Chapter 8 - Daniel Hale's House of LiesMarcus stared at the screen.
“Grandson?”
Daniel smiled.
“You heard me.”
Arthur looked devastated.
Clara stepped forward.
“Daniel.”
He turned toward her.
“Still alive?”
Clara's jaw tightened.
“Unfortunately for you.”
Daniel laughed.
“I survived because your family finally learned something.”
“What?”
“Never trust a body.”
Marcus looked at Arthur.
“How old is he?”
Arthur didn't answer.
Daniel continued.
“Marcus, your father lied to you. Your aunt lied to you. Your mother lied to you.”
He paused.
“But I never lied.”
Marcus almost laughed.
“You kidnapped my grandfather.”
“Your grandfather volunteered.”
Arthur shouted:
“Liar!”
Daniel smiled.
“You signed the agreement.”
Arthur looked away.
Marcus felt something twist inside him.
“What agreement?”
Daniel turned to Vincent.
“Show him.”
Vincent held up a document.
It was old.
Signed by Arthur.
Marcus couldn't read everything from the screen.
But he could see one phrase.
IN EXCHANGE FOR MARCUS CARROW'S SAFETY...
Arthur had signed something.
Marcus turned.
“Dad?”
Arthur said nothing.
Daniel's voice softened.
“Your father made a bargain.”
“To protect me.”
“Yes.”
“And what did he give you?”
Daniel's smile vanished.
“Control of Calder House.”
Marcus looked around the archive.
“Then why do you need Eli?”
Daniel leaned toward the camera.
“Because the bargain expired.”
“Why?”
“Because Arthur broke the terms.”
Marcus stared at his father.
“What terms?”
Arthur finally spoke.
“I promised them the archive.”
Marcus turned.
“Then why did you hide it?”
“Because I changed my mind.”
Daniel laughed.
“You stole from us.”
“You murdered my family.”
Daniel shrugged.
“Some of them.”
Marcus felt rage rise.
Arthur grabbed his shoulder.
“Don't let him provoke you.”
Daniel smiled again.
“You see? Even now, he's afraid.”
Marcus looked at the timer.
31:07.
“How do we stop the transmission?”
“You can't.”
Daniel looked pleased.
“Only Eli can.”
Marcus's blood ran cold.
“How?”
Daniel lifted a file.
“His fingerprint is the final authorization.”
Marcus understood.
The archive wasn't just keyed to Eli.
It was waiting for him.
Daniel continued.
“Bring the boy here.”
“No.”
“Then at zero, every secret leaves this house.”
Marcus stared at him.
“Good.”
Daniel laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
He pointed to the screen.
“Those files don't only expose criminals.”
He leaned closer.
“They expose you.”
Marcus froze.
Daniel opened another file.
A medical record.
Then a bank transfer.
Then a photograph.
Marcus saw his own name.
His own identity.
His own signature.
Documents he had never seen.
Daniel said:
“Your father used your name years ago to move money.”
Arthur shouted:
“I did it to protect him!”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
Marcus felt dizzy.
“You used my identity?”
Arthur looked down.
“I had no choice.”
“You put me inside the system.”
“So they couldn't erase you.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“What does that even mean?”
Arthur looked at the screen.
“If they believed you were already useful to them, they wouldn't kill you.”
Daniel smiled.
“And now you understand.”
Marcus looked at Eli.
His son was standing silently.
Too silently.
Then Eli said:
“Grandpa.”
Arthur looked at him.
“Why can I open the archive?”
Arthur stared at the boy.
“Because your grandmother made sure you could.”
“Why?”
Arthur's eyes filled with tears.
“Because one day she knew someone would need to decide what the truth was worth.”
Eli looked at the screen.
“Is that why they want me?”
Daniel smiled.
“Yes.”
Eli's expression changed.
Not fear.
Something colder.
He walked toward the screen.
“You said everyone would see the files.”
“Yes.”
“Then you are scared of them too.”
Daniel's smile vanished.
Eli continued.
“If the truth hurts everybody, why don't you stop it?”
Silence.
Marcus looked at his son.
Daniel's face hardened.
“Bring him to me.”
“No.”
Daniel turned to Vincent.
“Then take his father.”
The screen changed.
Arthur's face appeared.
A door opened behind him.
He had been captured again.
Marcus saw men dragging him away.
“Dad!”
Arthur shouted:
“Don't bring Eli!”
Then the screen went black.
The timer dropped.
24:59.
Clara grabbed Marcus.
“We need another route.”
“To where?”
She pointed deeper into the archive.
“There is one place Daniel never mentioned.”
“What?”
“The room your mother died trying to reach.”
Marcus stared.
“You know where it is?”
Clara nodded.
“Yes.”
“Where?”
She looked at Eli.
“Directly beneath the family portrait.”
A low mechanical groan shook the floor.
The archive walls began moving.
Shelves slid apart.
May you like
Behind them was a black staircase.
And at the bottom waited a single red door.
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