Chapter 29: The Choice

The message glowed on the screen.

Bring Ava Brooks to Blackwater Church before sunrise.

Or Ethan Cross dies.

The cabin felt suffocatingly small.

Ava couldn’t breathe.

Her eyes remained fixed on the phone.

The words refused to disappear.

As though reading them again might somehow change them.

It didn’t.

The threat remained.

Real.

Terrifying.

And very specific.

Adrian slowly lowered the phone.

His face had become unreadable.

“What do we do?”

Ava hated how small her voice sounded.

For several seconds, Adrian didn’t answer.

Then he laughed bitterly.

“They finally did it.”

“What?”

“They backed me into a corner.”

Ava stood.

“We’re not going.”

His eyes immediately met hers.

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

She shook her head.

“I’m not walking into a trap.”

Adrian stared at her.

“Ava.”

“No.”

“If Ethan is really in danger—”

“He wouldn’t want this.”

Silence.

Ava swallowed hard.

“He would never trade my life for his.”

The words hurt because they were true.

Ethan had spent months risking everything to protect her.

He would never want her surrendering herself.

Not even to save him.

Adrian looked away.

And somehow that worried her more.

“Adrian.”

Nothing.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.”

His jaw tightened.

“I’m thinking Ethan would kill me if I let anything happen to you.”

Relief flooded through her.

Then Adrian continued.

“But he’d also kill me if I let him die.”

The relief vanished instantly.

Because he was right.

Miles away…

Richard Cross opened his eyes.

Pain exploded through his skull.

His hands were tied.

His ankles bound.

The air smelled damp.

Old.

Like stone and mold.

A basement.

No.

A church cellar.

His stomach dropped.

Blackwater Church.

Of course.

The Circle always loved symbolism.

A door opened.

Footsteps echoed.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Richard already knew who it was before the man stepped into view.

The stranger removed his gloves.

Then smiled.

“Hello, Richard.”

Richard’s blood ran cold.

Because he recognized him immediately.

Not by his face.

But by his eyes.

After twenty years.

After countless disguises.

After dozens of identities.

Richard finally knew who the Founder really was.

“You.”

The man smiled wider.

“Disappointed?”

Richard laughed.

A hollow sound.

“No.”

The Founder raised an eyebrow.

“No?”

Richard shook his head.

“Just surprised it took me this long.”

The Founder sat across from him.

Completely calm.

Completely relaxed.

Like a man discussing the weather.

“Tell me something.”

Richard remained silent.

The Founder smiled.

“Does Ava know yet?”

Richard’s expression hardened.

“Know what?”

The Founder’s eyes gleamed.

“The real reason her father chose her.”

A chill swept through Richard.

Because that secret was worse than any of the others.

And if Ava discovered it…

Everything would change.

Back at the cabin…

Rain continued to hammer against the roof.

Ava sat near the fire.

Unable to stop thinking about Ethan.

Where was he?

Was he hurt?

Was he alive?

Every possibility felt worse than the last.

Then Adrian suddenly stood.

“What are you doing?”

He grabbed his jacket.

“We’re leaving.”

Ava froze.

“What?”

“We’re going to Blackwater.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

She stood too.

“I’m not helping them.”

Adrian stepped closer.

His eyes were serious.

Deadly serious.

“Ava.”

“No.”

“If Ethan is there—”

She shook her head.

“That’s exactly what they want.”

“Ava.”

“No.”

Frustration flashed across his face.

Then suddenly—

The cabin door burst open.

Ava screamed.

Both she and Adrian spun around.

Gun raised.

Ready.

Then froze.

A battered figure stumbled inside.

Covered in mud.

Blood running down his temple.

Breathing hard.

“Ethan!”

Relief crashed through Ava.

She ran forward.

Throwing her arms around him.

For a moment, Ethan simply held her.

Tightly.

Like he never intended to let go again.

Ava buried her face against his chest.

Ignoring the tears.

Ignoring everything.

He was alive.

That was all that mattered.

Then Ethan looked at Adrian.

The brothers exchanged a glance.

One Ava didn’t understand.

One that instantly erased the relief from Adrian’s face.

“What?”

Neither answered.

Ava looked between them.

“What is it?”

Ethan slowly reached into his pocket.

Then placed something on the table.

A photograph.

A recent photograph.

Taken tonight.

At Blackwater Church.

Ava stepped closer.

Her heart stopped.

The picture showed Richard.

Tied to a chair.

Surrounded by armed men.

And standing beside him…

A familiar woman.

Ava felt the blood drain from her face.

“No.”

Ethan’s voice was grim.

“We have a problem.”

The woman in the photograph wasn’t a stranger.

Wasn’t a member of the Circle.

Wasn’t one of the Founder’s people.

It was Elena.

Ava’s mother.

And she looked like she belonged there.