Chapter 11 — The Estate Becomes a Prison
Chapter 11 — The Estate Becomes a Prison
The gun pressed against Rebecca's temple.
Everything inside me stopped.
My sister stood behind the man I had just been told was my real father.
Daniel.
He looked at me with the calm expression of someone who had already won.
Elena stood beside him.
Alive.
Armed.
And smiling.
Rebecca's face was pale.
She wasn't crying.
That somehow frightened me more.
She looked at me as if she were waiting for me to make the wrong decision.
“Put the gun down,” I said.
Daniel smiled.
“You've inherited your mother's courage.”
“Put it down.”
“You don't give orders to me.”
“She is a child.”
“So were you.”
My hands curled into fists.
“What do you want?”
“Everything.”
“You already have money.”
“I don't want money.”
“Then what?”
“The Reynolds trust.”
My grandfather laughed bitterly.
“You still don't understand.”
Daniel turned toward him.
“Don't worry, Richard.”
He smiled.
“You'll understand soon enough.”
My grandfather's expression hardened.
“You won't get it.”
Daniel looked at me.
“Your father said the same thing.”
I felt my throat tighten.
“My father is dead.”
“Yes.”
Daniel's voice became colder.
“I killed him.”
The room went silent.
My mother screamed.
“No!”
Daniel didn't even blink.
“He chose you.”
I looked at the blood on the floor.
“You shot him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he refused to give you to me.”
I stared at him.
“Give me?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
Daniel smiled.
“To finish what your grandfather started.”
I looked at my grandfather.
“What did he start?”
He didn't answer.
Daniel did.
“The Covenant.”
My grandfather shook his head.
“No.”
Daniel laughed.
“Tell her.”
“I ended it.”
“You tried.”
“I destroyed the Council.”
“You destroyed half of it.”
“And saved the other half.”
Daniel looked at me.
“Your grandfather wanted the Covenant to control the city.”
He pointed toward himself.
“I wanted it to control the country.”
My stomach tightened.
“And my father?”
“He wanted you free.”
I looked at the blood beneath my shoes.
“And you killed him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because freedom is expensive.”
Rebecca suddenly spoke.
“Margaret.”
I looked at her.
“Don't listen to him.”
Daniel smiled.
“She is clever.”
Rebecca looked at me.
“He told me Mom was dead.”
My mother gasped.
“Elena.”
Elena looked away.
Rebecca continued.
“He said everyone had lied to me.”
My mother stepped forward.
“I never wanted you to believe that.”
Daniel tightened his grip on Rebecca.
“Enough.”
Rebecca winced.
I stepped forward.
“Don't touch her.”
Daniel raised the gun.
“Stop.”
I stopped.
My grandfather whispered:
“Margaret, don't fight him.”
I turned toward him.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“You knew Daniel was alive?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Thirty years.”
My mother stared at him.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he threatened you.”
Daniel smiled.
“I did more than threaten.”
My mother looked at him.
“You killed my family.”
“I built it.”
“No.”
“You were never part of it.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“You were the mistake.”
A sound came from outside.
Heavy steel.
Then another.
CLANG.
Everyone looked toward the windows.
Another metallic crash.
CLANG.
Then another.
The estate gates were closing.
My stomach dropped.
Daniel smiled.
“It's beginning.”
“What?”
“The lockdown.”
My grandfather looked at the windows.
“How many?”
Daniel glanced at his watch.
“Forty-seven guards.”
“Your men?”
“Mine now.”
Another crash.
The main gates sealed.
Then the secondary gates.
Then the driveway barriers.
The entire estate was becoming a fortress.
I turned toward the security monitors.
Every camera showed armed men moving through the grounds.
“No.”
Daniel smiled.
“You understand now.”
“You trapped us.”
“Everyone.”
“Why?”
“Because nobody leaves until the trust transfers.”
I looked at the monitors.
The estate was surrounded.
No police.
No escape.
No phone signal.
No way out.
My mother whispered:
“We're prisoners.”
Daniel nodded.
“Exactly.”
Then the alarms began.
Red lights flashed throughout the mansion.
A voice came through the speakers.
“Estate lockdown initiated.”
“External communications disabled.”
“Vehicle access disabled.”
“Private security authorization revoked.”
I looked at Daniel.
“You planned this.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“How?”
He smiled.
“Your father gave me access.”
I froze.
“My father?”
“Not the man you called Dad.”
Daniel looked at my grandfather.
“Your grandfather.”
My grandfather's face changed.
“You're lying.”
“No.”
Daniel pulled a small device from his pocket.
“Ask him.”
My grandfather said nothing.
Daniel pressed a button.
A recording played.
My grandfather's voice filled the room.
If Daniel returns, give him access to the estate.
I stared at him.
“You made a deal with him.”
My grandfather closed his eyes.
“Before I knew what he would become.”
Daniel laughed.
“You knew exactly what I would become.”
Elena suddenly pointed her gun toward my mother.
“Move.”
My mother obeyed.
“Why are you doing this?”
Elena's expression cracked.
“I have no choice.”
I stared at her.
“You keep saying that.”
She looked at me.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
“I spent eleven years inside his organization.”
“Daniel's?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To find Grace.”
My mother stepped forward.
“You knew she was alive.”
Elena nodded.
“For years.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Daniel would have killed her.”
“You could have escaped.”
“I tried.”
She looked at Daniel.
“He found me.”
Daniel smiled.
“You were never very good at disappearing.”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to protect everyone.”
I shook my head.
“You helped him.”
“I know.”
“You locked us in the archive.”
“Yes.”
“You brought Rebecca here.”
“Yes.”
“You pointed a gun at your own sister.”
Elena looked at Rebecca.
“I am sorry.”
Rebecca stared at her.
“You're not sorry.”
Elena flinched.
Rebecca continued:
“You're scared.”
Elena lowered her gun slightly.
Daniel looked at her.
“Don't.”
Elena raised it again.
But her hand was shaking.
My grandfather noticed.
“Elena.”
She looked at him.
“You don't have to do this.”
Daniel immediately stepped toward her.
“Don't listen to him.”
“He's right.”
“No.”
“He's lying to us.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“You know what happens if you betray me.”
Elena swallowed.
“You'll kill me.”
“Yes.”
“And Rebecca?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Elena looked at me.
Then at my mother.
Then at Grace.
Something changed in her face.
“I can't.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
“Then choose.”
Elena closed her eyes.
A shot rang out.
Everyone screamed.
I opened my eyes.
Elena was still standing.
Daniel's gun was smoking.
But the bullet hadn't hit her.
It had hit the chandelier.
Glass rained across the marble floor.
Elena dropped her weapon.
“Run!”
Everything happened at once.
My mother grabbed Rebecca.
Grace grabbed my hand.
Lucas pulled Elena behind a pillar.
My grandfather shouted:
“Basement!”
We ran.
Daniel's men opened fire.
Bullets struck the walls.
We raced through the corridor.
I heard Daniel shouting behind us.
“Seal the west wing!”
Doors slammed.
Men moved through the hall.
The mansion had become a maze.
A prison.
And we were trapped inside it.
We reached the old library.
My grandfather shoved a bookshelf aside.
A hidden passage opened.
“Inside.”
Everyone entered.
I turned.
“What about you?”
He looked at me.
“I'm staying.”
“No.”
“Margaret.”
“You've already lied enough.”
He smiled sadly.
“I know.”
“Come with us.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel will follow.”
“Then we'll fight.”
“No.”
He looked at the blood on the floor.
“You don't understand what Daniel wants.”
“What?”
“He doesn't want the trust.”
I stared.
“Then what?”
“He wants the bloodline.”
My stomach tightened.
“Mine?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the original trust can only be activated by a direct descendant.”
I looked at Grace.
“And her?”
“She's a carrier.”
“So is Lucas.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Lucas was marked artificially.”
Lucas looked shocked.
“What?”
“Your mark was implanted.”
“By whom?”
“Daniel.”
Lucas looked at Daniel through the glass panel.
His face changed.
“He used me.”
“Yes.”
I looked at my grandfather.
“Why?”
“To test whether the mark could be transferred.”
“And?”
“It failed.”
Lucas whispered:
“I was an experiment.”
My grandfather nodded.
“Yes.”
Lucas closed his eyes.
I touched his shoulder.
He didn't move.
A loud crash shook the library.
Daniel's men had found us.
My grandfather pushed the bookshelf closed.
“Go.”
I grabbed his arm.
“I'm not leaving you.”
He looked at me.
“You already lost one father tonight.”
His eyes softened.
“Don't lose another.”
Then he pushed me through the passage.
The bookshelf slammed shut.
I heard gunfire.
I screamed:
“Grandpa!”
No answer.
Lucas grabbed me.
“We have to go.”
“No!”
“Margaret!”
I fought him.
Then the passage shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
My mother pulled me forward.
“He wanted us to survive.”
I stopped fighting.
We ran.
The passage led to an underground garage.
Three vehicles were waiting.
But all three had flat tires.
My stomach dropped.
“Daniel.”
Lucas nodded.
“He planned everything.”
Adrian examined the vehicles.
“Fuel lines are cut.”
My mother looked at him.
“Can you fix one?”
“Not quickly.”
“How long?”
“Twenty minutes.”
“We don't have twenty minutes.”
Grace pointed toward a metal door.
“What about there?”
Adrian opened it.
A narrow tunnel.
“It leads outside.”
I stared.
“Then let's go.”
He shook his head.
“It's sealed.”
“With what?”
“Concrete.”
I looked at the walls.
The estate was completely sealed.
No exits.
No vehicles.
No phones.
No help.
Daniel had thought of everything.
Then I noticed something.
A red light blinking on the wall.
I walked toward it.
“What is that?”
Lucas examined it.
“A security relay.”
“Can it open the gates?”
“Maybe.”
“Do it.”
He connected the flash drive.
The screen turned on.
A password appeared.
ENTER BLOODLINE AUTHORIZATION.
I touched the panel.
Nothing happened.
Grace stepped forward.
“Try me.”
I looked at her.
She pressed her hand against it.
The screen flashed red.
SECONDARY AUTHORIZATION.
Then:
PRIMARY REQUIRED.
I placed my hand beside hers.
The screen changed.
PRIMARY AUTHORIZATION ACCEPTED.
Everyone stared.
Then another message appeared.
WELCOME HOME, MARGARET.
The gates began unlocking.
I smiled.
“We can get out.”
Then the screen changed again.
WARNING.
EXIT AUTHORIZATION REQUIRES SACRIFICE.
My smile disappeared.
“What sacrifice?”
The screen displayed a name.
ELENA REYNOLDS.
Elena went pale.
“No.”
I looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
She shook her head.
“I know.”
“What?”
She looked toward the passage behind us.
“Your grandfather designed this system.”
“And?”
“It doesn't open unless one of us stays behind.”
My mother grabbed her.
“No.”
Elena looked at me.
“I have to stay.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Margaret.”
“No.”
“Listen.”
She stepped closer.
“I spent eleven years helping the wrong people.”
“You were trying to survive.”
“I still hurt you.”
“You can make it right.”
She smiled through tears.
“This is how.”
I shook my head.
“There has to be another way.”
“There isn't.”
The gates began closing again.
Daniel's voice echoed through the garage.
“Margaret!”
Everyone froze.
He was coming.
Elena looked at me.
“Go.”
“No.”
“Go!”
She pushed the control panel.
The outer gate opened.
A vehicle engine roared somewhere beyond the walls.
My mother grabbed Grace and Rebecca.
Lucas pulled me toward the exit.
I fought him.
“Elena!”
She smiled.
“Tell Mom I'm sorry.”
My mother screamed:
“No!”
The gate began closing.
Elena stepped backward.
Daniel appeared at the end of the corridor.
He raised his gun.
Elena turned toward him.
“Come on.”
Daniel smiled.
“You finally chose.”
Elena raised her weapon.
“Yes.”
She fired.
Daniel fired at the same time.
The gate slammed shut between us.
I heard two shots.
Then silence.
I screamed her name.
“ELENA!”
No answer.
We escaped through the outer gate in a stolen security vehicle.
But I couldn't stop looking back.
The estate disappeared behind the trees.
Smoke rose above the roof.
The mansion was still sealed.
My sister was still inside.
My mother was crying.
Grace held Rebecca.
Lucas sat beside me, blood running down his cheek.
Adrian drove.
Nobody spoke.
Then my phone vibrated.
I looked at the screen.
One message.
From an unknown number.
YOU LEFT TOO SOON.
Another appeared.
ELENA IS ALIVE.
My heart stopped.
Then a third.
BUT SHE IS NOT YOUR ENEMY ANYMORE.
I stared at the screen.
“Who sent this?”
Lucas looked at it.
His face changed.
“I know that number.”
“Whose is it?”
He swallowed.
“Your father's.”
I looked at him.
“My father is dead.”
“I know.”
Another message arrived.
THE MAN YOU THINK IS DEAD IS NOT THE ONE YOU SHOULD FEAR.
Then a final message.
COME TO THE HARBOR BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
I looked toward the dark road ahead.
“What's at the harbor?”
Lucas whispered:
“The original Covenant headquarters.”
I looked at my mother.
She was staring out the window.
“Mom.”
She didn't answer.
“Do you know what's there?”
Slowly, she nodded.
“What?”
She looked at me.
“The truth about your father.”
I frowned.
“Daniel?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
She closed her eyes.
“The man who started all of this.”
I waited.
“Who?”
My mother whispered:
“Your real grandfather.”
My blood went cold.
“But Richard is my grandfather.”
“No.”
She looked at me through the tears.
“Richard raised you.”
“Then who was my grandfather?”
My mother looked toward the road.
“The man who owns the Covenant.”
“And Daniel?”
“He was only his son.”
“And Richard?”
“His brother.”
I felt the world tilt.
“Then who is the man behind the attacks?”
My mother whispered:
“The man waiting for you at the harbor.”
Ahead of us, the city lights appeared.
Midnight was less than two hours away.
And for the first time, I understood what the estate had really been.
It wasn't a prison built to keep us inside.
It was a prison built to keep something else out.
Something that had just been released.
And somewhere in New York Harbor, the oldest secret of my family was waiting for me.
May you like
With a gun.
And my name already written on the bullet.
