Chapter 12 - Ernesto’s Father
Victor fired at the floor.
Sofia screamed.
Adrian lunged.
Daniel hit Victor’s wrist.
The shot went into a steel beam.
Chaos broke.
Two guards rushed from the rear.
Marcus’s team hit them from the side entrance.
Mateo came through a maintenance hatch.
And Ernesto crawled from beneath the grated walkway.
Sofia sobbed his name.
Victor saw him.
Everything narrowed.
“There.”
He kicked Daniel away and grabbed Ernesto by the jacket.
Adrian moved.
Victor put the gun against the boy’s shoulder.
“Stop.”
Everyone stopped.
Ernesto’s breathing came fast.
Victor looked at him.
“Your father gave you the code.”
“No.”
“Do not lie.”
“I don’t know any code.”
Victor tightened his grip.
Sofia cried out.
Mateo stepped forward.
“I have it.”
Victor looked at him.
For the first time, surprise broke through.
“Mateo.”
“Let my son go.”
Victor smiled.
“Twelve years.”
“Longer than you deserved.”
“Where is the original?”
Mateo held up the key.
“Let him go.”
Victor’s eyes followed it.
That was all Ernesto needed.
The boy stomped backward on Victor’s foot and dropped.
Adrian hit Victor from the side.
The gun skidded.
Daniel grabbed it.
Police flooded the warehouse.
Victor went down under three officers.
Sofia broke free when Marcus cut the restraints.
She pulled Ernesto against her chest.
Mateo stood five feet away.
Sofia looked up.
She saw him.
Her face collapsed.
“Mateo.”
He whispered:
“I’m sorry.”
Ernesto looked between them.
No simple reunion.
No clean ending.
Adrian understood that now.
Victor screamed from the floor.
“You think that ledger saves you?”
Adrian turned.
Victor laughed.
“Your father signed every page.”
“I know.”
That stopped him.
Adrian stepped closer.
“I know what he did.”
Victor smiled again.
“Not all of it.”
Police dragged him upright.
Victor looked directly at Ernesto.
“Ask your father why William Cole ordered him killed.”
Mateo went still.
Ernesto turned.
“Dad?”
Mateo’s face drained.
Adrian looked at him.
“What is he talking about?”
Mateo swallowed.
“Your father signed the order.”
“But you said he was trying to stop Victor.”
“He was.”
“Then why?”
Mateo looked at Ernesto.
Then Sofia.
Then Adrian.
“Because he thought I was the one who killed Eleanor.”
Adrian stopped breathing.
“My mother?”
Mateo whispered:
May you like
“She wasn’t dead yet.”
CUT.
