Chapter 39 - THE CHASE
We left immediately.
Michael tracked Thomas's vehicle.
"He's heading north."
"How far?"
"Twenty miles."
Sarah sat in the back with Leah.
I drove.
My father sat beside me.
For the first time in years, we were together.
Not as strangers.
Not as ghosts.
As a family.
My father looked at me.
"I should have told you."
"Yes."
"I'm sorry."
I nodded.
"I'm still angry."
"I know."
"But I don't hate you."
He looked away.
"Thank you."
Michael's voice came through the phone.
"I've got him."
"Where?"
"An abandoned church."
We arrived minutes later.
The building was empty.
Thomas's car was parked outside.
The door was open.
We entered.
No one.
Then we heard footsteps.
Behind us.
Thomas.
He was holding a gun.
Everyone froze.
"Thomas."
My father stepped forward.
"Put it down."
Thomas shook his head.
"You still don't understand."
"Understand what?"
"Claire isn't the person you think she is."
Sarah stepped forward.
"Where is she?"
Thomas looked at her.
"She's gone."
"Where?"
"To finish what she started."
I stared at him.
"What did she start?"
Thomas looked at me.
"The system wasn't designed to steal money."
"What?"
"It was designed to control information."
He lowered the gun slightly.
"Money was just the tool."
"Then what did Claire want?"
"To destroy everyone who controlled it."
I shook my head.
"She wouldn't hurt innocent people."
Thomas laughed.
"She already did."
He threw a folder onto the floor.
Inside were photographs.
Judges.
Police officers.
Business owners.
Politicians.
People connected to the network.
Some were dead.
Some had disappeared.
Some were still alive.
Then I saw my mother's name.
Next to it:
PRIMARY ARCHITECT.
I looked at Thomas.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
My father shook his head.
"Thomas, stop."
Thomas pointed the gun at him.
"You protected her."
"Yes."
"And she used you."
"No."
"She used all of us."
Thomas looked at me.
"Your mother created a second network."
I stared.
"What?"
"Arthur controlled the old one."
"Claire created the opposition."
"She manipulated both sides."
"Why?"
"To bring them down."
I couldn't believe it.
"Then why involve Leah?"
"Because Leah became the final witness."
Thomas's voice softened.
"She remembers things nobody else remembers."
He looked toward Sarah.
"Sarah taught her."
Sarah nodded.
"But Claire wanted something else."
"What?"
Thomas looked at me.
"She wanted you."
"Me?"
"She needed someone who would destroy the system without replacing it."
He lowered the gun.
"And she knew you would."
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the back room.
Everyone turned.
A door slammed.
Thomas ran.
I followed.
We reached the room.
Empty.
Only a note remained.
I picked it up.
It was written by Claire.
Graham,
If you've come this far, then you've finally learned why I left.
But there is one truth I could never tell you.
You have a sister.
I froze.
At the bottom was an address.
A small apartment in San Francisco.
And beneath it:
She has been watching Leah since the day she was born.
I looked at my father.
He closed his eyes.
"You knew."
He nodded.
"I knew."
"Who is she?"
He whispered:
"Claire had another child."
My heart stopped.
"Where is she?"
May you like
My father looked toward the door.
"You're standing outside her home."
