Chapter 11 - The Lower Tunnel
Claire didn't think.
She kicked the metal medical kit off the bench.
It slammed into the masked man's knee.
He cursed and fired.
The bullet shattered a radio console.
Deputy Shaw tackled him into the doorway.
Claire scrambled out the opposite side of the van and ran.
Every step hurt.
Behind her came shouting, then another gunshot.
She reached the lower maintenance path and saw an open tunnel entrance under the station.
Ethan's voice came back to her from earlier.
Stay with police.
She muttered, "Sorry."
Then she went inside.
The tunnel climbed beneath the turbine floor.
Above her, muffled voices echoed through steel grates.
Mercer was speaking.
"Your father understood one thing you never did, Ethan. Families survive because someone is willing to do the ugly work."
Ethan answered, "My father died alone. That's not survival."
Claire crawled toward the sound.
Through a grate, she could see Emma's chair.
Ten feet away.
The little girl was trying to work one hand free.
Claire whispered, "Emma."
Emma froze.
Claire put a finger to her lips.
Emma nodded.
Smart kid.
Claire found a loose service panel and pushed it open enough to slide through.
She stayed low behind the machinery.
Mercer stood with his back to her.
Vanessa saw Claire first.
Her eyes widened.
For once, Vanessa did exactly the right thing.
She looked away.
Ethan held the envelope out.
"Let Emma walk to me."
Mercer took one step forward.
Claire reached the child.
She started cutting the plastic tie around Emma's wrist with a sharp edge of broken metal.
Emma whispered, "He has another gun. Ankle."
Claire glanced toward Mercer.
"Of course he does."
The tie snapped.
At the same moment, Vanessa shouted, "NOW!"
She rammed her chair into Mercer's legs.
Ethan lunged.
Mercer fired once into the ceiling.
Claire pulled Emma behind the turbine housing.
Ethan and Mercer crashed against the railing.
Vanessa kicked the pistol away.
For three wild seconds, everyone moved at once.
Then Mercer reached down and drew the second gun from his ankle.
Emma screamed, "DAD!"
Ethan turned.
Mercer fired.
Vanessa jumped between them.
The shot hit her high in the shoulder.
She collapsed.
Mercer ran for the upper stairs.
Claire grabbed Emma.
"Stay with me."
Ethan dropped beside Vanessa.
She was conscious, breathing hard.
"Why?" he demanded.
Vanessa looked toward Emma.
Tears filled her eyes.
"Because I already destroyed one mother."
Then the station alarm began to howl.
Claire looked toward the old pressure gauges.
May you like
Every needle was climbing into the red.
