Chapter 7 - The Last Exit

Adrian pulled Bianca against him.

Gun at her side.

Charles froze.

“Let her go.”

Adrian smiled.

“Now everyone cares about rules.”

Damian stood still.

Victor did too.

Agents raised weapons.

Adrian dragged Bianca toward the rear hallway.

“No one follows.”

Bianca looked at Damian.

He did not move.

Adrian backed away.

Then disappeared behind the archive shelves.

Charles whispered:

“My gun.”

Damian looked at him.

“You brought one?”

Charles nodded.

“I was afraid.”

Damian almost laughed.

Of course.

Theodore pointed toward a side corridor.

“Service stairs.”

Damian moved.

Victor grabbed his arm.

“No.”

Damian looked at him.

Victor’s face was terrified.

“He will use her.”

“I know.”

“He will shoot you.”

“Maybe.”

Victor tightened his grip.

Damian stared at his father.

“You disappeared because you were afraid he would kill me.”

“Yes.”

“And fourteen years later, you are still asking me to live like I am twenty.”

Victor released him.

Slowly.

Damian went.

The service stairs led to the roof.

Wind.

Rain.

Adrian stood near the edge.

Bianca in front of him.

Gun against her ribs.

Damian stopped.

Adrian smiled.

“Alone?”

“For now.”

“Good.”

Bianca’s eyes were wet.

Damian looked at her.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

Adrian laughed.

“You asked that already.”

Damian ignored him.

“What do you want?”

“The trust file.”

“You cannot use it.”

“I can destroy it.”

“There are copies.”

Adrian’s smile faded.

Damian continued.

“Federal copies.”

“Then Charles lied.”

“No.”

Adrian looked toward the stairwell.

Victor appeared.

Adrian’s face changed.

“I said alone.”

Victor stepped forward.

“Take me.”

Bianca looked at him.

Damian did too.

Adrian laughed.

“You always wanted to be noble after the damage.”

Victor stopped.

Adrian continued.

“You built half the system.”

“Yes.”

“You planned to kill me.”

“Yes.”

“You disappeared and left me to run it.”

“Yes.”

Victor looked at Damian.

“And I left my son with you.”

Adrian smiled.

“That was your greatest mistake.”

Damian’s face hardened.

Adrian continued.

“He became better than either of us.”

Victor’s eyes filled.

For one second, even Adrian sounded almost proud.

Then the gun shifted.

Bianca moved.

Fast.

She drove her heel backward.

Adrian lost balance.

Damian rushed him.

The gun fired.

Victor shouted.

The bullet hit the roof railing.

Damian struck Adrian’s wrist.

Bianca dropped.

Victor pulled her away.

Adrian hit Damian.

Once.

Twice.

Then agents flooded the roof.

Adrian was forced down.

Cuffed.

He looked at Damian.

“Do you think this ends the family?”

Damian wiped blood from his mouth.

“No.”

Adrian smiled.

Damian continued.

“It ends you deciding what the family means.”

Adrian’s expression changed.

They took him away.

Bianca stood beside Victor.

She was shaking.

Damian looked at her.

“You okay?”

She nodded.

Then laughed once through tears.

“You really do ask that a lot.”

He almost smiled.

Victor looked at his son.

Damian looked back.

For a long moment, neither spoke.

Then Victor whispered:

“I am sorry.”

Damian nodded.

“I know.”

Victor’s eyes filled.

“That is not forgiveness.”

“No.”

Victor accepted it.

Charles came onto the roof.

He saw Bianca.

His knees nearly gave out.

She hugged him.

Then pushed him away.

Not cruelly.

Just enough.

“You lied to me too.”

Charles nodded.

“Yes.”

“We are going to talk about all of it.”

“Yes.”

“No deciding what I can handle.”

Charles swallowed.

“Yes.”

Bianca looked at Damian.

He said nothing.

She understood.

There would be no easy return to what they were.

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That was honest.

For now, it was enough.