July 16, 2026 – Deck of 'The Leviathan' 04:55 AM
As the heat of the flames licked my face, I focused on Elara standing on the upper balcony. Ivy's warning rang in my ears: "Look at what Elara is holding!" My sister was clutching a silver box; the red light on top of it flickered in sync with the C4 charges planted throughout the ship.
Thomas placed his hand on Elara's shoulder. "Don't get any closer, Michael. Elara isn't just my niece anymore; she's my most loyal disciple. Right, sweetheart?"
Elara didn't respond. Her gaze was so vacant, so distant, that for a moment I questioned if she was even truly there. I took another step, and as the light hit her, I saw the truth in all its naked horror. The bruises on Elara's wrists weren't just from handcuffs; the tiny, fresh punctures over her veins... Natalia had been wrong. This wasn't just a sedative.
Thomas had turned my sister into a heroin addict.
I felt a sudden, electric surge in my heart. My breath caught for a second; it was as if a part of my chest was responding to a frequency from the outside world. The only inheritance left by my father was this endless pain.
"What... what did you do to her?" My voice trembled with rage and terror. "She is your blood too, Thomas! You bound her to yourself with a poison?"
Thomas laughed, his voice drowning out the crackling of the burning ship. "Don't call it poison, Michael; call it 'loyalty.' Elara is the happiest person in the world right now. And guess what? If she drops that box, her body will be deprived of the bliss it craves. You can't take her from me, because I'm the only one who can give her what she needs now."
Michael raised the black leather notebook. "The notebook is here, Thomas! Let Elara go, take the book, and leave! If you blow up this ship, billions of dollars will turn to ash!"
"The billions are already laundered, Michael," Thomas said, narrowing his eyes. "This ship is only meant to be a grave for you and your past. Elara! Is it time to press the button?"
Elara's finger slid toward the black button on the box. There was no fear in her eyes; only the impatience of an addict waiting for their next "reward."