CHAPTER8 — THE TRAITOR
Chapter 08 - CHAPTER8 — THE TRAITOR
Emergency lights came on in red strips along the floor.
Hector pulled Jodi behind him.
His men moved into the hallway.
Then a body dropped from the upper staircase.
Jodi covered her mouth.
It was one of Hector's guards.
Claire appeared at the end of the corridor.
She was holding a gun.
Hector raised his weapon.
"Put it down."
Claire looked at him.
"You really don't know, do you?"
"Know what?"
She looked at Jodi.
"Your father didn't hide her because of the money."
Jodi stepped forward.
"Then why?"
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
"Because she remembers."
Jodi frowned.
"Remembers what?"
"Everything."
"No."
"You were nine."
Jodi's head began to ache.
"I don't remember."
"You were made to forget."
Hector looked at Claire.
"Who did this?"
Claire whispered, "Victor."
Then she lowered her gun.
A shot came from behind her.
Claire fell.
Hector caught her before she hit the floor.
Jodi dropped beside them.
"Claire."
Claire grabbed Jodi's hand.
"Your father wasn't your father."
Jodi froze.
"What?"
Claire's eyes found Hector.
"Tell her."
Hector looked away.
Jodi stood.
"Tell me what?"
He didn't answer.
She grabbed his arm.
"What did she mean?"
Hector finally looked at her.
"Daniel Russo raised you."
"That's not what I asked."
He hesitated.
"Your biological father was someone else."
Jodi stepped backward.
"Who?"
Hector's jaw tightened.
"Victor."
She stared.
"No."
"Jodi—"
"No."
She shook her head.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"Then why would my father raise me?"
"Because Victor wanted you dead."
Jodi's mind raced.
The photographs.
The hospital.
The missing years.
Her mother.
The inheritance.
Everything seemed to rearrange itself.
"Why would Victor want his own daughter dead?"
Hector answered quietly.
"Because you were the only person who could inherit the part of the organization he could never control."
Jodi looked at him.
"And what part is that?"
"The legitimate side."
She stared.
"That doesn't make sense."
"It will."
He took a small envelope from his coat.
Inside was a birth certificate.
Jodi read the name.
Father: Victor Russo.
Mother: Elena Russo.
She couldn't breathe.
Hector watched her.
"There's one more thing."
She looked up.
"What?"
"Your real father isn't the man you're supposed to fear."
Jodi's heart stopped.
"Then who is?"
May you like
Hector looked toward the dark hallway.
"Me."
