Gun in hand, I turn right and start to walk down the corridor to begin my search of the château. A door opens ahead of me and someone steps out into the corridor. There is nowhere I can go.
I am face to face with Annalise.
‘I did not expect you,’ she says as though I’m a surprise guest in her house and not an invader of it.
‘I’m sure you didn’t. Where is my sister?’ I say.
‘Of course. I should have known that you would throw away everything to come for her. How did you find us?’
‘You’re not as anonymous as you think you are,’ I say. ‘But when Neva’s source told us about this place, I knew you’d be here. This was your parents’ house wasn’t it?’
Annalise’s expression tells Michael all he needs to know about her parents even though she tries to hide her emotions under a frown.
‘Where is she?’ I say, pointing my Glock directly at her.
Annalise shakes her head.
A slow smile plays on her lips as she looks at me.
‘You won’t kill me, Michael. You had the chance when Subra had you under her control. I’ve brought Mia up to speed with who and what she is. I suspect she will be rather annoyed with you for keeping her in the dark. Especially when she takes over the Network.’
‘What are you talking about?’ I say. ‘Mia would never…’
‘I’ve made an alliance with her. If you’ve any sense, you’ll do the same,’ Annalise says.
I don’t want to believe her but there’s a nagging memory in the back of my head. Something that Beech had told me, months ago, in the English kill house. How only a Beech can take control of the Network. I hadn’t thought about it since. I’d been dealing with all the information my mind had had to absorb once I’d been activated and now, Annalise’s words take me back to that fateful conversation.
Beech was calm as he spoke those special words that made sure he had me fully in control.
‘You’re my heir, Michael,’ he said. ‘But, in the event that you are dead, or compromised, Mia will be activated. Now, let me warn you about Annalise…’
Beech’s words ring in my head as I watch Annalise. She’s going to try to blindside me. She wants to get to Neva, and I remember why. Neva can be compromised. Tracey and Annalise were working together and they’d really done a number on her. But how Beech had known all this, I couldn’t remember.
‘You have to kill Neva,’ Beech had said after he triggered me.
And I’d been going to, until the door opened and I’d come face to face with her. I couldn’t do it. I’d remembered too much. I knew she was the little girl that held my hand when I was scared and who shared this horrible experience with me. The connection we’d had from the beginning had led me to her over a year ago in a busy London street. I’d been there for her, just as she had been for me.
‘Where’s Neva?’ Annalise asks and the sharpness in her voice focuses me back on her.
‘She’s looking for Mia, and probably you too, to take her revenge on you,’ I say. ‘You deserve it for what you’ve done to her.’
‘She’s alone? Here?’ Annalise’s face shows concern as the assassin façade drops away.
‘Fleur,’ she says. ‘I have to find Fleur!’
‘You’re not going anywhere until I find Mia.’
‘Mia’s gone. She’s probably already on my jet flying back to London!’ Annalise says. ‘Look, we can deal with your hatred of me another time. I have to find my daughters.’
The reason for Annalise’s concern occurs to me: she’s worried that Neva will hurt her twin.
‘Don’t worry, I doubt Neva will kill her. It’s you she wants revenge on,’ I say.
Annalise’s irritation slips away as her eyes dart past me.
‘It’s Fae – Neva – I’m concerned for, not Fleur,’ she says.
‘Why would you care? You gave her away to be made into a murderer,’ I say.
‘You can judge me all you want when… Look, Michael. This is serious. You’ve been investigating some murders, haven’t you? The victims all looked like Neva, didn’t they?’
‘What do you know about that?’ I ask.
‘I don’t know, but I suspect… We have to find them both. Now!’
‘You’re really worried, aren’t you?’ I say.
Annalise hurries towards me and taken by the sincerity of her alarm, I let her pass me as she heads towards the stairs. She stops at the top, looking down the landing that Neva had taken.
‘Did she…?’
I nod.
‘How long have you been on the property?’ she says.
‘Why?’ I ask.
‘We don’t have time to lose,’ she says. ‘She’ll be vulnerable and that’s when Fleur will press her advantage.’
I hear rising hysteria now in her voice and it translates over to my already taut nerves. Despite myself I’m pulled along by it. I don’t know Annalise, but somehow I believe she really is worried. Whether that is for Neva or Fleur, I just don’t know. And it doesn’t really matter. It’s enough to make me concerned for Neva either way.
In a matter of seconds I have to decide what I’m going to do. Do I believe her that Mia is no longer here? Do I believe that Neva is in danger – and knowing how resilient Neva is, that one is hard to believe. Or do I just kill Annalise now and end this once and for all?
‘Lead on and don’t try anything stupid,’ I say. ‘I’ll have no problem shooting you.’
Annalise glares at me, then turns and hurries off down the corridor. I follow, keeping my gun trained on her and my finger on the trigger. The killer in me rears again. One false move and I will happily put a bullet in her.