Penance - Uncovering the truth, Secrets and confessions, and Twisted pasts

Chapter 76

"I've manipulated contracts, hidden my involvement in illicit activities, and played all the angles to my advantage." There was a hint of pride in Mason's tone from the recording. "Life is a game, and like any game, you can cheat if you're clever enough."

Gabriel clicked the recording device off and slid it back into his jacket pocket. "Mason, you may have played the game well, but remember, we're professional detectives. We don't play games; we solve them." Then Gabriel looked down at his watch. "The police will be on their way. I'd say you have about 10, maybe 15 minutes at most before they arrive," he informed them.

Mason went quiet and still, his thoughts racing as he considered his choices. The expression on his face hinted that even with his powerful allies and connections that ran deep within the system, their evidence against him was substantial.

Check mate, Grayson thought. Game Over.

Cora lowered her gun as the sounds of footsteps echoed from the other end of the hall. She assumed it was the police and taunted Mason, "Well, it seems they've arrived sooner than we thought."But her tone didn't sound the slightest convinced.

Meanwhile, Grayson kept a close eye on Mason, trying to figure out what he was thinking. He was sure that Mason was up to something, and the sly chuckle that escaped Mason's lips confirmed his suspicion that something wasn't right.

The footsteps grew louder, but strangely, they seemed to belong to a single person. Why would a police officer run through the corridors alone at night, and what had happened to Mason's 30 armed men outside?

The footsteps grew nearer, almost reaching them. Then, as if Mason had made up his mind, he spoke, "If I can't have Alison, then nobody will."

Instantly, Grayson understood  the chilling intent behind Mason's actions. He was going to shoot Alison.  It didn't take long for the others to realize it too. But would Mason really go through with it?

Grayson urged himself to move, to do something, to prevent whatever terrible plan Mason had in mind. But time seemed to slow down around him as he watched the gun slowly shift toward Alison.

Gabriel and Cora shouted in desperation, stretching out their hands in a desperate bid to block the lethal bullet aimed at Alison.

Grayson's heart skipped a beat as he stole a fleeting glance at Alison's face. Normally, Alison had always been one to face danger with a stoic indifference, as if life meant nothing to her, but her expression now told a different story. In her eyes, he saw a glimmer of something he hadn't seen in her before: a longing to live, a yearning for a future she hadn't dared to hope for. The world around him seemed to slow down as he watched the gun inching closer to her, threatening to extinguish the newfound spark of life in her eyes.

MOVE! His inner voice screamed at him. MOVE!

Still, time itself seemed to drag as he watched in agonizing detail the gun's deliberate shift toward Alison.

He had to act, not only for Alison but also for his own sake. He couldn't bear to see someone he cared about suffer or face death once more. MOVE! DAMMIT, MOVE!

Looking at her now, Alison was a friend, a partner in crime, a lover he wasn't entirely sure about, a sisterly figure, she was everything. Whatever she was to him, she was something worth fighting for, and whether it was his own desire or his Hawthorne persona taking control, he was determined to find out what that something truly meant.

It was as if a switch had been flipped inside Grayson, like a fire ignited within him. With every ounce of strength, he launched himself towards Mason, just as the gun lined up with Alison. Grayson's outstretched hand came agonizingly close to the weapon, but it was a fraction of a second too late.

The corridor rang with the deafening gunshot, echoing through the night. Grayson crashed into Mason, pinning him to the ground, his grip unyielding on Mason's firearm. Silent tears streamed down Mason's cheek as he closed his eyes, and when he finally reopened them, it was as if the last remnants of his humanity had faded into darkness.

Anger surged through Grayson, his breath coming in heavy gasps. He clamped down on Mason's wrists harder than necessary until they turned white. Failure, a familiar and painful companion, once again loomed over his life.

He couldn't bring himself to look at Alison, his eyes remaining locked on Mason's defeated gaze. His own eyes burned, and he fought fiercely to hold back the tears that threatened to spill.

The game was over. No one had won; no one had lost. It was simply over. His mind raced through memories and regrets, engulfing him in self-blame. It was too late to protect Alison, to ensure she lived to see another day. And it was all Grayson's fault...

As Grayson grappled with his failure, a fragile voice pierced the heavy silence of the corridor. It was Alison, her voice quivering yet filled with life, and her next words took him by surprise as she simply uttered, "Hudson?"