CHAPTER10 — THE WOMAN WHO BETRAYED EVERYONE
Chapter 10 - CHAPTER10 — THE WOMAN WHO BETRAYED EVERYONE
They never made it to Victor.
Someone betrayed the location before they left.
The convoy was attacked three miles outside the city.
Jodi remembered glass exploding.
Hector's hand around her neck, pulling her down.
A vehicle spinning.
Then silence.
When she woke, she was in an old church.
Elena was beside her.
Alive.
Unbound.
Jodi sat up.
"What happened?"
Elena smiled sadly.
"I lied to you."
Jodi's heart sank.
"About what?"
"Everything."
She looked toward the altar.
"Victor never kidnapped me."
Jodi stared.
"He brought me here."
"Why?"
"Because I asked him to."
The truth came slowly.
Elena had been working with Victor.
Not because she loved him.
Because she believed the only way to stop the organization from consuming their children was to destroy it from inside.
Daniel had helped her.
Hector's father had helped them too.
But someone had betrayed them.
That person was Claire.
"Claire?"
Elena nodded.
"She was Victor's daughter from another relationship."
Jodi felt dizzy.
"Then why did she help me?"
"Because she changed her mind."
"And the sniper?"
"Claire."
Jodi stared.
"She tried to kill Hector?"
"No."
Elena looked at her.
"She tried to force Hector to find you."
The pieces began to connect.
The kiss.
The sniper.
The fire.
The messages.
Someone had been pushing Jodi toward Hector all along.
"But why?"
Elena took Jodi's hand.
"Because Hector is the only person Victor cannot manipulate."
"Why?"
"Because Hector doesn't want the empire."
Jodi looked at her.
"He runs it."
"He inherited it."
Elena shook her head.
"There's a difference."
The church doors opened.
Hector entered alone.
His shirt was torn. Blood ran along his temple.
He looked at Jodi first.
Then Elena.
"You knew."
Elena nodded.
Hector raised his gun.
Jodi stepped between them.
"No."
He stared at her.
"Move."
"No."
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
Hector's voice cracked.
"My father didn't die twelve years ago."
Elena closed her eyes.
"He was murdered last night."
Jodi looked at Hector.
"What?"
"He was kept alive."
Hector's jaw tightened.
"Victor found him."
A phone rang.
Hector answered.
A man's voice came through.
"You have one hour."
Hector's face changed.
The voice continued.
"Bring Jodi to the harbor."
Then the call ended.
Hector looked at Jodi.
May you like
For the first time, he seemed completely lost.
"He's holding my father."
