Chapter 7 - The Betrayer Walked Into Viktor’s Mansion Holding a Photograph of Me as a Baby
Elizabeth Mercer spoke into the security camera.
“Mara, your father lied to you.”
I stood frozen.
Viktor stared at the monitor.
“Don't listen.”
Elizabeth smiled.
“He always believed he was protecting you.”
I looked at Viktor.
“How does she know where we are?”
“She has someone inside.”
“Who?”
He didn't answer.
Elizabeth continued.
“Viktor, you know the truth.”
He stepped toward the screen.
“Tell me where Thomas is.”
She laughed.
“Still pretending you care about your cousin?”
“I will ask once.”
“Then ask your little waitress what her father did.”
I felt my stomach twist.
“What did he do?”
Viktor turned to me.
“Nothing.”
Elizabeth smiled.
“He sold your mother's location.”
I stared at Viktor.
“Is that true?”
“No.”
Elizabeth spoke again.
“Your father wasn't hiding you from Stefan.”
“Then who?”
“From Viktor.”
Silence.
My chest tightened.
Elizabeth continued.
“Your father discovered that Viktor planned to take control of the organization. Adrian wanted to expose everyone. Viktor wanted to control the empire after the old men were gone.”
Viktor's face hardened.
“She's lying.”
“Maybe,” I whispered.
He looked at me.
“You believe her?”
“I don't know what to believe anymore.”
For the first time, pain crossed his face.
Then the screen went black.
The vault door opened.
A security guard stood outside.
“Mr. Kovacs.”
Viktor immediately raised his weapon.
The guard stopped.
“I am not one of them.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Paul.”
Viktor lowered the weapon.
Paul handed him a note.
“The woman escaped through the west tunnel.”
“Where does it lead?”
“Brooklyn.”
Elizabeth was gone.
But she left something behind.
A box.
Inside was my mother's medal.
And a second photograph.
My mother holding me.
Beside her stood Elizabeth's mother, Helena.
On the back:
We both made mistakes.
Find the child beneath the clock.
I stared.
“The child?”
Viktor looked at the photograph.
“There was an old train station beneath my father's warehouse.”
“Why would there be a child?”
“It's a code.”
We drove to Brooklyn.
The abandoned station sat beneath a condemned building.
A massive clock remained frozen above the platform.
3:15.
My birth time.
I stared at it.
“She left this for me.”
“Probably.”
We found a hidden compartment beneath the clock.
Inside was a small cassette tape.
My mother's voice again.
“I knew Helena would survive.”
I cried.
“I knew Stefan would search for Mara. I also knew Viktor would become the strongest man in the organization.”
A pause.
“That was the part I feared.”
Viktor looked away.
My mother's voice continued.
“I was never afraid of Viktor because he was cruel. I was afraid because he cared too deeply.”
He closed his eyes.
“People who love fiercely can become dangerous when they believe they are protecting someone.”
I looked at him.
The tape continued.
“If you are hearing this, Viktor has probably already chosen you over himself.”
A long silence.
“He does that.”
My heart broke.
Then my mother said something in Hungarian.
Viktor translated.
“She says, ‘Forgive him before you understand him.’”
I looked at him.
“Forgive you for what?”
He couldn't answer.
My father appeared behind us.
“I can.”
I turned.
Adrian looked at Viktor.
“You never told her.”
“Told me what?”
My father stepped forward.
“The night I disappeared, Viktor was supposed to take you with him.”
I stared.
“What?”
“He refused.”
“Why?”
“Because Stefan had men watching.”
“What did Viktor do?”
“He took the blame.”
I looked at Viktor.
He finally spoke.
“I told Stefan I had hidden you.”
“You hadn't.”
“No.”
“You lied?”
“Yes.”
“He hunted you.”
“Yes.”
“For twenty years?”
“Yes.”
I stared at him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your mother asked me not to.”
“Why?”
“Because she didn't want you to owe me anything.”
A tear slipped down my cheek.
Then a gunshot came from outside.
Adrian fell.
Viktor reacted instantly.
He dragged my father behind concrete.
I crouched beside him.
“Dad?”
Adrian was unconscious.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Viktor looked at me.
“Call an ambulance.”
“I don't have signal.”
“Then use mine.”
I grabbed his phone.
A message appeared.
From Elizabeth.
COME TO THE RIVER.
BRING THE ORIGINAL AUTHORIZATION.
COME ALONE.
Viktor read it.
“No.”
“She has my father.”
“I am not letting you go alone.”
“She asked me.”
“She expects you.”
“And?”
“And that is exactly why I am coming.”
I stared at him.
“You can't protect everyone.”
He looked at my father.
“I know.”
May you like
Then he looked at me.
“But I can try.”
Related Stories
