Neither spoke.
Then Daniel whispered:
“You shouldn't have come.”
Samuel laughed once.
“I've heard that before.”
Brothers
Daniel crossed the room.
For a moment, Samuel thought his brother might strike him.
Instead, Daniel hugged him.
Samuel closed his eyes.
Six years of anger disappeared in a single breath.
“You were alive.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you come home?”
“I couldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because they had Lily.”
Samuel pulled away.
“Who?”
Daniel looked toward Harlan.
“Your daughter.”
Samuel froze.
His daughter had been missing for six years.
Everyone had told him she died.
Daniel whispered:
“She is alive.”
Samuel could barely breathe.
“Where?”
Harlan smiled.
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“You'll find out.”
Samuel aimed his gun.
“Tell me.”
Harlan shook his head.
“You always were impatient.”
Daniel stepped between them.
“Don't.”
Samuel looked at his brother.
“What happened?”
Daniel explained.
After Mary died, he discovered the Iron Circle.
He infiltrated them.
He learned that Samuel's father was one of its founders.
“I couldn't believe it,” Daniel said.
Samuel looked at Harlan.
“Why?”
Harlan answered.
“Because power protects families.”
“You murdered people.”
“Some people had to disappear.”
“You murdered Mary.”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Harlan looked at Daniel.
“Ask him.”
Samuel turned.
Daniel's face collapsed.
“Mary discovered what I was doing.”
Samuel stared.
“You?”
“I was undercover.”
“You were working with them?”
“To destroy them.”
Samuel shook his head.
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I had no choice.”
“You had six years.”
“I spent six years keeping your daughter alive.”
Samuel's anger faltered.
“What?”
Daniel continued.
“The Circle took Lily because they wanted leverage over you.”
“And you?”
“I made a deal.”
Samuel's voice cracked.
“What deal?”
“My life for hers.”
Harlan interrupted.
“Your brother has been very useful.”
Samuel looked at his father.
“You're a monster.”
Harlan smiled.
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I'm a survivor.”
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Daniel pushed Samuel down.
Anna fired into the darkness.
Someone screamed.
When the lights returned, Harlan was gone.
So was Lily's photograph.
Daniel stood breathing heavily.
“They took her.”
Samuel looked at him.
“Who?”
Daniel pointed toward the tunnel.
“Crowe.”
They ran.
The tunnel led beneath the courthouse and toward the old railway.
A train waited.
Steam rose into the freezing night.
Samuel saw a figure through one of the windows.
A little girl.
Eleven years old.
Dark hair.
A red scarf.
She looked directly at him.
“Lily!”
The train began moving.
Samuel ran.
Daniel grabbed his arm.
“You can't catch it.”
Samuel pulled free.
“I have to.”
The train accelerated.
Samuel reached for the last carriage.
His fingers caught the railing.
He pulled himself up.
Daniel watched from the platform.
Anna shouted:
“Samuel!”
He looked back.
“Get Daniel to safety!”
Then the train disappeared into the snow.
The Last Train
Samuel climbed through the carriage.
Two guards attacked him.
The first swung a rifle.
Samuel ducked.
The second grabbed him.
Samuel drove his elbow into the man's ribs.
The guard fell.
Samuel ran toward the front.
He found Lily sitting alone.