THE BLOOD ON HIS DAUGHTER'S PAJAMAS WASN'T THE WORST THING HE SAW—IT WAS WHAT CHRIS BROUGHT INTO THE ER

Daniel fell against the tunnel wall.

Luke screamed and tried to run back, but Chris held him behind cover.

James dragged Daniel into a shallow alcove. Blood spread quickly beneath his shirt.

"Vest," Daniel gasped.

The bullet had struck the edge of his protective vest and entered below it. He was alive, but the wound was serious.

Hale and the remaining gunman advanced through the tunnel.

Daniel pushed his pistol into James's hand.

"Take Sarah."

"We are not leaving you."

"You should have left me years ago."

James looked at the brother who had betrayed Emily, protected criminals, and still thrown himself over his son when the shooting began.

Daniel's voice weakened. "I kept telling myself every compromise was the last one. Then the next choice was worse because I had more to hide."

"You let them kill her."

"I know."

There was no excuse in his face now.

Only shame.

"Get Luke out," Daniel said. "Let me do one thing that isn't cowardly."

He took a second weapon from Ellis and crawled toward the center of the tunnel.

James wanted to stop him.

Sarah stirred in his arms and whispered, "Daddy, please."

He chose his daughter.

They moved toward the lake while Daniel fired behind them. Hale returned fire. The tunnel amplified every shot until it sounded like war beneath the earth.

At the boathouse, Chris found an emergency medical kit and stabilized Sarah as best he could. Ellis started the motorboat. Luke stood frozen, staring toward the tunnel.

Daniel emerged moments later, limping and bleeding.

Hale followed.

Daniel turned and tackled him at the edge of the dock.

They crashed through a rotten railing into the black water.

James handed Sarah to Chris and ran back.

Hale surfaced first, struggling toward the ladder. Daniel's hand locked around his ankle and pulled him under.

James reached into the water and grabbed Daniel's wrist.

For one second he held both brothers' weight against the dock.

Hale surfaced beside them with the knife.

Daniel saw it first.

He released James's hand, twisted, and dragged Hale away as the blade came down.

"Daniel!"

The water churned.

Then only Hale surfaced.

James struck him with the dock hook and pulled him onto the boards. Ellis handcuffed him while Chris searched the water.

Daniel did not return.

Luke stood at the edge, crying without sound.

James wanted to dive after his brother, but Sarah's monitor began alarming inside the boat.

Again, he had to choose.

They crossed the lake toward the private landing where Reed's helicopter waited. The pilot fled when Ellis fired a warning shot. Chris had military flight training and took the controls.

Sarah lay across James's lap in the rear cabin.

Her eyes opened halfway.

"Is Uncle Daniel bad?" she asked.

James looked at Luke, who stared out the window toward the shrinking lake.

"He made terrible choices," James said. "And at the end, he tried to save us."

Sarah's hand found his.

"Mom knew?"

James swallowed.

"Your mother knew the truth was dangerous. She hid it so one day we could finish what she started."

The hospital lights appeared ahead.

Then Chris noticed the fuel gauge dropping unnaturally fast.