Chapter 17 - Family Before Revenge
Hannah caught Aaron before he fell.
“No, no, no. Stay with me.”
Miriam slid beside them and pressed cloth against the wound.
“Through the shoulder,” she said. “He’s lucky.”
Aaron gave a weak laugh. “Feels very lucky.”
Jax looked toward the dark corridor where Cole had disappeared.
Every instinct screamed chase him.
Then Eli’s voice crackled from the radio again.
“Is Dad okay?”
Jax closed his eyes.
“He’s alive.”
“Tell him I’m coming.”
“No. Stay with Darla.”
A pause.
“Okay.”
Jax handed the radio to Hannah.
She stared at him.
Twelve years of anger sat between them.
“You left,” she said.
“I know.”
“I needed you.”
“I know.”
“I hated you for it.”
“You had every right.”
Her eyes filled.
“Don’t make me lose you again.”
Jax looked toward the darkness.
Then back at Aaron bleeding on the floor.
“I’m not chasing him alone.”
Miriam nodded once.
Federal agents flooded the loading dock seconds later.
For the first time that night, Jax let trained people take over.
Medics treated Aaron. Agents cut Hannah’s restraints. Vince sat against a wall nursing a bruised rib and complaining loudly enough to prove he was fine.
Cole had disappeared through an old refrigeration tunnel beneath the building.
Agents sealed the exits.
Jax stayed with Hannah.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
She shook her head. “Not now.”
“I should’ve called.”
“Yes.”
“I should’ve come back.”
“Yes.”
“I thought staying away kept you safe.”
“It didn’t.”
“I know.”
Hannah looked at him for a long moment.
Then she leaned forward and hugged him.
It was not forgiveness.
Not yet.
But it was a door opening.
A medic shouted from outside.
Darla’s van arrived.
Eli jumped out before it fully stopped.
“Honey!” Hannah ran to him.
Eli slammed into her arms.
Then he saw Aaron on the stretcher.
“Dad?”
Aaron lifted one hand. “Hey, buddy.”
Eli broke free and ran to him.
Jax turned away, giving them the moment.
Miriam approached with her phone.
“We have a problem.”
“Cole?”
“No.”
She showed him a message from the evidence server.
The microfilm files had been accessed remotely after upload.
Someone with federal credentials was deleting names.
May you like
One by one.
The corruption reached higher than Bell.
