uly 16, 2026 – Beneath the Hudson River Underwater Capsule 05:45 AM
The entire capsule jolted as it got caught in Thomas's massive net. Thomas was winching us up, straight into his embrace. While Sena—the leader of the Broken Sword group—panicked and tried to stabilize the systems, I caught Ivy's hand reaching into Natalia's pocket.
"Stop!" I roared. When I grabbed Ivy's wrist, I saw a small medicine vial belonging to Natalia in her fingers.
Ivy looked at me, her eyes more honest and fearful than ever before. "Michael, Natalia is dying! I can't stop the bleeding in her leg; I was just trying to give her that special coagulant left over from The Alchemist!"
I let go of her wrist. For a moment, I had thought she was up to another betrayal, but for the first time since Chicago, Ivy was actually trying to help.
Sena slammed her helmet onto the table. "Listen to me, Michael! When Thomas pulls us up, it's all over. Give me that notebook. If I have it, Thomas will target me; you can escape in the chaos. The last thing your father taught me was to protect you at any cost."
I looked at Sena. Why was this woman, who claimed to be from my father's "real" unit, willing to sacrifice her life for us? Or was she just another hunter after the notebook?
"The notebook stays with me," I said, clutching the bag tighter. "The day Thomas buried that bullet next to my heart, he made this war personal. I won't entrust it to anyone."
At that exact moment, the capsule breached the surface. As the hatch hissed open, we found ourselves facing the unburnt main deck of 'The Leviathan' and a waiting Thomas Hale. We were surrounded by dozens of gun barrels.
Thomas stood there with a white towel, like a victor in a stadium. "Welcome home, children. Michael, hand over the bag and your sister. Look, Elara is waking up. And believe me, the only thing she wants in this world right now is the little 'comfort' her uncle can provide."
Elara opened her eyes. With trembling hands, she tried to reach toward Thomas. "Please..." she whispered. "Uncle... it hurts so much."
That voice hurt more than the bullet in my chest. Natalia was wounded, Elara was addicted, and Ivy was helpless. I looked at the notebook in my hand—the piece of paper that was evidence of billions of dollars and thousands of murders.
I had made my decision.