Chapter 13 - VICTOR BELL
The footsteps stopped outside the vault.
Nobody moved.
Then the lights came on.
A man stood at the top of the stairs.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Perfectly dressed.
He carried no weapon.
He didn't need one.
Dante stared.
“Victor.”
Victor smiled.
“You finally found it.”
Beatrice stepped forward.
“You knew we would.”
“I hoped you would.”
Nathan looked confused.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
Victor laughed.
“That rumor was useful.”
“Why?”
“Because dead men don't owe anyone money.”
Beatrice looked at the vault.
“You built this.”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Your fathers.”
“Together?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victor's expression became serious.
“Because they discovered something.”
“What?”
“The network was too large to destroy from the outside.”
“So they infiltrated it.”
“Yes.”
“They became part of it.”
“To save what they could.”
Beatrice hated that explanation because it sounded familiar.
Everyone had their justification.
Everyone had been afraid.
Everyone claimed they were protecting someone.
And innocent people still suffered.
Victor continued.
“Arthur chose money.”
“Lorenzo chose people.”
“Patrick chose his family.”
“And Marianne chose survival.”
Beatrice stared.
“What did you choose?”
Victor smiled.
“Information.”
He pointed toward the vault.
“Every secret.”
“Every identity.”
“Every transaction.”
“Every betrayal.”
“You kept everything.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because one day the system would collapse.”
“It did.”
“No.”
Victor's smile vanished.
“It fractured.”
“That is not the same thing.”
He was right.
The men at the center were arrested.
But many secrets were still buried.
Many people remained unidentified.
Many assets remained hidden.
The network had not disappeared.
It had simply changed shape.
Victor handed Beatrice a key.
“Open the second room.”
She stared.
“What's inside?”
“Everything your father never showed you.”
Dante looked at Victor.
“Why help us?”
Victor sighed.
“Because I'm tired.”
The second room was smaller.
Inside were recordings.
Hundreds of them.
Conversations.
Meetings.
Confessions.
Names.
One recording caught Beatrice's attention.
Her father's voice.
If something happens to me, my daughter must never be brought into this.
She is too observant.
She would find the truth.
And the truth would put her in danger.
Beatrice covered her mouth.
Another recording.
Her mother.
Patrick, we can't keep lying to Bea.
Then her father.
If she knows, they will use her.
Let her think she had a normal life.
Beatrice started crying.
Her father had lied.
But for the first time, she understood why.
Not because he didn't trust her.
Because he loved her.
Nathan stood beside her.
“I wish he had told us both.”
“So do I.”
Then Dante found a recording with his own father's voice.
If Dante ever discovers the vault, tell him I was trying to protect him.
He will think I betrayed him.
He must understand that I didn't trust the world around him.
Dante looked away.
His shoulders tightened.
Beatrice walked toward him.
“You okay?”
“No.”
He smiled sadly.
“But I think I'm finally understanding him.”
Victor watched them.
Then he said:
“You have one problem.”
Beatrice turned.
“What?”
“The original ledger is gone.”
“Which ledger?”
“The one containing the identities.”
“Nathan's?”
“Everyone's.”
“Who took it?”
Victor looked toward the security monitor.
A person was walking through the upper hallway.
Female.
Dark coat.
Beatrice stared.
“Marianne.”
Victor nodded.
“She wasn't done.”
Dante reached for his phone.
Victor stopped him.
“Don't.”
“Why?”
“Because she's not running.”
“Then what is she doing?”
Victor looked at the screen.
“She is going to the only place where the ledger can be used.”
“Where?”
Victor answered:
“The federal evidence archive.”
Beatrice felt cold.
“If she gets there, she can erase every identity.”
“And every case.”
“And every family.”
Victor nodded.
The room became silent.
Beatrice picked up her coat.
“We go.”
Dante looked at her.
“With me?”
May you like
She took his hand.
“Always.”
