Page 11 of Apocalypse
Bastian looked at the others and asked, “Is he all you found at the compound?”
Palamedes shook his head then reached into his pack and brought out a wad of papers he’d tucked away.“I found these in the guard’s house.I haven’t had a chance to look at them yet but I brought them with us.”
Bastian nodded and motioned everyone to come inside.“Let's go in and figure this out.Maybe this will help us unravel this mess.”
Bane didn’t say a word as he turned and stomped back into the mansion.He snarled at James and growled under his breath, “This is so fucking ridiculous.”
James looked at him then looked at Conrad and whispered back, “We need to check this out, there was no record of any twin.Just Devon.I don’t get it.”
“Find out for me, James.I feel like this joker might be playing us and I need to know why.”
James nodded.“You got it, big guy.”Turning away, he went back to his laptop.He began typing commands and dug deep into the dark web.
“Come on Mr.Winters, have a seat and explain how this happened.”Bastian motioned to the couch.
Conrad paused and asked, “Is it okay for my dog to sit with me?I mean this place is awfully elegant.”
Bastian smiled.“He looks pretty well behaved.”
Conrad smiled as he nodded.“Yes, I trained him myself.This dog saved my sanity.He was a blessing for sure, I will tell ya that.I had him for company for the last six years at least.”
“God works in ways we cannot conceive,” Bastian said.
Sitting down on the sofa, Conrad stared at him.“Been a long time since I heard anyone talk like that.Are you a religious man?”He stared at Bastian.
“In a way, yes.”
For the entire time they talked, James went from site to site and when he finished he felt like he needed a shower.His research was anything but uplifting.He printed off several pages and stood from his chair.Heading to the printer, he collected the pages and silently handed them to Bane.
Bane skimmed the pages quickly and growled as he turned to hand them to Bastian.Then he glared at Conrad.He then went over to the hutch and grabbed a photo there then brought it back to show it to Conrad.“Who is this man with Devon?”
Conrad frowned and studied the photo for a long moment then pointed at the man that could have been him.“This is my brother Hudson but I don’t know the other two men.Hudson has had me locked up for fifteen years.”
“That’s you isn’t it?”Bane questioned.
Conrad shook his head.“No sir, it is not.”He pointed at the photo and said, “Look, Hudson has a scar on his neck and I don’t.He always told me that someone tried to slit his throat when a deal went wrong.”He angled his neck and motioned for Bane to look.“I don’t have that scar but Hudson did.”
Bane grabbed his jaw and turned his neck so he could study it.When he found the scar just wasn’t there like it was in the photo he had to admit he was wrong.“Ok, I’ll give you that, but why can’t we find a birth certificate on Hudson then?Tell me that.”He growled.
Conrad sighed hard.“Try looking under the name Hudson Roberts.Why she named me after our dad and gave him her last name is beyond me.Maybe she realized he was a rotten egg since the day he was born.”
“Why would she do that?’Bastian asked.
“She was disappointed in me as she always told me I had no flair.I never got into trouble and I was working since I was sixteen but she didn’t care.She only sided with Hudson because she wanted him to make it big so she could ride his coattails to glory.But by the time Hudson dropped out of school, she was really pissed.He blew through her money and most of her dad’s money as well.I wanted nothing to do with either of them as I began establishing my own personality and business.He waited until I reached close to the top of my own little niche before he made his move.He invited me back home again to talk but then he drugged me and carried me off to that compound where he kept me prisoner for fifteen years.”
Bane looked at James and said, “Look under Hudson Roberts.”
James went back to his laptop and typed in a command.He arched a brow at the report that came up and then he looked at Bane and nodded.
Bane glared at James then looked at Conrad.“Your mother was crazy wasn’t she?”
Conrad snorted.“You have no idea sir, no fuckin idea at all.”
“I probably have a good idea, believe me.Did you know your grandparents died five years ago in a car accident that turned out to be no accident at all?”Bane informed him.“They haven’t found the other driver yet but it's still an open case.”
“Another crime you can hang on Hudson’s shoulders.He wanted their property for his headquarters, I’m sure.”
Faith nodded.“He did and he developed it as such.Too bad for him it all went up in smoke and rubble after he died.”
