Chapter 15 - THE BROTHER AT THE TOWER
Nathan controlled Hale Meridian Tower for six hours.
He blocked outside communications and held twenty-three executives on the forty-fourth floor.
Patricia released a statement claiming they were conducting a legal shareholder intervention.
No one believed it, but her allies delayed federal action.
Karen entered the command center across the street.
Rebecca and Grant monitored security feeds.
Julian sat in federal custody inside a secured vehicle nearby.
He had offered to help.
Karen did not want him anywhere near Lily.
“He designed the tower’s private defenses,” Grant said.
“We need him.”
Julian entered wearing restraints.
He looked at the screen showing Nathan seated behind the executive desk.
“He wears power badly.”
“You wore it worse,” Karen replied.
“That remains debatable.”
Julian explained that the tower contained a private elevator accessible through an underground utility tunnel.
Only his biometric profile could activate it.
Karen decided to go with him.
Grant objected.
“Nathan wants you.”
“He also wants Lily.”
“That is why she stays here.”
Lily stepped into the room.
“No.”
Karen turned.
“You are not entering that building.”
“Nathan believes you are controlling me.”
“He believes whatever Patricia needs him to believe.”
“If he hears the truth from me, he might stop.”
Julian studied Lily.
“He will not.”
“You stopped on the island.”
“Temporarily.”
“Then he can too.”
Karen hated the logic.
She compromised.
Lily would remain in the command vehicle and speak through a secure line.
Karen, Grant and Julian entered the tunnel.
The private elevator recognized Julian.
As it rose, he looked at Karen.
“Do you regret saving me in the archive?”
“Sometimes.”
“Honest.”
“Do you regret anything?”
“Yes.”
“Which thing?”
“Thinking I could take Robert’s place by taking his company.”
The elevator opened.
Nathan’s guards waited outside.
Julian raised his restrained hands.
“Your new chairman requested me.”
The guards brought them to the executive floor.
Nathan sat beside Patricia.
The hostages knelt near the windows.
Karen walked forward.
“This ends now.”
Nathan smiled.
“You arrived without the chosen child.”
Lily’s voice came through Karen’s phone.
“I am here.”
Nathan’s expression changed.
“Lily.”
“You are scaring people.”
“I am protecting what belongs to us.”
“It does not belong to us.”
“It belonged to Robert.”
“He hurt you.”
“He recognized me too late.”
“He did not recognize you at all.”
Nathan stood.
Patricia touched his arm.
He pulled away.
Lily continued.
“My mom offered you half of everything she personally owned.”
“She offered charity.”
“She offered family.”
Nathan’s anger weakened.
Patricia saw it.
She drew a gun and aimed at Karen.
“You were useful,” she told Nathan.
“But you are becoming sentimental like your mother.”
Nathan stared at her.
“You killed Caroline.”
“She became inconvenient.”
The truth broke whatever remained of Patricia’s control over him.
Nathan struck the gun from her hand.
Grant moved toward the hostages.
Julian tackled one of the guards.
Karen kicked Patricia’s weapon beneath the desk.
Security alarms sounded throughout the building.
Patricia activated Julian’s lockdown system.
Steel doors sealed.
She reached for an emergency detonator.
Julian recognized it.
“She wired the tower’s support columns.”
Nathan grabbed her wrist.
Patricia drove a hidden blade into his side.
He collapsed.
Karen caught the detonator.
Patricia ran toward the private elevator.
Julian blocked her.
“You will not leave again.”
“You owe me your life.”
“You spent it for me.”
Patricia attacked him with the blade.
Julian allowed it to cut his arm, then twisted it from her hand.
Police breached the lower floors.
Patricia tried to jump through a shattered window onto a maintenance platform.
Karen caught her coat.
For a moment, Patricia hung above forty-four stories of open air.
“Help me,” she said.
Karen remembered hearing the same words during the convoy attack.
She pulled Patricia upward.
Federal agents entered and arrested her.
Nathan remained conscious but was losing blood.
Karen pressed her hands against the wound.
“I am sorry,” he whispered.
“Save your strength.”
“I wanted him to choose me.”
“I know.”
“I thought the company would prove I mattered.”
“You mattered before it.”
Nathan looked toward Lily’s voice on the phone.
“Tell her…”
“You can tell her yourself.”
Paramedics reached him.
The bomb squad disabled the explosives with Julian’s help.
The hostages were released.
Nathan survived emergency surgery.
Patricia was placed in a military detention facility under constant surveillance.
Julian returned to federal custody voluntarily.
The tower was secured.
Karen thought the Circle had finally lost.
Then Evelyn entered the command center holding the Crown Ledger.
A new name had appeared at the top of the active leadership list.
It was not Patricia.
It was not Senator Crane.
It was Rebecca Hale.
Karen looked toward her aunt.
May you like
Rebecca did not deny it.
“I was hoping you would never find that page”:
