CHAPTER 6: THE TUNNEL

We entered the drainage tunnel under emergency red lights.

Water reached my ankles.

Concrete pressed close on both sides.

Thomas moved between two agents.

Ryan walked behind him.

Father and son had still not touched.

Gunfire echoed faintly from the facility above as our rear security team delayed Mercer's extraction unit.

Ortiz whispered into her radio.

"Three minutes until they realize we're gone."

The tunnel narrowed.

Thomas stumbled.

Ryan instinctively caught his arm.

Both men froze.

For the first time in sixteen years, son touched father.

Ryan released him immediately.

Thomas continued walking.

After another hundred yards he spoke quietly.

"I kept photographs."

Ryan looked at him.

"What?"

"Federal protection wouldn't let me contact you, but I had photographs."

"How?"

"Newspapers. School websites. Anything public."

Ryan's expression hardened.

"You watched me grow up from websites?"

"I watched everything I could."

"Did you see my academy graduation?"

"Yes."

"You were there?"

"No."

"Of course not."

Thomas stopped.

"Ryan."

The agents behind us nearly collided.

Thomas turned.

"I wanted to come home every day."

Ryan's anger finally erupted.

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because Danner told me he would kill you."

Silence filled the tunnel.

Thomas's voice broke.

"He sent me a photograph of you sleeping."

Ryan went pale.

"You were eight."

Thomas continued.

"Photograph taken through your bedroom window. Date written on the back."

Ryan stopped breathing.

"He said if I appeared, if I contacted you, if I contacted your mother, you would disappear."

Thomas wiped his eyes.

"So I stayed dead."

Ryan stared at him.

All the anger remained.

But something else entered beside it.

Understanding.

Not forgiveness.

Not yet.

Maybe never completely.

But understanding.

Then a distant metallic bang echoed behind us.

Ortiz raised a fist.

"Move."

We emerged two miles south near the abandoned rail spur.

A federal helicopter should have been waiting.

It wasn't.

Instead, one black SUV sat beside the tracks.

I immediately raised my weapon.

The driver's door opened.

A woman stepped out.

Hands visible.

Dr. Evelyn Shaw.

Thomas's primary federal witness handler.

Ortiz swore.

"You were on the route list."

Shaw nodded.

"So was Mercer."

"How did you get here?"

"I left the convoy staging area before departure."

"Why?"

"Because Thomas told me the route had been compromised."

I turned toward him.

"You knew?"

Thomas nodded.

"Not which route. Only that Mercer was asking questions he shouldn't."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Compartmentalization."

I almost laughed.

"That's becoming my least favorite word."

Shaw opened the SUV's rear hatch.

Inside were replacement radios, clothing, weapons, medical supplies.

And one sealed evidence case.

Thomas looked at it.

"Is that all of it?"

Shaw nodded.

Ryan watched.

"What's inside?"

Thomas answered.

"Enough to send Danner away forever."

I looked at the case.

"Then why transport you by armored convoy?"

Thomas gave me a tired smile.

"Because records don't testify."

Fair.

Shaw continued.

"A federal grand jury is convening at six."

Ortiz checked the time.

2:43.

"Three hours."

"Courthouse secure?"

Shaw hesitated.

"Unknown."

"Then it isn't."

Ryan spoke.

"I know somewhere Danner won't expect."

We all looked at him.

He pointed along the rail line.

"County evidence annex."

Thomas laughed without humor.

"That's his building."

"Exactly."

Ryan continued.

"Nobody uses it at night. Concrete walls, separate generator, old emergency radio link."

I frowned.

"You want to hide from Danner inside Danner's own evidence facility?"

Ryan nodded.

"Would you look for us there?"

I glanced at Ortiz.

She smiled faintly.

"I hate that I like it."

We moved.