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Chapters (60)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. Acknowledgements
  59. About the author
  60. Copyright

‘Suffering fate. One day I was on top of a rock overlooking a valley searching for Martin when I slipped and fell down an embankment. A long way down. I got to the bottom still conscious but with an ankle twisted badly enough that I couldn’t climb out of there. So I lay at the bottom, the sky and the trees around me unmoved by my suffering. I got to wondering if this was what happened to my brother all those years ago, waiting to die, lost and alone. I thought I should feel at peace, but I still felt unfulfilled, as if there was something I had to achieve before the end. So after an hour or so I found a sturdy branch and hobbled up the incline back to the cabin. I spent the next long, cold month stuck in there, out of supplies within two weeks, shivering to sleep at night and starving to death during the day. I wondered if my fate was to die up there but again, the peace that I thought should have been forthcoming didn’t arrive. So I picked a day to live or die. I managed to hobble back to the car and drove to Port Hedland. To hospital.’

‘So you survived,’ said Chandler. ‘Fate didn’t take you. Shouldn’t you be glad? Shouldn’t you want to help people, not hurt them?’

‘Why? No one helped me. I tested my fate, others can test theirs.’

‘Not two kids.’

‘And they won’t have to. You will take the test for them.’

‘But then I am deciding Heath’s fate.’

‘No,’ said Gabriel. ‘You are only handing him over. His fate is decided after.’

Chandler shook his head slowly. ‘Why did you come back after you escaped from the hotel?’

Gabriel smiled. ‘To see if you would recognize me now. Or maybe, somewhere deep down, I was looking to be caught. I also prefer to finish what I start. It’s cleansing. But what do you know about finishing what you start?’

Chandler had nothing in response. The overwhelming silence hung for a few seconds before Gabriel continued. ‘But I’m prepared to give you one last chance. Bring Heath to me or else I’m afraid I’ll have no choice.’

To make his point Gabriel raised the gun and pointed it at Chandler’s head. ‘I’ve already killed one Sarah. A nice girl, quite flirty as I recall. Let’s see if fate’s still on Heath’s side or your daughter’s.’