Chapter 7
Vanessa stood between two armed men.
Her black gown was torn near the shoulder, but the diamond necklace still shone beneath the emergency lights.
Julian aimed at her.
Vanessa lifted the remote.
“Pull the trigger and every bracelet upstairs explodes.”
Julian lowered the weapon slightly.
Claire moved in front of Emma.
“What did my mother promise you?”
Vanessa looked at Helen.
“Tell her.”
Helen’s voice shook.
“Fourteen years ago, Senator Whitmore learned Victor Mercer was preparing to release the archive. He threatened to kill you and your father unless I redirected the system.”
“You chose the Whitmores.”
“I chose you.”
“You let me believe you abandoned me.”
“If I returned, they would know I had broken the agreement.”
Vanessa touched her necklace.
“Your mother spent years pretending to serve my family while secretly preserving copies of the evidence. Admirable, but predictable.”
Claire’s anger sharpened.
“So you used Michael to find me.”
Vanessa smiled.
“Michael volunteered.”
Claire looked at her husband.
He remained on the floor, pale from blood loss.
“That isn’t true,” he said.
“You accepted money to approach Claire.”
“I was supposed to watch her. I fell in love with her.”
“How romantic. Then when you discovered Helen was still alive, you stole the archive access code and tried to sell it to Julian.”
Michael’s eyes moved toward Claire.
“I wanted us free.”
“You could have told me.”
“I thought you would leave.”
“You took away my right to choose because you were afraid of losing me.”
Michael looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“The saddest part is that every man in this room claims he lied to protect you.”
Claire looked at Michael.
Then at Julian.
Vanessa was cruel, but she was not wrong.
“Give me Emma,” Vanessa said. “Her identity can permanently transfer control of the archive. Once that is done, Claire and the child may leave.”
Julian’s voice became dangerously calm.
“You slapped Claire to force Emma into the dining hall.”
“I needed the toy brought openly into a secure room. A frightened mother might have hidden it. An angry child carried it directly to you.”
Emma stared at Vanessa.
“You’re mean.”
Vanessa crouched slightly.
“Your mommy will live if you come with me.”
Emma pressed herself against Claire.
“No.”
Claire raised the pistol Julian had given her.
Her hand no longer trembled.
“You will never speak to my daughter again.”
Vanessa laughed.
“You are a housekeeper surrounded by men who control cities.”
“I am the person holding a gun close enough that your guards cannot stop me.”
Vanessa’s smile faded.
Julian watched Claire carefully.
“Do it,” Michael whispered.
Claire looked at him.
Vanessa lifted the remote.
“If my hand releases this switch, the bracelets detonate.”
Helen stepped forward.
“The remote is linked to her pulse.”
Vanessa glanced at her.
“You always were clever.”
Claire lowered the pistol.
Vanessa extended her free hand.
“Emma.”
The little girl began crying silently.
Julian moved beside Claire.
“There is another way.”
“What way?” Claire asked.
“The bracelets are transmitting through the mansion’s private network. If we destroy the central power core, the detonators lose their synchronized signal.”
“The core is beneath the dining hall,” Helen said.
“Behind Vanessa’s men,” Michael added.
Julian looked at the shelves of evidence.
“There is a maintenance tunnel from this room.”
Vanessa lifted the remote higher.
“You will never reach it in time.”
A deep metallic sound came from above them.
The mansion’s clocks began striking midnight.
Julian looked at Claire.
“When the final bell rings, the backup power resets for nine seconds.”
Claire understood.
“Nine seconds without a signal.”
“Nine seconds to take the remote.”
Vanessa stepped back.
The eighth bell rang.
Julian’s men moved.
Claire tightened her grip on the pistol.
The ninth bell rang.
Michael suddenly rose from the floor and grabbed Vanessa.
May you like
The remote flew from her hand.
Continue to the next part: Nine seconds of darkness force Claire to choose which liar she is willing to save.
