Chapter 7 – THE RED WIRE AND THE WATCH

“Marcus,” Adrian said, stepping slowly into the room.

The billionaire looked up. His expensive suit was torn. His arrogance was completely gone, replaced by sheer terror.

“Caruso,” Marcus choked out. “Help me. Please.”

Adrian stared at the bomb strapped to the man’s chest.

The digital timer glowed bright red in the dim cellar.

03:45.

Three minutes and forty-five seconds.

“The Viper did this to you?” Adrian asked, his voice completely level.

Marcus nodded frantically.

“They knew I was trying to get the micro-film back. They intercepted me on my way to the airport. They want the ledger, Adrian. They want the proof of my financial crimes so they can blackmail me instead of you.”

Adrian stepped closer.

03:12.

“Why tie you up in my basement?”

“Because they know you won’t let your house blow up with your father inside!” Marcus cried. “They called your phone. You didn’t answer!”

Adrian checked his pocket. His phone had shattered during the explosion on my street.

02:48.

“Ellie,” Adrian said calmly without turning around. “Go upstairs. Get my father and Leo out of the house. Run as far down the driveway as you can.”

“I’m not leaving you!” I panicked.

“Go!” he roared.

I turned and ran up the stairs, my heart hammering against my ribs.

I found Joseph in the hallway.

“We have to leave! Now!” I yelled.

I grabbed Leo, who was rubbing his sleepy eyes, and helped Joseph down the stairs as fast as his cane would allow.

We burst out the front doors and ran toward the main gates.

Down in the basement, Adrian stared at the bomb.

01:30.

“Cut the wires, Caruso!” Marcus begged. “If this goes off, your whole house comes down!”

Adrian crouched beside the chair.

He examined the explosive.

“It’s a proximity trigger, Marcus. If I try to untie you, it detonates.”

“Then cut the wire!”

Adrian looked at the mess of red and blue wires.

He pulled a small pocket knife from his suit pants.

00:55.

“Which one?” Adrian asked.

“I don’t know!” Marcus sobbed.

Adrian’s hands didn’t shake.

But he hesitated.

He had spent his life building this empire. His father was safe outside. He could run right now and let the man who killed my mother burn.

00:30.

Adrian looked at Marcus.

“Twenty-four years ago, you ordered a hit on a school teacher because she was too honest to let you steal.”

Marcus squeezed his eyes shut.

“I’m sorry! I’ll give you everything! My company, my assets, everything!”

00:15.

Adrian gripped the knife.

“I don’t want your money, Marcus.”

He looked at the wires.

Then, he remembered something his father had told him years ago.

Joseph had built the custom cabinets in Marcus’s mansion.

“My dad told me once,” Adrian said quietly, “that you always insisted on blue wiring for your security systems. You hated the color red.”

00:05.

Adrian slipped the blade under the blue wire.

00:03.

He sliced it in half.

00:01.

The digital timer froze.

The ticking stopped.

The basement was entirely silent.

Marcus Whitmore let out a pathetic, weeping gasp of relief.

Adrian stood up, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.

He looked down at the billionaire.

“You’re going to federal prison, Marcus. But first, you’re going to confess to Eleanor Bennett’s murder.”

Adrian pulled the heavy gold pocket watch from his jacket.

He placed it gently on a wine barrel.

Then he walked out of the cellar, leaving Marcus tied to the chair to wait for the police.

When Adrian walked out the front doors, I collapsed against his chest, sobbing with relief.

Joseph placed a trembling hand on his son’s shoulder.

“You okay, boy?”

Adrian smiled, pulling us both into a tight embrace.

“I’m fine, Dad. We’re all fine.”

The police sirens wailed in the distance, closing in on the mansion.

It was over.

But as the police took Marcus Whitmore away, Joseph looked down at his own wrist.

“Adrian,” Joseph said, his voice confused.

“What is it, Dad?”

“Where did you put the watch?”

Adrian frowned. “I left it in the cellar on the barrel. The police will take it as evidence.”

Joseph shook his head.

“Son… the police just brought the bomb squad out of the cellar. They said the room was empty except for Marcus.”

The gold pocket watch was gone.

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