"But this time, I'm not running."
That evening, Marcus arrived at the old police academy.
The parking lot was almost empty.
A row of trees stood beside the fence.
He remembered learning to drive there.
His father had sat in the passenger seat, laughing whenever Marcus stalled the engine.
"Slow down, son," William had said. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone."
Marcus almost smiled.
He approached the old training garage.
There was a loose brick beneath the window.
He removed it.
Inside was a small metal key.
A storage locker number was engraved on its surface.
Locker 27.
Marcus entered the building.
The corridor was dark.
He found the locker and inserted the key.
Inside was a metal box.
And inside the box was the original ledger.
The names.
The payments.
The signatures.
The proof.
But beneath the ledger was another photograph.
It showed Marcus as a child, standing beside his father.
On the back was a message.
YOU WERE ALWAYS THE REASON I KEPT FIGHTING.
Marcus closed his eyes.
For a moment, he allowed himself to grieve.
Then he heard footsteps behind him.
He turned.
Nathan Cross stood at the end of the corridor.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Cross said.
Marcus slowly reached for his weapon.
Cross raised both hands.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to fight."
Marcus stared at him.
"Then why are you here?"
Cross smiled.
"Because I want to offer you a deal."
Marcus looked at the ledger.
"What kind of deal?"
Cross took one step forward.
"Your father made the same mistake you are making now. He believed the truth was enough to save him."
Marcus raised his weapon.
"Stop right there."
Cross smiled.
"You really don't understand, do you?"
Then he looked directly into Marcus's eyes.
"Your father didn't die because of the ledger, Marcus."
He paused.
"He died because he refused to give me something else."
Marcus felt the room become cold.
"What?"
Cross's smile disappeared.
"The name of the person who helped him hide Elijah."
Before Marcus could answer, the academy's lights went out.
A gunshot echoed through the corridor.
The gunshot echoed through the abandoned academy.
Marcus dropped behind the storage lockers.
For several seconds, there was nothing but darkness.
Then the emergency lights flickered on.
Red light filled the corridor.
Nathan Cross was standing near the entrance.
His hands were raised.
And behind him stood Daniel Hayes.
Hayes was holding a gun.
"Put it down, Reed."
Marcus kept his weapon trained on him.
"Step away from Cross."
Hayes laughed.
"You still think you're in control?"
Marcus glanced toward the metal box.
The ledger was still inside.
That was what mattered.
If he lost it, the entire investigation could collapse.
"Why?" Marcus asked.
Hayes looked confused.
"Why what?"
"Why did you do it? Why shoot Elijah? Why help them destroy evidence? Why spend six years hiding behind people who were willing to throw you away?"
Hayes's expression hardened.
"Because I was following orders."
"That's all you have?"
Hayes stepped closer.
"You think you're better than me?"
Marcus didn't answer.
Hayes continued.
"You wear the same uniform. You carry the same weapon. You think that makes you different?"
"No," Marcus said. "The choices we make do."
Hayes raised his gun.
Cross turned toward him.
"Daniel, enough."
But Hayes ignored him.
"Your father thought he was different too. He thought he could walk away from the operation and expose everyone."
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
"Tell me what happened to him."
Hayes smiled.
"Your father was given a chance. He could have kept quiet. He could have protected his family. But he decided to play hero."
Marcus took a slow breath.
"Did you kill him?"
Hayes didn't answer.
That was enough.
Cross suddenly turned toward Hayes.
"Shut up."
Hayes looked at him.
"What?"
"I said shut up."
Marcus noticed the change in their expressions.
Cross was no longer confident.
He was afraid of what Hayes might reveal.
"Daniel," Cross said carefully. "Remember our agreement."
Hayes laughed.
"Your agreement?"
He turned toward Marcus.
"Do you know what happened after your father refused to cooperate?"
Cross moved forward.
"Don't."
Hayes continued.
"Cross arranged everything. He had people watching William. He knew where he lived. He knew when he left work. He knew when he visited the hospital."
Marcus felt his heartbeat accelerate.
"Keep talking."
Hayes looked directly at him.
"Your father was supposed to hand over the ledger. He refused. A few days later, his car went off the road."
Marcus's face became expressionless.
"Who was driving the other vehicle?"
Hayes looked toward Cross.
Cross shook his head.
"Don't say another word."
Hayes laughed.
"Why? You're not going to protect me anymore?"
For the first time, Marcus saw the relationship between the two men clearly.
They were not partners.
They were two criminals who had spent years using each other.
Cross had paid Hayes.
Hayes had protected Cross.
And now both understood that the other was a liability.
Suddenly, a loud voice came from the main entrance.
"FEDERAL AGENTS! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!"
Cross turned.
Hayes panicked.
He raised his gun toward the entrance.
Marcus moved.
A shot rang out.
The bullet struck a metal cabinet.
Hayes stumbled backward.
Cross ran toward the side exit.
Marcus rushed after him.
He reached the doorway just as Cross disappeared into the parking lot.
Outside, several vehicles were arriving.
Laura was among the people standing near the entrance.
"Marcus!"
She pointed toward a black car.
Cross was trying to reach it.
Marcus ran.
Cross opened the driver's door.
But before he could get inside, two federal agents surrounded him.
"Hands where we can see them!"
Cross stopped.
For several seconds, he stared at Marcus.