Chapter 26: The Night He Died

"Michael!"

I dropped beside him.

Blood was spreading across his shirt.

"Please, get up."

He opened his eyes.

"I'm okay."

"You've been shot!"

"It's a graze."

Daniel rushed over and pulled me behind the car.

"Stay down!"

Another gunshot hit the pavement.

The men surrounding us scattered.

Samuel appeared from behind one of the cars, firing towards the attackers.

"Get Maya out of here!"

Daniel grabbed my hand.

"No!"

I pulled away.

"I'm not leaving him."

Michael pushed himself up.

"You have to."

He looked at me.

"There's something you need to know."

I shook my head.

"Not now."

"Now."

His voice was weak.

"The night Dad died..."

He swallowed.

"I wasn't supposed to be there."

"What happened?"

"Dad called me."

"Why?"

"He knew they were coming."

Michael looked towards my mother.

"She had already warned him."

My heart tightened.

"Mum knew?"

"Yes."

"She knew they were going to kill him?"

"She knew they were after him."

"That's not the same thing."

"I know."

He looked down.

"I got there too late."

"What did you see?"

Michael's eyes filled with tears.

"Dad was standing in the study."

"He was arguing with someone."

"Who?"

He hesitated.

Then whispered:

"Victor."

My breath caught.

"Victor?"

"Yes."

"They were fighting about Project Echo."

"What did Victor want?"

"The evidence."

"And Dad refused."

Michael nodded.

"Then I heard a gunshot."

I covered my mouth.

"When I entered the room, Dad was on the floor."

"Victor was gone."

"Did you see who shot him?"

Michael looked directly at me.

"No."

"Then how do you know Victor didn't kill him?"

"I don't."

Silence.

"So you don't know."

"No."

"Then why did you hide this from me?"

"Because when I looked at Dad..."

His voice broke.

"He was still alive."

I froze.

"What?"

"He grabbed my hand."

Michael stared at the ground.

"And he whispered something."

"What did he say?"

Michael looked at me.

"He said..."

"It wasn't Victor."

A cold feeling spread through my body.

"If it wasn't Victor..."

I whispered.

"...then who killed Dad?"

Michael's eyes moved towards the woman in black.

She was standing beside the black car, watching us.

Then she slowly removed her sunglasses.

For the first time...

I saw her face clearly.

My mother gasped.

"No..."

The woman smiled.

"Maya."

She took one step forward.

"You've been looking for the wrong person."

She pointed directly at Samuel.

"Your father's killer is standing right beside you."