Chapter 12 - BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER
Z
The abandoned warehouse smelled like rust, wet wood and old smoke.
Vincent recognized it before he stepped out of the police vehicle.
Some places remembered what happened inside them.
This one seemed to.
The east wall still carried black stains from the fire.
The second floor had never been rebuilt.
Steel beams crossed the open ceiling like broken ribs.
“Elise stays back,” the tactical commander said.
Elise ignored him.
“She’s a civilian,” he repeated.
“I’m also the person Gabriel contacted.”
“You’re leverage.”
She looked at Vincent.
“Tell him.”
Vincent hated every part of what he was about to say.
“She decides.”
The commander swore.
Elise looked at Vincent.
Thank you.
He did not return the expression.
He was too afraid.
A phone rang inside the warehouse.
Then the exterior speakers crackled.
Gabriel’s voice filled the night.
“Little brother.”
Vincent went still.
Fourteen years.
The voice was older.
But unmistakable.
“Let Owen out.”
Gabriel laughed.
“Still giving orders.”
“Let him out and I’ll come in.”
Elise grabbed Vincent’s sleeve.
He covered her hand once.
Then released it.
Gabriel responded.
“You and Elise.”
“No.”
“Then the boy stays.”
Elise stepped toward the microphone.
“I’ll go.”
Vincent turned.
“No.”
She stared at him.
“You just told the police I decide.”
“That was before—”
“Before I made a choice you hate?”
He clenched his jaw.
Gabriel laughed through the speakers.
“She understands you better than anyone ever did.”
Vincent looked toward the building.
“You don’t get to use her.”
“I’m not using her.”
Gabriel’s voice softened.
“I’m educating her.”
Elise shivered.
Vincent recognized that tone.
Gabriel had always sounded most gentle when he was most dangerous.
The police fitted Vincent and Elise with concealed microphones.
They entered through the south door.
Inside, a row of temporary lights led toward the center.
Owen sat tied to a chair.
Alive.
Uninjured.
“Elise!”
She moved toward him.
Vincent caught her hand.
A red laser appeared on the concrete between them.
A warning.
Gabriel stepped from the shadows above.
He was fifty-one now.
Gray at the temples.
Lean.
Beautiful in the cold way certain men aged.
He looked like Vincent if Vincent smiled more often.
Elise understood instantly how Gabriel had once charmed rooms.
“Let him go,” she said.
Gabriel looked at her.
“You are exactly what I expected.”
“I doubt that.”
His smile widened.
Vincent stepped between them.
“This is about us.”
“It became about her when you decided you deserved happiness.”
Vincent stared.
“You crossed an ocean because I have a girlfriend?”
Gabriel laughed.
“No.”
He descended the metal stairs slowly.
“I came back because Dominic died and you inherited the name.”
“Dominic died in prison.”
“He died because you put him there.”
“No.”
“You gave them the records.”
“I gave them enough to stop him.”
Gabriel stopped fifteen feet away.
“And me.”
“You burned two people alive.”
“One.”
“Mateo died.”
Gabriel shrugged.
Elise felt physically sick.
Vincent’s face changed.
“You haven’t changed at all.”
“No.”
Gabriel smiled.
“That’s why I sleep well.”
He looked at Elise.
“Vincent used to be honest about what he was.”
Vincent said nothing.
“He stood beside me when we collected debts. He watched men beg.”
“Stop.”
Elise touched Vincent’s arm.
“No. Let him talk.”
Gabriel seemed delighted.
“Thomas Vale died because Vincent was too weak to call an ambulance.”
Elise held his gaze.
“I know.”
Gabriel blinked.
“The warehouse?”
“I know.”
“The federal deal?”
“I know.”
For the first time, Gabriel looked irritated.
Elise stepped slightly forward.
“You brought me here because you thought secrets would destroy us.”
“They should.”
“No.”
She looked at Vincent.
“Secrets almost did.”
Then back at Gabriel.
“Truth didn’t.”
Gabriel’s smile vanished.
Behind them, Owen began working his wrist against the plastic restraint.
Vincent noticed.
Gabriel did not.
“You think he’s different from me?” Gabriel asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Elise did not hesitate.
“Because he hates what he did.”
Gabriel laughed.
“That’s your standard?”
“No.”
Her voice hardened.
“My standard is what someone does after they know they’ve done wrong.”
Vincent stared at her.
Gabriel’s eyes cooled.
“Pretty speech.”
“It isn’t for you.”
He lifted a gun.
Everything stopped.
Vincent moved in front of Elise.
Gabriel tilted his head.
“Predictable.”
“Put it down.”
“No.”
“Police are outside.”
“I know.”
“You won’t leave this building.”
Gabriel smiled.
“I never planned to.”
Vincent saw it.
The fuel cans.
Stacked behind a column.
His stomach turned.
“Gabriel.”
His brother looked toward the old burn marks.
“Symmetry matters.”
Elise followed Vincent’s gaze.
“Oh God.”
Gabriel lifted a small remote control.
“The first fire made you betray me.”
His thumb rested on the switch.
“Let’s see what the second one makes you become.”
Owen suddenly threw himself sideways.
The chair crashed.
Gabriel turned instinctively.
Vincent lunged.
The gun fired.
Elise screamed.
The bullet tore through Vincent’s shoulder.
He hit Gabriel at full force.
Both men crashed against the floor.
The remote skidded away.
Elise ran for it.
Gabriel kicked Vincent off and dove toward her.
Owen shouted.
“Elise!”
She grabbed the remote.
Gabriel reached her.
Then stopped.
Because Vincent had Gabriel’s gun.
His injured arm hung uselessly.
Blood soaked his shirt.
But his other hand was steady.
For one terrible second, the brothers looked at each other.
Gabriel smiled.
“Do it.”
Vincent’s finger tightened.
Gabriel opened his arms.
“Show her.”
Vincent breathed hard.
“Show her who you really are.”
Elise stood six feet away.
She did not tell Vincent what to do.
She did not plead.
This choice had to belong to him.
Vincent slowly lowered the gun.
“No.”
Gabriel’s smile disappeared.
Sirens and boots thundered closer.
Vincent’s voice shook.
“You don’t get to decide who I become anymore.”
Police flooded the warehouse.
Gabriel was tackled.
Handcuffed.
Dragged past his brother.
He looked back once.
“You’re still a Calder.”
Vincent collapsed to one knee.
Elise caught him.
He looked up at her.
Blood everywhere.
Fear in his eyes.
Not of death.
Of what she had seen.
Elise pressed both hands against his wound.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“You are.”
Vincent looked devastated.
May you like
Then she added:
“But you get to decide what that means.”
