Chapter 12 - The Godfather’s Game
Nathan cut the tripwire with wire cutters Torres had given him.
Nothing happened.
“Too easy,” Marcus whispered.
Claire’s mother shook her head violently.
Nathan studied the room.
Then he saw the pressure plate under her chair.
“If we lift her, something triggers.”
Raymond’s voice returned.
“Still smart, Nicholas.”
Claire shouted toward the ceiling. “What do you want?”
“A conversation.”
“You murdered people.”
“I protected an institution.”
Marcus looked up. “You mean your bank account?”
Raymond laughed.
“Oh, Marcus. Always bitter because your father trusted me more.”
Nathan crouched beside the chair and inspected the plate.
Claire knelt beside her mother.
“I’m here.”
Her mother cried harder.
A side door opened.
Raymond entered with two armed men.
He wore a dark raincoat and carried no visible weapon.
He looked almost grandfatherly.
That made Claire hate him more.
“Nicholas,” he said warmly. “You look better than expected.”
Nathan stood.
“You should have checked the body.”
“I trusted Marcus.”
Marcus smiled coldly. “Your mistake.”
Raymond looked at Claire.
“You were always the unexpected variable.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your husband was prepared to burn down everything his father built because he suddenly developed a conscience.”
Nathan said, “My father built a criminal machine.”
“He built influence.”
“People died.”
“People always die.”
Claire’s hand curled into a fist.
Raymond continued, “Give me the drive, Nicholas. Sign the share proxy, Claire. Your mother walks away.”
Claire said, “And us?”
Raymond smiled.
“You get to leave the country.”
Marcus laughed.
Raymond’s eyes shifted to him.
“You have always had terrible timing.”
One of Raymond’s men raised his gun at Marcus.
A shot cracked.
The gunman fell.
Everyone turned.
Agent Torres stood on the upper catwalk.
“FBI! Drop your weapons!”
Raymond did not panic.
He looked at Nathan and smiled.
Then pressed a button in his pocket.
May you like
A timer beneath Claire’s mother’s chair lit up.
00:30.
