Chapter 17 - NO HEROIC RESCUE
Michael fought badly.
He was sixty.
One security man hit him in the ribs.
Michael threw a toolbox.
It missed.
The second man slipped on scattered sockets.
That ridiculous accident saved Michael more than courage did.
Daniel and federal agents arrived because Michael had quietly activated a location share before entering.
Walter arrived later.
No dramatic gunfight.
No perfect rescue.
Rebecca escaped through another unit before agents sealed the property.
Michael suffered two cracked ribs and a broken finger.
In the ambulance, Daniel yelled at him.
Michael yelled back.
Then both cried and pretended they had allergies.
Walter waited outside.
Michael eventually called him over.
"I almost burned it."
Walter nodded.
"I would've understood."
"Would you?"
"Yes."
Michael looked at him.
"Would you have forgiven me?"
Walter thought.
"No."
Michael laughed despite his ribs.
"At least you're consistent."
The recovered microfilm proved Crewe sold civilian names.
Voss had participated.
Senior officials concealed the losses.
Raymond's signature appeared on later suppression documents.
Walter's appeared too.
Nobody escaped cleanly.
But one frame contained something unexpected.
A handwritten note from Thomas.
DO NOT RELEASE UNTIL FAMILIES ARE SAFE.
Walter realized why Thomas had remained silent for years.
Some descendants of the original civilian assets were still vulnerable.
Rebecca was not merely protecting a corporate reputation.
She was also holding confidential identities that, if dumped publicly, could endanger innocent people.
The moral choice became harder.
Expose everything and risk living families.
Hide everything and repeat the original sin.
Daniel asked Walter what to do.
Walter said, "For once, we don't decide alone."
(To be continued)
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