Chapter 16 - The Choice
"Give him the drive," Maya said.
Julian looked at her.
"Do it."
Vale pressed the gun harder beneath her jaw.
Julian took the flash drive from his pocket and set it on the floor.
"Kick it over."
He did.
Vale bent slightly, still holding Maya.
That was the opening.
Maya drove her heel backward into his shin and threw her weight down.
The gun fired.
The bullet went into the ceiling.
Julian moved.
He hit Vale so hard both men crashed into the railing.
Maya crawled toward her mother.
Nico lay nearby, bleeding badly.
"Stay awake," Elena told him, pressing both hands over the wound.
Vale and Julian fought without elegance. No movie choreography. Elbows, fists, knees, slipping shoes, years of hatred packed into seconds.
Vale slammed Julian against steel.
"Your father would be ashamed of you."
Julian spat blood. "That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all week."
He drove Vale backward.
Maya grabbed the flash drive.
Vale saw her.
He broke away from Julian and lunged.
Derek appeared at the far end of the catwalk.
"Vale!"
Vale fired.
Derek ducked.
Julian tackled Vale again.
The railing gave way.
Both men went over.
Maya screamed.
Julian caught the lower steel brace with one hand.
Vale caught Julian's ankle.
They hung twenty feet above concrete.
"Julian!"
Maya dropped to her stomach and grabbed his wrist.
Pain tore through his injured side.
"Let go of me," Vale gasped. "Pull us both up."
Julian looked down.
Vale's grip tightened around his ankle.
Derek reached Maya and grabbed Julian's other arm.
"Kick him off," Derek said.
Julian could have.
Everyone knew it.
One movement and Adrian Vale would fall.
Instead Julian looked down and said, "Take my other hand."
Vale stared at him.
"What?"
"I'm not becoming my father for you."
For one stunned second, Vale loosened his grip.
Then he pulled a small knife from his sleeve.
Maya saw the blade flash.
"Julian!"
Vale stabbed upward.
Julian jerked aside.
Vale's hand slipped.
He fell.
The impact below was final.
Maya and Derek pulled Julian onto the catwalk.
He lay on his back breathing hard.
Maya grabbed his face with both hands.
"You idiot."
"You keep saying that."
"Because you keep earning it."
Below, police sirens grew louder.
Derek looked toward the entrance. "Jammer's down. We're about to have company."
Elena cried out.
They turned.
Nico's eyes were closing.
Maya ran to him.
He caught Julian's sleeve weakly.
"Sophie."
"She's safe," Julian said.
"Don't let her think I was only this."
Julian swallowed.
"Then live long enough to tell her yourself."
May you like
Nico tried to smile.
Then his eyes closed.
