Chapter 12 - Pier Seven
Claire had spent half her adult life preventing disasters at Pier Seven.
Broken refrigeration units.
Union disputes.
Storm flooding.
Customs holds.
A crane failure that had nearly shut the complex for a month.
She had never imagined racing there because her father might destroy it on purpose.
Agent Holt called Baltimore fire officials before their car crossed Pratt Street.
Dominic called Tomas.
Elena called the company's insurer.
Claire called Ben Ortiz.
He answered on the second ring.
"Claire?"
Machinery thundered behind him.
"Ben, I need you to listen carefully."
"What's wrong?"
"Evacuate Pier Seven."
Silence.
"Why?"
"Do not announce a fire or bomb."
Claire forced herself to stay calm.
"Tell everyone there is a gas-line inspection and move them to the north lot."
"Claire, Charles is here."
Her heart jumped.
"Where?"
"Server building."
"Is Madison with him?"
"I haven't seen her."
"Do not confront him."
Ben lowered his voice.
"He brought two security guys I've never seen before."
Claire looked at Dominic.
"Victor's?"
Dominic nodded once.
"Probably."
Ben heard the silence.
"Claire, what is happening?"
"I will explain when everyone is outside."
"You always say that when things are bad."
Despite everything, she almost smiled.
"Then you know I mean it."
"I'm moving them."
The call ended.
Claire stared through the windshield at traffic that suddenly seemed designed to stop her.
"Why Pier Seven?" Elena asked.
"Backup servers."
"Can he erase them remotely?"
"Not all of them."
Claire thought faster.
"There is an offline accounting mirror in the server building."
Agent Holt looked over.
"How offline?"
"Daily synchronization, then physical isolation."
"So it may contain unaltered historical data."
"Exactly."
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"Charles is not going there to burn the building."
Claire looked at him.
"He's going there to destroy the mirror."
They reached Pier Seven eleven minutes later.
Employees were already streaming toward the north lot.
Ben had not waited for management approval.
Claire felt a burst of gratitude strong enough to hurt.
Fire trucks approached from the south gate.
Federal agents blocked the west entrance.
Dominic's men arrived separately and stopped outside the federal perimeter.
He did not argue when Holt ordered them to remain there.
That surprised Claire.
"You can follow instructions," she said.
"Under specific conditions."
"Miraculous."
The server building stood beyond two loading sheds.
Smoke was not visible.
That was good.
Then Claire heard the emergency generator start.
That was not.
"Power just went down," she said.
Ben ran toward them from the lot.
"Charles locked the server building."
"Everyone out?"
"Eighty-seven accounted for."
Claire stared.
"There should be eighty-nine."
Ben's face changed.
"Night dispatch came early."
"Names?"
"Oscar Lin and Maya Flores."
Claire looked toward the server building.
"They're inside."
Ben nodded.
"Maya texted me that Charles told them to stay at their desks."
Agent Holt swore.
"No one goes in until tactical arrives."
Claire looked at the side entrance.
"There is a fire-control corridor."
Holt snapped, "No."
"It opens behind dispatch."
"No."
"Two employees are inside with my father and men tied to Victor Vale."
"And adding you makes three civilians."
Claire opened her mouth.
Dominic spoke first.
"She's right about the corridor."
Claire looked at him.
"You've been here?"
"Your father gave me a tour last month."
"Did you pay attention to anything except exits?"
"Mostly exits."
Holt gave them both a look.
"Neither of you is going inside."
A window on the second floor shattered.
Everyone ducked.
A small object hit the pavement.
A phone.
Ben ran to it after Holt signaled.
The screen was cracked but lit.
A message filled it.
MAYA FLORES: HE HAS GAS CANS.
Claire's stomach dropped.
A second line appeared.
HE SAYS HE ONLY NEEDS TEN MINUTES.
Firefighters moved faster.
Holt's radio erupted with commands.
Then Claire's phone rang.
Charles.
She answered on speaker.
"Dad."
"You finally sound concerned."
"Let Oscar and Maya out."
"They are fine."
"Then release them."
"You sent federal agents to my company."
Claire stared at the building.
"Your company?"
"Do not start."
"You forged Mom's trust termination."
"Anne was unstable."
"You drugged me."
A pause.
"You were hysterical."
"Because I saw my mother alive after you told the world she was dead."
"You were a child."
"I was a witness."
Silence.
Claire felt Agent Holt looking at her.
"Is Madison with you?"
Charles did not answer.
"Dad."
"Your sister made her choices."
Claire's pulse jumped.
"What does that mean?"
"It means all of you eventually disappoint me."
The line went dead.
Claire looked at Dominic.
"Madison is inside."
Holt heard it too.
"We don't know that."
Claire pointed toward the parking area.
"Her car is there."
A white Mercedes sat beside the executive entrance.
Holt radioed tactical teams.
The next five minutes stretched.
Then the server building's rear door opened.
Oscar stumbled out first.
Maya followed.
Both ran toward the fire line.
Claire exhaled.
Madison did not appear.
Neither did Charles.
Maya reached them coughing.
"He let us go."
"Where is Madison?" Claire asked.
"Server room."
"Why?"
Maya shook her head.
"She's helping him copy something."
Claire stared.
"Helping?"
"She told us to leave when he wasn't looking."
That changed the meaning.
Madison might not be helping Charles.
She might be keeping him busy.
Claire's phone buzzed.
A text from Madison.
I HAVE THE SERVER DRIVE.
Another.
HE THINKS I AM DELETING IT.
Then a third.
VICTOR IS HERE.
Dominic's expression changed when Claire showed him.
"Inside?"
Claire typed quickly.
Where are you?
No answer.
Then one final message.
DO NOT LET DOMINIC COME IN.
Claire looked at him.
"Why would she say that?"
Dominic's face became unreadable.
A gunshot cracked inside the building.
Firefighters ducked behind equipment.
Holt shouted into her radio.
Claire's heart stopped.
A second shot followed.
Then the emergency lights in the entire complex went black.
Tactical officers moved toward the entrance.
Claire grabbed Holt's arm.
"There is a manual access panel on the north wall."
"Stay here."
"It will open the fire-control corridor."
Holt signaled two officers.
Claire gave them the code.
One minute later, the north door opened.
Officers entered.
Claire stood behind the line, counting seconds.
Forty.
Seventy.
Ninety.
Then a voice came over Holt's radio.
"Server room clear."
Claire's knees weakened.
"Two blood traces. No persons."
Holt asked, "Where did they go?"
The officer answered.
"There is a freight lift under the server floor."
Claire stared at Ben.
"There is no freight lift."
Ben shook his head.
"Not on any plan I've seen."
Dominic looked toward the old pier beyond the building.
"Tunnel."
Claire turned.
"What?"
"Victor used old smuggling tunnels under the harbor properties twenty years ago."
Agent Holt looked furious.
"You are telling me this now?"
"I thought my father sealed them."
Claire almost laughed at the family resemblance between their secrets.
Holt ordered teams toward the waterfront.
Claire's phone buzzed again.
Unknown number.
A photograph loaded.
Madison sat in the back of a vehicle with tape over her mouth.
Beside her was Charles.
His face was bruised.
Victor Vale sat opposite them, older now but unmistakable from Anne's photograph.
May you like
His message contained nine words.
BRING DOMINIC AND THE TRUST KEY IF YOU WANT THEM BACK.
