Vespers Rising (The 39 Clues #11)(11)

“Work with me,” Vesper said. “We can both benefit. When I am the most powerful man in the world, you will have every resource at your disposal for your projects. You can eradicate the Black Death, as you’ve always dreamed.”

“And see the world crushed under your boots? No thank you.”

“Your family … I can keep them safe, Gideon. But if you oppose me —”

“Do not threaten them again,” Gideon growled. “They know nothing of my work, and I’ll never let you use them as hostages to force my cooperation. I would rather die.”

“I do not believe you,” Vesper said coldly. “We will take your research. Step aside, and we will spare you.”

He’s lying, Gideon realized. Damien had come to the same conclusion as he: They were now archenemies. One of them must die. If the lab was intact, Damien was more than capable of understanding the serum notes. He had no need of Gideon. He would simply take what he wanted.

Whatever happened, Gideon was doomed. Even if he survived this night, he would never have time to perfect the master serum. The flawed mixture in his veins was already destroying him. The only thing left was to make his death count — to buy his family a chance at survival and to thwart Damien Vesper’s plans.

He prayed that Luke had gotten the family safely out of the house. If they could make it to the boats, they had a chance. Someday, they might be able to reconstruct his research and finish the master serum.

So many things undone, so many possibilities crushed. Gideon would not see his children again in this life, nor would he be able to give the ring to Olivia. He could only hope that the ring would be buried with him, and his family would live.

“I have wasted enough time with you,” Vesper snarled. “I will wait outside. Balthazar, Craven, I will count to sixty. At the end of that time, I expect Gideon Cahill lying at my feet — dead or alive, I don’t care which. And do not let him damage anything in this laboratory.”

Vesper swept out of the room.

Balthazar and Craven both stepped forward.

“Do not,” Gideon warned them. “Vesper left because he knows you may die. Leave now. I have no wish to kill you.”

Craven made grunting sounds like a pig — possibly his way of laughing. Balthazar sneered and raised his sword.

I’m sorry, Olivia, Gideon thought. God protect my family.

Gideon thrust the fuse into the burner. Lines of fire raced through the dark laboratory, and the world exploded around him.

Luke almost believed they would make it.

He’d managed to rouse his mother and siblings from their sleep and herd them from the house, telling them that Father had ordered them not to wait for him. Luke’s tone was so insistent, so earnest, that not even his mother hesitated.

They’d followed Luke toward the cove, stumbling along in the dark, clutching their parcels of secrets and whatever other bags they could easily carry.

Halfway to the boats, they heard the explosion.

They all turned, their faces suddenly awash in red light from the distant fireball. Mother let out a sob of horror.

“Keep going!” Luke shouted. His heart was as heavy as iron. He knew exactly what had happened, but he could not let his father’s sacrifice be in vain. He had to save his family.

“Father!” Katherine screamed.

She dropped her bags and ran for the house, but Luke grabbed her arms. “Stop it!” he cried. “You can’t help him!”

Mother was already running. Thomas — the stupid oaf — shoved Luke aside, and he and Katherine raced after her.

Only Jane stood still, staring at the distant flames as if trying to understand who had painted them. “Luke … wh-where is Papa?”

At that moment, Luke felt ten years old himself. He wanted to weep. He wanted to scream in rage and frustration. But he had no choice. He had to be the adult now.

“It will be all right.” He took Jane’s hand. “I’ll protect you. But first, come. We must help the others.” Together, they followed their family back toward the house.

The fire was too intense for them to get close. White-hot flames danced across the timbers and ate through the walls like cocoon silk. Thomas tried to charge in, but Katherine and Olivia pulled him back.

“We must get help!” Katherine screamed. “Thomas, run to Lord Vesper.”

“No!” Luke said. “Vesper was here, Katherine. This is his doing!”

Mother fell to her knees and wept. Jane hid under the dining table, which still sat in the garden. She hugged one of the table legs as if it were the mast of an unsteady ship.

Thomas stormed toward Luke. His face was blackened with soot, and his tears made red lines down his cheeks like ancient Celtic war paint. He may have been only thirteen, but the look in his eyes made Luke take a step back. Luke hated himself for feeling afraid, but his younger brother had always intimidated him.

“You’re lying!” Thomas yelled. “You got us out of the house. You knew this would happen!”

“No, I — I suspected,” Luke said, “but Father’s orders —”

Thomas pushed him to the ground. “We could’ve helped him! You led us away and let Father die! Perhaps you started the fire!”

Luke felt as if the flames were inside him now, eating through his skin, consuming him with anger. The ringing in his ears, which had started as soon as he took his portion of the serum, became louder.