She managed to contain any scream within her but barely. She wasn't going to give him any satisfaction.
Michael came down and stood above her.
"I'd be very careful right now. I might be letting you off tonight, but it's not the end." He said in a weirdly soft tone as he moved a strand of hair off Claire's face. She struggled to get up, aching all over. "After all, my daughter-in-law deserves some special treatment."
Michael left without looking back leaving Claire on the floor behind him.
Claire let out a groan of pain at last. Her entire body was hurting from the fall. She wasn't sure if it was a win or a loss. It was mostly a win. She was still alive. For a little while longer.
Her phone started buzzing as she still lay on the floor. She grunted as she reached for her phone but she could barely move. She heard the door open down the hallway. Her heart stopped as she suspected it was Michael Moore coming back to kill her.
She closed her eyes dreading what was about to come.
"Jesus, Claire, are you okay?" A familiar voice but which she least expected sounded above her. She opened her eyes quickly and her gaze landed on friendly black eyes behind the glasses. She pushed herself to a seated position and with a grunt, she stood up when the front door swung open and Harry run in. He was out of breath, obviously rushing over.
"Mrs Thompson, are you okay? Our system was down for a little while. Also, we searched for him. He has no weapon on him and he said he knew you, plus he had an ID. I can remove him if you'd like."
"It's okay, Harry." Claire nodded as she looked back at the man beside her. "I know him." Harry nodded and left them alone. Claire looked at the new visitor suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"
"It's a long story." He helped her up and then they made their way to Claire's study.
"Is it about your design?"
"No."
"I'm not sure whether this is the best time." Claire said honestly as she tried to hide her pain. She entered her study and flopped in the chair. The university website was still open, painfully reminding her of her own nativity.
"Let me check you over." He said as he walked up and started quickly checking her legs and arms before Claire could even protest. "Only soft tissue damage. Nothing a few painkillers and cold compresses shouldn't solve."
"What are you doing here?" Claire asked again. "Is it Gabriel that you want?"
"He's in the States, isn't he?"
"How did you know?"
He sat down and smiled at Claire. His smile was charming, as always.
"I came to see you." He admitted as he looked around Claire's study. "That's a nice home office that you have here. It's exactly how I imagined your office. Although it's very different to your office at Diamond Corporate."
"Pierre." Claire looked at him in surprise and slight irritation due to her increasing impatience. He wasn't answering any of her questions.
Pierre took a slim wallet out of his pocket and slid it open across the desk. Claire looked at it in complete silence. "Since when are you working for National Crime Agency?"
"Since I've finished uni. I went straight to the academy and climbed up the ladder over the past few years." Pierre said with a smug smile.
"What about your company?"
"I'm using my dad's company as a cover-up. It's surprising what kind of places it can get me to without any suspicion. It's like being hidden in plain sight."
"So, National Crime Agency?"
"This is why I'm here. You're in danger."
"Well…" Claire gulped. "That's nothing new."
"And so are your family and friends." Claire stared at Pierre. "Look, we were looking into Michael Moore for years now. I was assigned to it a couple of months ago. We are on track with taking him down in the next few months, years at worst. We know what his company is doing and we know what he is doing. And we know what you did." He finally started explaining but his explanation wasn't sufficient. Claire felt that nothing made sense anymore.
"Me?"
"You've filed a lawsuit. You gathered evidence. You pissed him off."
"Yeah, something like that."
"He has a bounty on your head."
"A bounty?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"One million pounds."
"I wouldn't say that I'm worth that much." Claire sneered.
"You're obviously worth more than that. It's going to go up after the first hearing."
"I still don't understand why you're here."
"I'm here to propose a way to save your ass."
"What?"
"You can be protected by UK Protected Persons Service. We can arrange for you to be removed safely from all of this."
"What?" Claire repeated. "I can't just leave…" she gulped.
"Your husband?" Pierre asked as he raised his eyebrow.
"How do you know?" Claire struggled to hide her increasing surprise.
"I don't know. Maybe the marriage contract that was submitted to the city hall, or the shared ownership documentation, or your name change?" Pierre answered.
"How long did you know for?"
"Since a little bit after our first meeting. Something didn't feel right to me when you took a career break so I've started looking you up."
"You must understand my hesitation…"
"Not really. Your husband is in danger as well as your family." Pierre leaned over and took out some files from his briefcase, passing them to Claire. Claire opened the file and her heart stopped again.
"What is this?"
"Michael Moore is following all of them. Your husband, parents, uncle, aunt, cousins, and friends. Everyone that has any connection to you." Pierre said as Claire looked at printed pictures of everyone dear to her. Michael Moore outwitted her. He found her parents. But… the pictures of Gabriel in the file surprised her more.
"Why would he follow Gabriel?"
"The shooting…" Pierre took a deep breath. "The aim was actually Gabriel. You'll find the recording on the USB stick at the back of the folder that we've managed to obtain. Five hundred million pounds to shoot Gabriel Moore."
"Gabriel was a target?"
"Indeed."
"Why?"
"The intention wasn't to kill him but rather to have you blamed for it."
"But… he's his son…" Claire uttered before she reminded herself who she was dealing with.
"Look, Claire. We are looking into him ourselves. We are going to take him down. But… I need you to disappear."
"I don't really see that happening." Claire shook her head.
"I see. I hope your consciousness can hold the guilt of Gabriel's death." Pierre said with a sudden coldness. His words hit the spot. Claire looked terrified. She accepted her death. She couldn't accept Gabriel's death. He had nothing to do with it. He was tangled in this madness because of her.
A thought passed through her mind. Would he have ever married her if he knew of all of this? Would he have ever considered the marriage contract?
"Are you saying that if I do not disappear, he will kill his own son?" Claire raised her brow.
"I'd think about that carefully." Pierre said coldly. Claire watched him studiously, her heart breaking for Gabriel. His own father not having an ounce of care for his life. She didn't understand why or how. Her parents would give their lives for her without hesitation. She couldn't understand how there could be a parent so willing to hurt their own child to protect themselves.
"Do you think I can just disappear now? Do you think I can disappear from Gabriel's life without him tracking me down? Do you think he'll let me go?"
"I can help you with that."
"What do you suggest?"
"I can fake your death. No one will bother looking for you afterwards."
"Fake my death?"
"Think about it. If you die during the trial, Michael Moore will be the main suspect. He will not be able to lift a finger at anyone else as he will be watched like a hawk by every agency around. This will give my team time to deal with this mess and eventually, to get him to face justice. You don't need to sacrifice everything."
"But…"
"I understand that your husband, family and friends will not like it. But it's not a permanent solution. It is there to give me time."
"I need to think about it."
"Of course." Pierre nodded as he leaned back in the chair, opposite Claire's desk.
"How would you fake my death?" Claire asked in thought after a few moments of silence. Her curiosity peaked.
"I think it ought to be a slight spectacle to make sure that it gets televised and that Michael Moore is a prime suspect. Maybe fake shooting? Bombing? Or the easiest, car crash."
"And how will you pinpoint it onto Michael Moore?"
"The bounty. I'll make sure that the bounty is claimed."
"What?" Claire furrowed her brows.
"Let's presume that it's a fake car accident. We can make it look gruesome and awful and deadly. And then the driver who caused the car crash can claim the bounty."
"So, you get the money?"
"Actually, I wanted to offer you that we go 50:50." Pierre smiled mischievously. "You could use it to take care of your family and friends. And I could use the other half to protect the driver and his family, sending them off somewhere nice, for a long holiday."
"How do you fake a car accident?"
"The driver will be a professional who will hit you just enough to cause minor damage. You will take a paralytic beforehand and by the time of the car accident, it'll take an effect, so afterwards you will be unresponsive until it wears off. A fake ambulance will transfer you to the airport for a swift escape while everyone will be diverted into the hospital and they'll be informed of your death."
"And then?"
"Then, you'll be off somewhere far away, with a new identity and resources. Up until the moment Michael Moore is eliminated. And in here, I'll make sure that the play continues."
"Why are you interested in him?"
"He has a strong connection with organised crime."
"Mafia?"
"Indeed. What you've uncovered with your family is incredible, but there's much more. Entire Moore Pharmaceuticals is pretty much a cover for the mafia."
"And why do you want to help me?"
"We don't like people being killed. We can prevent your death."
"What about my family, and friends? What about Gabriel?"
"They'll be safe. I assure you of that. And if it appears that they are at risk, I'll send them somewhere far away too. This, of course, is a risky operation. You will have to lay low and not give a sign of life for weeks, months, maybe years."
"What about Gabriel? What if he continues the trial?"
"Do you think he will have the guts to stand against his father?"
"I do not know." Claire looked down at the photos of Gabriel showing a shadow behind him, someone following him. Michael Moore was willing to hurt his own son to get to her. There was no way for her to beat him without taking drastic steps.
"If he does, will it be of any reassurance if I promise that I'll aid him? Discreetly, of course." Pierre stood up and took the business card out. "Anyway, think about it. You have about a week to decide."
"And then?"
"I'll arrange for the show and your escape, or otherwise both you and Gabriel will be cold dead."
"I see." Claire went silent.
"Michael Moore has the plans for your murder already in motion. And more elaborate than him trying to scare you tonight. Gabriel is on the hit list too."
"I understand." Claire nodded.
"Call me with this when you're ready." Pierre took out a phone that was as far away from being a smartphone as it was possible. "And here, here is the current plan." He took out another file and passed it to her. "A car accident is currently the suggested method. Once you read, or maybe not, dispose of it. There must be no trail."
"Understood."
"I'll speak with you later, I suppose." Pierre smiled at her.
She walked Pierre to the door feeling absolute dread about what was to come.
She lay down and thought about it carefully scrapping her plans for further education and starting her own company. Scrapping all of her plans at once.
She took the painkillers and waited.