Chapter 5 - THE MAN WITH THE GUN
Rafe's expression was unreadable.
Luca stared at him.
“Put it down.”
Rafe didn't move.
Mara stepped in front of Luca.
“Why?”
Rafe's eyes shifted toward her.
“Because if I wanted him dead, he wouldn't have made it this far.”
Luca's voice was cold.
“Two million dollars.”
“Not for killing you.”
“For what?”
“Protecting you.”
Mara frowned.
“From whom?”
Rafe lowered the gun.
“Your own family.”
Luca stared.
“Explain.”
Rafe took a breath.
“Your father knew his brother wanted control of the company.”
“My uncle.”
“Yes.”
“Victor.”
Rafe nodded.
“Victor has spent twenty years building his own network.”
Luca looked at the medical records.
“And my illness?”
“Victor didn't create it.”
“Then who did?”
Rafe looked at Mara.
“Your mother.”
Mara went still.
“What?”
“Evelyn developed the antidote.”
Luca frowned.
“Then why was she kidnapped?”
“Because Victor wanted the formula.”
Mara's voice shook.
“My mother is alive?”
Rafe didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
“Where?”
“Somewhere Victor can't find.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Mara slapped him.
Rafe didn't react.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Twenty years.”
Her eyes filled.
“You let me believe she was dead.”
“I was ordered to.”
“By whom?”
“Your mother.”
Mara froze.
“She made me promise.”
“Why?”
“Because anyone searching for her would lead Victor to Luca.”
Luca suddenly coughed.
Hard.
Mara turned.
Blood appeared on his lips.
“Luca!”
Rafe rushed toward him.
Mara grabbed the medical kit.
Luca collapsed against the wall.
His breathing became shallow.
Rafe pulled out an emergency injector.
Mara stopped him.
“What is that?”
“Medication.”
“How do I know?”
“You don't.”
She snatched it.
“Then I won't use it.”
Luca opened his eyes.
“Mara…”
“Stay with me.”
“I am.”
“No. You're leaving.”
He managed a weak smile.
“Not yet.”
She held his face.
“Then don't.”
For the first time, Luca didn't joke.
He whispered, “I don't want to.”
Mara injected the medication only after reading the label.
Minutes passed.
His breathing stabilized.
Rafe looked toward the computer.
“There.”
A new file had opened.
EVELYN COLLINS — LOCATION TRANSFER.
Mara leaned closer.
There was an address.
She read it.
Her mother's childhood home.
Empty for nineteen years.
Luca looked at Rafe.
“Victor knows?”
“Not yet.”
“Then we're going.”
Mara stared at him.
“You're too sick.”
He stood.
Barely.
“I've been sick because someone wanted me weak.”
He looked at the screen.
“If the antidote exists, I'm going to find it.”
Then the computer screen changed.
A live video appeared.
An older woman sat tied to a chair.
Gray hair.
Thin face.
Mara stopped breathing.
“Mom…”
Evelyn looked directly into the camera.
Then she whispered:
May you like
“Mara, don't come.”
The screen went black.
