Chapter 17 — The Real Family
The heart monitor screamed.
One long, merciless tone.
Chloe stared at the dead man's hand.
A moment ago, those fingers had been wrapped around Gabriel's wrist.
A moment ago, he had spoken.
And now he was gone.
Or at least, that was what the machine said.
But Chloe had learned something during the last two days.
Machines could lie.
Records could lie.
Graves could lie.
Even dead men could lie.
She slowly turned toward the doorway.
Salvatore stood there.
Blood covered one side of his shirt.
His face was expressionless.
Beside him stood Chloe's mother.
Alive.
Watching.
And behind them—
Elias.
Still alive.
Still smiling.
Chloe's mother's eyes met hers.
For a second, Chloe saw something that looked like regret.
Then it vanished.
Gabriel stepped in front of Chloe.
His gun was raised.
“Get away from my family.”
Salvatore laughed quietly.
“Your family?”
His eyes moved around the room.
“You don't even know who your family is.”
Gabriel's finger tightened against the trigger.
“I know enough.”
“No.”
Salvatore stepped inside.
“You know what they allowed you to know.”
Elias closed the door behind them.
The heavy metal lock clicked.
Vincent immediately moved toward it.
Locked.
Daniel raised his weapon.
“Open it.”
Elias smiled.
“There's nowhere to go.”
Gabriel turned toward him.
“You shot yourself?”
Elias glanced at the blood on his chest.
“Armor.”
“You planned all of this.”
“I planned some of it.”
“What about the rest?”
Elias looked toward Chloe.
“Some things even I couldn't predict.”
Chloe stepped forward.
“Where is my mother?”
Her mother looked at her.
“I am here.”
“No.”
Chloe's voice trembled.
“I mean before tonight.”
Her mother didn't answer.
“You've been hiding for fifteen years.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Leo was alive.”
A pause.
“Yes.”
“You knew I was being watched.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Salvatore was my biological father.”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Chloe's voice broke.
“And you knew my brother wasn't dead.”
“Yes.”
Chloe stared at her.
“How long?”
Her mother whispered:
“Almost two years.”
Chloe felt something inside her crack.
“Two years.”
Her mother nodded.
“You let me mourn him.”
“I had to.”
“You watched me visit his grave.”
“I know.”
“You let me cry over a body that wasn't him.”
Her mother's eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
Chloe shook her head.
“Everyone says that.”
She pointed toward the room.
“Everyone keeps saying they lied to protect me.”
Her voice became stronger.
“But every lie put me in more danger.”
She looked at Gabriel.
“Every secret brought us here.”
Then at Beatrice.
“Every person I trusted knew more than I did.”
Finally, she looked at Salvatore.
“And you…”
Salvatore said nothing.
Chloe stared at him.
“You're my father.”
Salvatore nodded.
She almost laughed.
The word sounded absurd.
“My father.”
Salvatore stepped closer.
“I never wanted you dragged into this.”
“You had twenty-three years to tell me.”
“I couldn't.”
“You didn't.”
His jaw tightened.
“You were safer without me.”
Chloe's eyes hardened.
“You don't get to decide what kind of life I deserve.”
Salvatore looked at her.
For the first time, there was something almost human in his expression.
Regret.
“I know.”
Gabriel stepped forward.
“Enough.”
Salvatore looked at him.
“Gabriel—”
“Don't.”
Gabriel's voice was quiet.
“Don't call me by my name like we're family.”
Salvatore's eyes narrowed.
“We are.”
“You killed my father.”
“No.”
“You ordered it.”
“No.”
“You worked with The Seven.”
“No.”
Gabriel laughed bitterly.
“You're going to deny everything?”
Salvatore pointed toward the hospital bed.
“That man wasn't your father.”
Gabriel turned.
“I know.”
“No.”
Salvatore's voice became sharper.
“You don't.”
He pointed toward the dead man.
“That man was your father's brother.”
Gabriel stared.
Salvatore continued.
“Adrian Costello was never your biological father.”
“I heard that already.”
“You heard half of it.”
Salvatore looked at Beatrice.
“Tell him.”
Beatrice stared at the floor.
Salvatore's voice softened.
“Tell him who his father was.”
Beatrice didn't move.
Salvatore smiled.
“Still protecting him?”
Chloe looked at her grandmother.
“Who is Gabriel's father?”
Beatrice raised her hands.
Then stopped.
She couldn't do it.
Her hands fell.
Gabriel whispered:
“Mother.”
Beatrice looked at him.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Then she signed.
Slowly.
YOUR FATHER WAS THE FIRSTBORN.
Gabriel stared.
“Name.”
Beatrice hesitated.
Then:
MATTEO.
Gabriel's face changed.
Salvatore nodded.
“Matteo Costello.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“Why have I never heard that name?”
“Because he disappeared.”
“When?”
“Before you were born.”
“Why?”
Salvatore answered.
“Because The Seven wanted him dead.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because he refused to sign the Compact.”
Chloe remembered the document.
“The original Blood Compact.”
Salvatore nodded.
“Matteo refused to give The Seven control over his descendants.”
“And Adrian?”
“Adrian agreed.”
Gabriel's face hardened.
“So Adrian took Matteo's place.”
“Yes.”
“And raised me.”
“Yes.”
Gabriel stared at the floor.
“Why?”
Salvatore's answer came quietly.
“Because Matteo asked him to.”
Gabriel looked up.
“What?”
“Matteo knew he wouldn't survive.”
“So he gave me to Adrian?”
“He gave you to the only brother he trusted.”
Gabriel looked toward Beatrice.
“You knew.”
She nodded.
“You knew my entire life was built on a lie.”
Beatrice signed:
I WAS TRYING TO SAVE YOU.
Gabriel shook his head.
“You should have told me.”
Beatrice lowered her hands.
Gabriel looked away.
Chloe watched him.
For the first time, she realized something.
Gabriel wasn't angry because he had discovered a secret father.
He was grieving a man he had never known.
A man whose existence had been erased before Gabriel was old enough to ask questions.
A man who might have loved him.
A man who might have died because of him.
A man who had been replaced by Adrian.
And suddenly Chloe understood why Gabriel had always hated lies.
His entire life was one.
She stepped beside him.
He looked at her.
She didn't say anything.
She simply took his hand.
He squeezed it.
Then Leo suddenly moved.
He approached the dead man's bed.
He looked at the body.
Then signed:
HE'S NOT DEAD.
Everyone turned.
Chloe stared.
“What?”
Leo pointed at the monitor.
Then at the man's wrist.
There was a faint pulse.
Vincent moved immediately.
“He's right.”
Daniel checked.
“Barely.”
Elias smiled.
“Matteo has always been difficult to kill.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was alive.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Elias smiled.
“Because you weren't ready.”
Gabriel raised his gun.
“I am now.”
Elias didn't flinch.
“Are you?”
The room went silent.
Elias pointed at Chloe.
“Because if you kill me, you'll never know what happened to Leo.”
Leo's head snapped toward him.
Elias smiled.
“There he is.”
Leo signed:
LIAR.
Elias laughed.
“You learned that from your grandmother.”
Beatrice suddenly stepped forward.
She slapped Elias across the face.
Again.
The sound echoed.
Elias slowly turned back.
Beatrice signed something.
Chloe translated.
“She says you're afraid.”
Elias smiled.
“Of what?”
Beatrice pointed toward Leo.
Then Chloe.
Then Gabriel.
Then Daniel.
Finally, she made the sign for TRUTH.
Elias looked at all four.
“You still think truth saves people.”
Beatrice signed:
IT FREES THEM.
Elias's expression darkened.
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“Truth destroys families.”
He pointed toward Chloe.
“Your mother lied to you.”
Toward Gabriel.
“Your grandmother lied to you.”
Toward Leo.
“Your brother lied to you.”
Toward Daniel.
“Your father lied to you.”
Then himself.
“And I lied to everyone.”
He smiled.
“That is how families survive.”
Chloe stared at him.
“No.”
Elias looked at her.
“That isn't survival.”
She stepped forward.
“That's control.”
Elias's smile disappeared.
Chloe continued.
“You didn't protect anyone.”
“You manipulated them.”
“You erased names.”
“You replaced bodies.”
“You created fake deaths.”
“You turned children into weapons.”
“You built a system where nobody could trust anyone.”
She pointed at him.
“And now you're afraid because the one thing you couldn't control is standing right in front of you.”
Elias looked at Leo.
Leo stared back.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Elias said:
“Ask him.”
Chloe frowned.
“Ask him what?”
“Ask your brother what he did.”
Leo's face changed.
Elias smiled.
“He knows.”
Chloe turned toward Leo.
“Leo?”
Leo looked away.
“What did you do?”
He didn't answer.
Chloe stepped closer.
“Leo.”
His hands slowly moved.
I KILLED SOMEONE.
Chloe froze.
Gabriel's expression changed.
“When?”
Leo signed:
TWO YEARS AGO.
Chloe's heart pounded.
“You killed someone the night of the accident?”
Leo nodded.
“Who?”
Leo looked toward Salvatore.
Then toward Elias.
Then toward his own hands.
THE MAN WHO WAS DRIVING THE CAR.
Chloe stared.
“The drunk driver?”
Leo nodded.
“But he died.”
Leo shook his head.
HE SURVIVED.
Chloe felt cold.
“What happened?”
Leo signed:
HE TOLD ME WHO ORDERED THE CRASH.
“Who?”
Leo pointed toward the hospital bed.
Chloe turned.
Matteo's eyes were open.
He was awake.
He had heard everything.
His voice was barely audible.
“Not me.”
Gabriel rushed to the bed.
“Who ordered it?”
Matteo struggled to breathe.
“Someone…”
He coughed.
Gabriel leaned closer.
“Who?”
Matteo's eyes moved toward Salvatore.
Salvatore shook his head.
“No.”
Matteo whispered:
“Your mother.”
The room froze.
Gabriel turned toward Beatrice.
“No.”
Matteo continued.
“Not Beatrice.”
Everyone stared.
He looked at Chloe's mother.
“Her.”
Chloe's mother went pale.
Gabriel stepped toward her.
“You?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Matteo's breathing became weaker.
“She…”
He coughed.
“She gave the order.”
Chloe looked at her mother.
“Mom?”
Her mother began crying.
“No.”
“You ordered Leo's accident?”
“No.”
“Then why is he saying it?”
Her mother looked toward Matteo.
“Because he's lying.”
Matteo whispered:
“I saw the order.”
Elias stepped forward.
“Enough.”
Gabriel grabbed him.
“You knew?”
Elias didn't answer.
Gabriel slammed him against the wall.
“You knew who ordered the crash.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Elias looked at Chloe.
“Her.”
Chloe's mother closed her eyes.
Chloe stepped backward.
“No.”
Elias continued.
“Your mother ordered Leo's disappearance.”
“Why?”
“Because she discovered what he was.”
“What?”
“The true heir.”
Chloe's mother finally spoke.
“I didn't order his death.”
Elias nodded.
“No.”
He looked at Chloe.
“She ordered something worse.”
Chloe's mother whispered:
“I ordered him to disappear.”
Chloe stared.
“Why?”
Her mother looked at Leo.
“Because they were going to take him.”
Leo lowered his head.
His mother continued.
“I had one night to choose.”
“You chose to make me think he was dead.”
“Yes.”
“You used another body.”
“Yes.”
“You destroyed me.”
Her mother began crying.
“I thought grief would keep you away.”
Chloe's voice cracked.
“You could have told me.”
“If I told you, you would have followed him.”
“I would have.”
“And they would have killed you.”
Chloe stared at her.
“So you sacrificed me anyway.”
Her mother didn't answer.
The words landed harder than any gunshot.
Then Daniel suddenly shouted.
“Everyone down!”
He fired toward the doorway.
A sniper bullet smashed through the glass.
The chamber exploded into chaos.
Gabriel pushed Chloe to the floor.
Vincent fired toward the corridor.
Clara dragged her mother behind the bed.
Salvatore grabbed Beatrice.
Elias disappeared into the smoke.
Leo dropped beside Chloe.
His hands moved.
THEY FOUND US.
Chloe nodded.
“Who?”
Leo pointed toward the ceiling.
Then made the sign for SEVENTH.
Gabriel understood.
“The Seventh.”
Leo nodded.
Daniel looked toward the tunnel.
“We have to move.”
Gabriel grabbed Matteo's bed.
“We're taking him.”
Vincent shook his head.
“He won't survive.”
Gabriel looked at the man who had just been revealed as connected to his true father.
“He's coming.”
They began pushing the bed through the chamber.
Suddenly Salvatore grabbed Chloe's arm.
She turned.
He whispered:
“There is something you need to know.”
“What?”
Salvatore looked at Leo.
Then Daniel.
Then Gabriel.
“The three brothers aren't the keys.”
Chloe stared.
“What?”
Salvatore's eyes were filled with fear.
“The three brothers are the lock.”
Her heart stopped.
“Then what's the key?”
Salvatore pointed toward Chloe.
“You.”
Chloe froze.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“Explain.”
Salvatore swallowed.
“Your father knew The Seven would eventually find Leo.”
“So he made Chloe the decoy.”
“No.”
Salvatore shook his head.
“He made her the key.”
Chloe felt dizzy.
“The letter said Leo was the heir.”
“He is.”
“Then why am I the key?”
“Because the Compact doesn't open for blood alone.”
He looked at her.
“It opens for the person outside the bloodline.”
Gabriel stared.
“What does that mean?”
Salvatore whispered:
“Chloe is the only one who can destroy the Compact.”
Elias's voice suddenly came from behind them.
“Exactly.”
Everyone turned.
Elias stood at the end of the corridor.
A gun pointed at Chloe.
His expression was calm again.
He smiled.
“Now you understand.”
Gabriel stepped in front of her.
Elias shook his head.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Gabriel.”
“No.”
Elias raised the gun.
“Then your sister dies.”
Chloe looked at Leo.
Leo was already signing.
DON'T LET HIM SHOOT.
Gabriel stepped forward.
“Take me instead.”
Elias laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
He pointed the gun at Chloe.
“She isn't the hostage.”
Chloe stared at him.
“Then what am I?”
Elias smiled.
“The final signature.”
He fired.
Gabriel lunged.
The bullet struck the wall.
Chloe dropped.
Leo rushed toward her.
Another shot.
Daniel screamed.
Vincent fired back.
Elias disappeared.
And then Chloe felt something wet on her hand.
She looked down.
Blood.
Not hers.
She turned.
Leo was standing over her.
A bullet wound had opened in his chest.
His eyes met hers.
His hands trembled.
But he still signed.
RUN.
Chloe screamed his name.
“LEO!”
He collapsed.
Gabriel caught him.
“No.”
Leo's eyes closed.
Chloe pressed both hands against the wound.
“No, no, no.”
Beatrice screamed silently.
Daniel stood frozen.
Salvatore looked toward the corridor.
And somewhere in the darkness, Elias laughed.
Then a final message appeared on the wall.
Projected in red light.
Seven words.
ONE BROTHER WILL DIE BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
Gabriel looked at the clock.
11:42 p.m.
May you like
Eighteen minutes remained.
And nobody knew which brother Elias meant.
