Chapter 12 - ST. AGNES
St. Agnes had been abandoned for twelve years.
The former rehabilitation hospital stood outside the city like a dead cathedral.
Broken windows.
Long corridors.
Peeling paint.
Exactly the kind of place Adrian believed made him look powerful.
Vivienne entered alone.
At least, Adrian believed she did.
A microphone was sewn beneath her collar.
Ortiz's team waited beyond the property boundary.
Evelyn hated the plan.
Vivienne didn't care.
She had spent five years being protected into helplessness.
Tonight she chose the risk herself.
Adrian waited inside an old therapy room.
Sloane was tied to a chair.
Daniel Vale lay unconscious nearby.
Adrian smiled.
"You came."
Vivienne rolled forward.
"Let them go."
"Archive."
"Confession."
He laughed.
"You think this is television?"
"No."
Vivienne placed a small drive on her lap.
"I think you're arrogant."
His smile faded.
"You poisoned me because you thought you'd already won."
"Give me the drive."
"Tell me about the accident."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
Sloane looked at Vivienne desperately.
"Don't."
Vivienne ignored her.
"Did you know my brakes were cut?"
Adrian stared.
Then smiled.
"Yes."
Ortiz heard every word.
Vivienne continued.
"Did Victor pay you?"
"Eventually."
"How much?"
"Two million."
Sloane closed her eyes.
Vivienne's hands tightened.
"Why?"
"To keep you confused."
"How?"
"Raymond handled medication."
"And my prognosis?"
"Raymond handled that too."
"You knew I might regain function."
Adrian shrugged.
The casual movement nearly broke her.
"I knew there were possibilities."
"And you stopped them."
"I protected our life."
Vivienne stared.
"My paralysis was convenient for you."
"You became dependent."
There it was.
The truth.
Not love.
Ownership.
Adrian stepped closer.
"You were always difficult before the accident."
"Independent."
"Suspicious."
"Competent."
"Your father's daughter."
Vivienne almost smiled.
"Thank you."
His face hardened.
He reached for the drive.
Vivienne pulled back.
"One more question."
"Enough."
"Did you kill Charles?"
Silence.
Even Sloane stopped breathing.
Adrian looked away.
That was answer enough.
"What did you do?"
"I didn't kill him."
"Who did?"
"Raymond gave him something."
Vivienne's heart slammed against her ribs.
"What?"
"I don't know."
"On whose orders?"
Adrian smiled.
"Victor's."
Suddenly the windows exploded inward.
Everyone ducked.
A man emerged from the dark corridor.
Thomas Rourke.
Gun raised.
But he wasn't aiming at Vivienne.
He was aiming at Adrian.
"Get away from her."
Adrian went pale.
"You."
Rourke's face carried twenty years of exhaustion.
"Hello, son."
Vivienne stopped breathing.
May you like
Adrian stared at the man.
And the entire architecture of the Hartwell conspiracy shifted.
