“Get in the damn basement,” Tim shouted. “All of you. Now.”

With little more arguing, they all filed down the basement stairs. And opened the door. In they went, Robert, then Pru, then Edmund. Rachel paused at the door. Tim came up behind her. Still pointing the barrel of the gun at her. Even though it was an empty threat now. She knew it too.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Tim,” Rachel said, before going in.

Tim slammed the door behind her. He slid the lock and padlocked it.

“I’ve always known what I’m doing,” Tim shouted through the door. “And now it’s time to end this.”

Chapter Seventy-Two

The present...

Freezing cold.

Numb.

Blackness.

He couldn’t see much—bubbles racing past. His eyes stung.

He flailed around, felt the body next to him—Tim, doing the same. He pushed up against Tim and broke the surface of the water. He saw the faint light of the railway tunnel and the lamp. Salvation.

There was a ledge, the steps—they were close. Robin tried to push himself toward them but found himself being held back. Tim crested the water, and had grabbed Robin’s arm.

“You bastard,” Tim said. He pulled Robin back underwater. Robin got a mouthful of icy water and he spluttered, kicking out with his legs. They connected with Tim’s stomach and he was propelled backward, letting go of Robin’s arm.

Robin broke the water again. Tim came up too and grabbed at him again. Robin tried to move his arms out of the way but they were too slow. Tim got him again. “Who the hell do you think you are?” Tim said.

Robin ignored him, pushed at Tim’s face with his free hand. Tim screamed and relinquished his grip. Robin pushed off him and got an arm on the steps. Tim pulled him back into the water. Robin kicked him away and got back onto the step, onto dry land. The air was somehow colder than the water, attacking him and sending him into uncontrollable shivers.

Tim was still splashing around in the water.

He was suddenly aware that Amber was over him. And she wrenched him out of the water, so he was lying over the steps. “You’ve shown great promise, Robin. Great promise.”

Robin gasped, feeling the air attack his cold, drenched clothes. It was worse than being in the water. He straightened up. Tim was splashing around in the water. He was trying to grab the step.

“Kill him, Robin. He killed your wife. Become something better.” Amber’s voice in his ear.

Robin grabbed Tim, a little bit of hope in the man’s eyes, before he pushed him and held him underwater. Tim squirmed under his grip.

“That’s right, Robin. Ascend.”