Chapter 10 - Mara Collins
Marco Ruiz killed the lights.
Adeline dragged Nico behind the stone fireplace.
Another shot hit the ceiling.
Dust fell.
“Stay down.”
Nico’s breath came fast.
“I was up.”
“Yes.”
“I was standing.”
“You were four inches off the chair.”
“I was up.”
“Celebrate later.”
Marco shouted into his radio.
Security flooded the grounds.
The shooter was caught near the north hedge.
Alive.
A hired man.
The rifle came from a shell company tied to a freight subsidiary Victor controlled.
Victor vanished during the chaos.
Camille stayed.
Not because anyone trusted her.
Because she had nowhere else to go.
By dawn, Nico’s attorney had emergency-stayed the competency hearing.
Not canceled.
Delayed.
Mara sat in the kitchen with ice against her shoulder.
Adeline stood over the old scans.
“The shooter came when Nico showed movement.”
Mara nodded.
“Because visible recovery destroys the petition.”
Camille whispered, “Victor won’t stop.”
Nico looked at her.
“You helped him start.”
She flinched.
“I know.”
Nico rolled away.
Adeline followed him to the therapy room.
He locked the door.
Then gripped the parallel bars.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You were shot at four hours ago.”
“Missed.”
“Your leg nearly collapsed.”
“Then we work on that.”
“You’re angry.”
“I’m always angry.”
“More than usual.”
He looked at her.
“Do you know what they took?”
Adeline did not answer.
He tightened his grip.
“I lost eight months.”
“They may not be gone.”
“They are.”
“You survived them.”
“That’s not the same.”
“No.”
He stared at the bars.
Then said quietly, “Again.”
She wrapped the gait belt.
He pushed.
His right leg trembled.
His hips rose.
Then he dropped back.
“Again.”
They tried six times.
On the seventh, he stood for three seconds.
Adeline’s eyes burned.
She did not cheer.
She did not smile.
She counted.
“One.”
His arms shook.
“Two.”
His knee buckled.
“Three.”
He dropped into the chair.
Sweat ran down his face.
He laughed.
A real laugh.
Short.
Shocked.
Then his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photograph loaded.
The original wrecked SUV.
Still inside Alfieri Storage Warehouse 6.
A message beneath it:
COME BEFORE IT BURNS.
Nico’s laughter stopped.
Mara entered behind them.
“I kept telling him the vehicle mattered.”
“Why?” Adeline asked.
“Because electronic brake sabotage leaves traces.”
Nico looked at Marco Ruiz.
“Warehouse Six.”
Marco shook his head.
“Trap.”
“Yes.”
“Then we don’t go.”
Nico picked up the gun from the table.
“We go.”
They reached the warehouse at dusk.
Smoke already poured from a rear bay.
Nico’s SUV burned inside.
Victor stood twenty yards away.
Pistol in hand.
Camille was on her knees beside him.
Hands bound.
Adeline’s stomach turned.
Victor smiled.
“You came.”
Nico rolled forward.
“You were supposed to die eight months ago.”
Victor’s voice carried through the warehouse.
Nico did not blink.
“Bad planning.”
Victor looked at Adeline.
“No.”
He raised the gun.
May you like
“She was supposed to disappear three months ago.”
The barrel pointed directly at her chest.
