declan sighed.
“No.”
They entered through a tunnel.
The Blue Room was beneath the old mansion.
Nora heard Lily crying before they reached it.
“Mommy!”
Nora ran.
Declan caught her arm.
“Wait.”
There were men outside.
Four.
Armed.
Declan signaled.
His men moved.
Three seconds later, the hallway was clear.
Nora rushed inside.
Lily ran toward her.
Nora caught her.
She was shaking but unharmed.
“My baby.”
Lily cried into her chest.
“I was scared.”
“I know.”
“You came.”
“Always.”
Declan entered.
He looked relieved.
Then the door closed.
A voice came from a speaker.
“You brought the ledger.”
Declan looked around.
“Patrick.”
A laugh.
“You always were the dramatic one.”
The screen flickered on.
Patrick Walsh appeared.
Older.
White-haired.
Calm.
He looked at Nora.
“So this is Michael Hayes's daughter.”
Nora froze.
“You knew my father.”
“I did.”
“You killed him?”
Patrick smiled.
“I didn't have to.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your father killed himself.”
Nora's face crumpled.
“No.”
“He knew what he had done.”
Declan stepped closer.
“Shut up.”
Patrick laughed.
“You still believe your father was innocent.”
“He wasn't.”
“No.”
“He was weak.”
Declan's fists tightened.
“He trusted people.”
Patrick looked at Nora.
“That's his problem.”
Nora asked:
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
“Why?”
“Because it contains the names of everyone who can destroy me.”
“And if I give it?”
“You walk out.”
Nora stared at the screen.
“What about Lily?”
“Safe.”
Declan shook his head.
“Don't trust him.”
Patrick smiled.
“Smart.”
The screen went dark.
Then another door opened.
Ethan stepped inside.
Nora froze.
He held a gun.
“Ethan?”
He looked at her.
“I’m sorry.”
Declan raised his weapon.
“Drop it.”
Ethan didn't.
He pointed toward Nora.
“I need the ledger.”
“You're working for Patrick.”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I've been playing both sides.”
Declan stared.
“Why?”
“To protect them.”
Nora's eyes filled.
“Protect who?”
Ethan looked at Lily.
“Her.”
Nora swallowed.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because you would have tried to save me.”
“Maybe I would.”
“I knew.”
He lowered his weapon.
“I knew you'd come.”
Patrick's voice came over the speaker.
“Enough.”
A hidden door opened.
Men flooded the room.
Declan fired.
Ethan pushed Nora and Lily behind a wall.
The room erupted.
Bullets shattered glass.
Alarms screamed.
Declan moved toward Patrick's control room.
Nora found a second door.
Inside was a vault.
The ledger.
Not a digital copy.
The original.
She opened it.
Pages filled with names.
But one page had a photograph.
Her father.
Standing beside Dominic Walsh.
And beneath them:
FOUNDERS.
Nora stared.
Her father hadn't merely worked for the network.
He helped create it.
She almost dropped the book.
Then another note.
Michael Hayes's confession.
He had built the financial system.
Then discovered what Dominic was doing.
He tried to stop it.
He failed.
The ledger was his attempt at redemption.
Nora cried.
“He wasn't innocent.”
Declan found her.
He saw the book.
“What happened?”
“My father helped create it.”
Declan took the ledger.
“We all inherit sins we didn't commit.”
She looked at him.
“And you?”
“My father.”
“You didn't choose him.”
“No.”
“You didn't choose this.”
“No.”
She looked toward Lily.
“But you chose her.”
Declan's eyes softened.
“Yes.”
A distant explosion shook the room.
Patrick was escaping.
Declan looked at the doorway.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Nora.”
“I'm coming.”
He smiled faintly.
“You really are impossible.”
“I'm learning from you.”
They ran.
Outside, Patrick's convoy disappeared into the snow.
Ethan stood beside them.
He was bleeding.
Nora caught him.
“You're hurt.”
“It's nothing.”
“Sit down.”
He did.
Declan looked at him.
“You're done.”
“With what?”
“Running.”
Ethan nodded.
“I know.”
He handed Declan a phone.
“There's one more person.”
“Who?”
Ethan looked at Nora.
“Julia.”
Nora froze.
“She works for Patrick.”
“She works for the person behind Patrick.”
“Who?”
May you like
Ethan whispered:
“Your father's killer.”
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