Chapter 6 - The Father Who Lied From the Grave
They returned to New York under heavy security.
Norah's mother remained at a safe location.
Daniel had disappeared again.
The memory card contained one encrypted file.
Elena spent fourteen hours trying to unlock it.
Finally, she did.
The file opened with a video.
Marco Rossi appeared on screen.
Older.
Tired.
Alone.
Gabriel stood in front of the monitor.
Norah sat beside him.
Marco looked directly into the camera.
“If Gabriel is watching this, then I have failed.”
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
“If Norah is watching this, then I failed even more.”
Norah swallowed.
Marco continued.
“Daniel Bell was my closest friend.”
“He betrayed Elliot.”
“But I made the decision that destroyed everything.”
The video paused.
Then continued.
“The fire was not intended to kill Elliot.”
Gabriel stared.
“It was meant to destroy the ledger.”
“Elliot was supposed to leave before the fire.”
“But someone changed the plan.”
Norah leaned forward.
“Who?”
Marco's voice answered as if he could hear her.
“Vincent Moretti.”
Gabriel's eyes narrowed.
“Moretti wanted Elliot dead.”
“He arranged the fire.”
“I discovered the truth afterward.”
“I tried to expose him.”
“But by then, Moretti controlled enough of the organization to start a war.”
Marco explained that he chose secrecy.
He protected the organization.
He protected Gabriel.
And he failed Norah.
The final part was addressed to Gabriel.
“I knew you would one day meet her.”
“I knew she might hate you.”
“Do not ask her to forgive us.”
“Earn the right to stand beside her.”
Gabriel shut the screen off.
Silence.
Norah stared at him.
“My life was a battlefield before I was old enough to understand the word.”
Gabriel nodded.
“I know.”
“Your father knew.”
“Yes.”
“He protected me.”
“Yes.”
“But he used me.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Yes.”
Norah's eyes filled.
“You aren't going to defend him.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because he doesn't deserve to be defended.”
She looked down.
Gabriel moved closer.
“My father gave me an empire.”
“He also gave me secrets.”
“I spent years thinking control meant safety.”
He shook his head.
“It doesn't.”
Norah looked up.
“What does?”
Gabriel took her hand.
“Trust.”
She stared at their joined hands.
“You trust me?”
“I came to a police station at 3:04 in the morning because you asked.”
Her lips trembled into the smallest smile.
“I noticed.”
They almost kissed.
A knock interrupted them.
Frankie entered.
“We have a location.”
“Daniel?”
“No.”
“Moretti.”
Gabriel stood.
“Where?”
“Rossi South Harbor.”
Norah's expression changed.
“That place doesn't exist anymore.”
“It does tonight.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Norah.”
“You need someone who understands the records.”
“You need someone who won't get killed.”
She stared at him.
“Then make sure I don't.”
The confrontation at the harbor was not what Gabriel expected.
Moretti was not alone.
Federal agents surrounded the warehouse.
Gabriel stopped.
“It's a trap.”
Norah watched the lights.
“No.”
“What?”
“Look at the vehicles.”
She pointed.
“The federal cars are wrong.”
“How?”
“There's no standard command van.”
“No marked transport.”
“No mobile communications unit.”
“These aren't federal agents.”
Gabriel's expression sharpened.
“Someone wants us to believe they are.”
They approached from the rear.
Inside, Moretti stood beside a table covered in records.
Daniel was there too.
Gabriel raised his weapon.
“Vincent.”
Moretti smiled.
“You finally came.”
“You've been trying to kill Norah.”
“Not kill.”
“Retrieve.”
Norah stepped forward.
“Retrieve what?”
Moretti looked at her.
“You.”
She froze.
“You're the last piece of the ledger.”
Daniel placed a device on the table.
“Your father made the encryption biological.”
Norah frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“Your DNA.”
Moretti smiled.
“The file can only open completely with the original family key.”
Gabriel's expression darkened.
“Why would Elliot do that?”
“To stop me.”
Moretti's smile disappeared.
“He knew I would come.”
Norah looked at the device.
“And now?”
Moretti lifted a gun.
“Now you unlock the archive.”
Gabriel stepped in front of her.
“No.”
Moretti laughed.
“You're willing to die for her?”
Gabriel answered quietly.
“Yes.”
Norah grabbed his arm.
“Gabriel.”
Moretti's men raised their weapons.
A gunshot exploded.
Chaos erupted.
Norah dropped behind the table.
Gabriel fired back.
Daniel grabbed the device.
Moretti tried to escape.
Frankie tackled one of the gunmen.
Elena remotely shut the warehouse doors.
The fight lasted less than three minutes.
But in those three minutes, Daniel escaped.
Moretti did not.
Gabriel cornered him near the loading bay.
“You destroyed lives.”
Moretti laughed.
“So did your father.”
Gabriel's eyes hardened.
“But I'm not my father.”
Sirens approached.
Gabriel lowered his weapon.
For the first time in his life, he had a choice between vengeance and something else.
He chose something else.
He turned Moretti over to the waiting authorities.
Norah watched.
“You could have killed him.”
“Yes.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Because I want a different ending.”
May you like
She stepped closer.
“So do I.”
