July 16, 2026 – Main Deck of 'The Leviathan' 06:00 AM
The sun had fully risen, but the thick layer of smoke over the Hudson River still painted the sky grey. On the massive deck of the ship, I was the target of dozens of gun barrels. Behind me was Natalia's heavy breathing, beside me was Ivy on her knees, and right in front of me... the man who built my entire life on a lie: Thomas Hale.
"Give me the notebook, Michael," Thomas said, his voice a mix of fatherly affection and an executioner's coldness. "Look, Elara can't hold on much longer. I'm the only one who can give her what she needs. Didn't you want to save her?"
Elara was at Thomas's feet, clutching his jacket with trembling hands. "Please... Uncle... I don't want to die," she whispered.
At that moment, I felt the bullet in my chest shift another millimeter toward my heart. A sharp pain radiated through my entire body. I reached into my bag and pulled out the black leather notebook. Thomas's eyes gleamed like a hungry wolf's.
"This notebook," I said, my voice steady despite everything. "Inside are all your pasts, all your fake identities, and the trace of every cent you laundered. But most importantly, it records how my father cornered you with this book. You didn't kill him for the notebook, Thomas; you killed him because of that bullet you fired into Michael's chest."
Thomas smiled. "Richard was always too emotional. Like you... But look, you're going to give me that notebook. Because you can't be a hero, Michael; you're just a brother who loves his sister."
I held the notebook up. "Give me Elara. Let Ivy and Natalia leave this ship. The notebook is yours."
Thomas raised his hand, signaling his men to lower their weapons. "Very well. A trade. Family comes before everything."
I took a step toward Elara. But just then, Natalia whispered from behind me: "Michael, watch the bullet... look at his eyes."
In Thomas's eyes, there wasn't a spark of victory, but a desire for annihilation. I knew the moment I threw that notebook, we wouldn't make it off this ship with Elara. Thomas was determined to bury us at the bottom of the Hudson along with this vessel.
I didn't throw the notebook. Instead, I activated the small, high-frequency signal jammer that The Alchemist had given me, hidden between the pages.