Chapter 5 - The Enemy Inside the House
Gabriel moved Hannah and Emma into his private country estate.
The house sat two hours outside Manhattan.
It was protected by armed guards, electronic surveillance, and three separate security perimeters.
No one entered without Gabriel's permission.
For the first time since the attack, Hannah slept without hearing gunshots.
But Gabriel knew the danger had changed.
Victor Kane didn't need to break into the house.
He needed someone inside to betray them.
Gabriel gathered his inner circle.
Matteo.
James.
Vincent.
Robert.
Four men who had worked beside him for years.
"Someone is feeding information."
Silence.
Gabriel placed a photograph on the table.
Sarah Vale.
"She claims Victor is looking for Emma because he believes the child carries the ledger."
James frowned.
"That's impossible."
"Why?"
"Because the ledger was never recovered."
Gabriel looked at him.
"How do you know?"
James stopped.
Gabriel's eyes narrowed.
"Only five people knew that."
James swallowed.
"You."
"Me."
"Matteo."
"Yes."
"Vincent."
"Yes."
"Robert."
"Yes."
James looked at the others.
"And me."
Gabriel nodded.
"Exactly."
The room became silent.
"Someone talked."
No one moved.
Then the lights went out.
Gabriel drew his gun.
Gunfire erupted.
When the emergency lights came on, Robert was dead.
James was wounded.
Vincent was gone.
Matteo looked toward Gabriel.
"Boss."
Gabriel stared at the empty doorway.
"Vincent."
He understood.
The betrayal had been inside his house all along.
Gabriel ran upstairs.
Hannah was gone.
Emma was gone.
His blood went cold.
He checked the security monitors.
One camera showed a black SUV leaving the property.
Gabriel grabbed his coat.
"Get the cars."
Matteo followed.
"We'll find them."
Gabriel looked at him.
"We will."
But there was something in his eyes that Matteo had never seen.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For Hannah.
For Emma.
The SUV headed toward Manhattan.
Gabriel followed.
They reached an abandoned warehouse near the river.
Gabriel entered alone.
"Vincent!"
His voice echoed.
Hannah appeared behind a metal railing.
Emma was in her arms.
Vincent stood beside them.
A gun pressed against Hannah's head.
"Gabriel."
Gabriel stopped.
"You made a mistake."
Vincent laughed.
"Did I?"
"You trusted Victor."
"No."
Vincent smiled.
"I trusted money."
"How much?"
"Enough."
Gabriel's expression was cold.
"Who else?"
"Everyone."
Gabriel stared.
"You're lying."
"Am I?"
Vincent nodded toward Hannah.
"Ask her."
Gabriel looked at Hannah.
She was crying.
"Gabriel."
"What?"
She whispered:
"Daniel wasn't my husband."
Gabriel froze.
Vincent laughed.
Hannah closed her eyes.
"He was."
Gabriel stared.
"What are you saying?"
"Daniel was my brother."
Silence.
"Your brother?"
"Yes."
"Then why did you call him your husband?"
"Because that's what they told me to say."
Gabriel's mind raced.
"Who?"
Hannah looked toward Emma.
"The people who gave her to me."
Gabriel's heart stopped.
"You didn't give birth to Emma."
"No."
"Then whose child is she?"
Hannah's tears fell.
"I don't know."
Gabriel stared at her.
The entire story had been a lie.
Not Hannah's lie.
Someone else's.
Vincent smiled.
"Now you understand."
Gabriel looked at Emma.
The baby stared back.
Then she reached toward him.
Vincent laughed.
"She knows you."
Gabriel's voice became dangerously quiet.
"Let them go."
"Give me the ledger."
"I don't have it."
"Then we'll start with the baby."
Gabriel's expression changed.
The room suddenly felt colder.
"You touch her."
He took one step forward.
"And you won't live long enough to regret it."
Vincent's smile faded.
Then a gunshot came from behind him.
Vincent collapsed.
Sarah Vale stepped from the shadows.
She held a weapon.
"Move."
Gabriel stared.
"Sarah."
She nodded toward Hannah.
"Take the baby."
Gabriel moved.
Sarah shot another guard.
Then she ran.
Gabriel caught Hannah and Emma.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"What is happening?"
Sarah shouted from the doorway.
"Victor is coming!"
May you like
Then the warehouse doors exploded inward.
And Victor Kane walked through the smoke.
