Chapter 9 - The Signature at Nine O'Clock

Alexander walked into the hangar as if he owned it.

Maybe he thought he did.

He looked at Dominic.

Then Cassandra.

Then James.

Then Vincent.

Then Marcus.

His smile faded slightly.

“You brought everyone.”

Dominic answered:

“No more private versions.”

Alexander looked at Marcus.

“You disappoint me.”

Marcus shrugged.

“You trained me well.”

Alexander turned to Dominic.

“Your mother?”

“Alive.”

A pause.

Then:

“I know.”

Dominic’s face changed.

“You knew she came back.”

“Yes.”

“You sent people after her.”

“No.”

Marcus laughed.

Alexander looked at him.

“Careful.”

Dominic stepped forward.

“Sign the transfer.”

Alexander smiled again.

“So you understand.”

“I understand enough.”

A table stood between them.

Trust documents.

Temporary control.

Ninety days.

Alexander picked up the pen.

Then stopped.

“Where is the ledger?”

Dominic stared.

“What ledger?”

Alexander looked toward me.

“Margaret Cole’s.”

I said nothing.

He smiled.

“She looks like her mother.”

My skin went cold.

Dominic’s expression changed.

“You used Anna to find it.”

“I placed her where the ledger would eventually surface.”

“You funded her education.”

“Yes.”

I stared.

“Why?”

Alexander looked at me.

“People protect what they believe they earned.”

I hated how calmly he said it.

“You thought I would keep my mother’s things.”

“Yes.”

“You never helped me.”

“No.”

At least he told the truth.

Dominic pushed the pen toward him.

“Sign.”

Alexander looked at the paper.

Then at Marcus.

“What did they promise you?”

Marcus answered:

“Possibility.”

“Of what?”

“A life without you.”

Alexander laughed.

Then signed.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Sloan stepped from the office.

“Alexander Vale.”

Alexander did not look surprised.

Agents surrounded the hangar.

He put down the pen.

“Peter.”

Sloan stared.

“Twenty years.”

Alexander nodded.

“You look old.”

“So do you.”

Handcuffs came out.

Alexander looked at Dominic.

“You think this gives you your mother back?”

“No.”

“Your childhood?”

“No.”

“Your company clean?”

“No.”

“Then what exactly did you win?”

Dominic looked at Elena.

She stepped down from the office stairs.

Alexander’s face changed.

Only slightly.

Enough.

Dominic saw it.

Elena walked toward him.

“You always thought losing meant someone else had to possess what you wanted.”

Alexander stared.

She continued.

“Dominic does not need to possess the past to stop you controlling the future.”

Alexander smiled coldly.

“You always were theatrical.”

Elena stopped.

“And you always mistook cruelty for intelligence.”

Agents took his arms.

Then Alexander looked at James.

“You signed too.”

James lowered his eyes.

“I know.”

“At the incompetency hearing.

At Sloan’s death report.

At Elena’s hold.”

“I know.”

“You will go to prison.”

James looked at Cassandra.

“Maybe.”

Alexander smiled.

“Then what did you gain?”

James answered:

“My daughter will know what I actually did.”

Cassandra cried quietly.

Alexander looked at Vincent.

“You lied to Dominic for twenty years.”

Vincent nodded.

“Yes.”

“You think one day of honesty fixes it?”

“No.”

Finally Marcus.

Alexander stared at his first son.

“You were supposed to inherit everything.”

Marcus smiled sadly.

“That was the problem.”

Alexander’s expression hardened.

Agents began leading him away.

Then he stopped.

Looked at Dominic.

“One thing.”

Dominic said nothing.

“Ask Elena why she bought only two tickets twenty years ago.”

Silence.

Elena’s face changed.

Dominic turned.

“You and me.”

“Yes.”

Alexander smiled.

“Then why was there a third seat reserved under another name?”

Dominic stared.

Elena closed her eyes.

Marcus went still.

Dominic whispered:

“Who?”

Elena looked at him.

Then at Marcus.

Marcus’s face lost all color.

Dominic followed her eyes.

“No.”

Elena whispered:

“I was taking Marcus too.”

Silence.

Marcus stared at her.

“What?”

Alexander laughed once.

The first real laugh.

Then agents pulled him away.

Marcus looked at Elena.

“You knew me?”

“Yes.”

“You were going to take me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Elena’s eyes filled.

“Because you were seventeen.”

Marcus stared.

“And your father had already started using you.”

Silence.

Elena continued.

“I thought if I could get both of you out…”

Her voice broke.

Marcus looked away.

For the first time, the dangerous man seemed young.

Dominic stared at his mother.

“You were trying to save both his sons.”

“Yes.”

Marcus whispered:

“He told me you hated me.”

Elena shook her head.

“No.”

“He said you wanted me gone.”

“No.”

“He said Dominic was the child you chose.”

Elena stepped closer.

“I chose both of you that night.”

Marcus looked at Alexander being placed in a federal car.

Then at Dominic.

Twenty years.

Two brothers.

Same father.

Different lie.

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Marcus whispered:

“So he forged my story too.”