Chapter 2 - Adrian tore through the bedroom.The curtains snapped in the wind.
Rain had begun hitting the glass.
There was no sign of Olivia, Sophie, or Nora.
“No.”
He checked beneath the beds.
Inside the bathroom.
Behind the wardrobe.
Nothing.
Then he noticed the floor.
Three small footprints.
Wet.
Leading toward the wall.
Adrian followed them.
They disappeared beside an antique bookshelf.
He pushed it.
Nothing.
He pushed harder.
The shelf moved half an inch.
A hidden mechanism clicked.
The entire unit swung inward.
Adrian stared into a narrow passage.
Someone had built a tunnel inside his house.
A tunnel leading somewhere beneath the mansion.
He drew his gun and stepped inside.
The walls smelled of dust and damp concrete.
Behind him, Elena appeared.
“Adrian.”
He turned.
“How long?”
“What?”
“How long has this passage been here?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I swear.”
A small sound came from deeper inside.
A child's voice.
“Daddy?”
Adrian moved instantly.
“Nora!”
He ran.
The tunnel opened into a hidden room.
His daughters were there.
Olivia stood in front of Sophie and Nora.
A wooden chair had been placed against the door.
And Victor's gun was lying on the floor.
Adrian lowered his weapon slightly.
“Where is Victor?”
Olivia pointed behind him.
Adrian turned.
Nothing.
Then Sophie whispered, “He went through the red door.”
Adrian looked around.
There were two doors.
One black.
One red.
The red door was slightly open.
He approached it.
“Stay here.”
Elena grabbed his arm.
“No.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What?”
“You don't know what's behind that door.”
“Neither do you.”
“I've seen it.”
Her voice broke.
Adrian stared.
“What have you seen?”
Elena looked at the girls.
Then back at him.
“Your wife's room.”
Adrian's heart stopped.
“Evelyn?”
“She left something there.”
Adrian opened the door.
Inside was a small office.
No dust.
No cobwebs.
Someone had been using it.
A desk stood against the wall.
On it sat photographs.
Photographs of Adrian.
Photographs of the girls.
Photographs of Evelyn.
Some were taken years ago.
Others were recent.
One showed Adrian sleeping.
Another showed the girls playing in the garden.
A third showed Elena entering the house.
Pinned at the center was a photograph of Victor.
Under it were four words.
HE KNOWS ABOUT HER.
Adrian stared.
“About who?”
Elena didn't answer.
He turned the photograph over.
Written on the back:
SHE ISN'T DEAD.
His hands went cold.
“Evelyn.”
Elena nodded.
Adrian stared at the words.
“That's impossible.”
“I thought so too.”
“Who wrote this?”
“I don't know.”
He searched the desk.
Inside the first drawer was a key.
Inside the second was a stack of bank statements.
Inside the third was a cassette tape.
Adrian frowned.
Beside it sat a note.
PLAY AFTER THEY SLEEP.
His eyes lifted toward the girls.
Then a noise came from the corridor.
Footsteps.
Victor.
Adrian rushed outside.
“Victor!”
No answer.
He reached the tunnel.
A door slammed.
Adrian fired once toward the ceiling.
“Stop!”
The footsteps vanished.
When he returned, Elena was holding something.
The memory card.
“I found this under the desk.”
Adrian inserted it into the tablet.
One file.
VIDEO_0314.
He opened it.
Static.
Then Evelyn appeared.
Alive.
Sitting behind the same desk.
Adrian couldn't breathe.
She looked directly at the camera.
“Adrian, if you're watching this, something has gone terribly wrong.”
He froze.
“Do not trust Victor Dane.”
Elena covered her mouth.
Evelyn continued.
“He knows I discovered the accounts.”
Adrian whispered, “What accounts?”
Evelyn looked frightened.
“I found payments made through Vale Security to companies that don't exist.”
She leaned closer.
“Someone has been using your company to move money.”
Then her voice lowered.
“And that person has access to the children.”
Adrian's eyes hardened.
“What happened to you?”
Evelyn looked toward the door.
“I made copies.”
A sound came from somewhere behind her.
She turned.
Someone entered the room.
Only a shoulder appeared on camera.
A black watch.
Nora's description.
Evelyn looked back.
“Adrian, listen to me.”
Her voice shook.
“If I disappear, it wasn't suicide.”
The video glitched.
Then Evelyn whispered:
“And don't let them take the girls to Saint Martha's.”
The screen went black.
Adrian stared at the tablet.
“Saint Martha's?”
Elena nodded slowly.
“A children's treatment center.”
“Why would Evelyn mention it?”
Before Elena could answer, Adrian's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Silence.
Then a man's voice.
“You should have stayed away.”
Adrian tightened his jaw.
“Where are my daughters?”
A low laugh.
“They're safe.”
“I'll kill you.”
“That's why your wife died.”
Adrian went still.
“What did you say?”
The call ended.
A notification appeared.
Three photos.
Olivia.
Sophie.
Nora.
All three were sitting in a car.
And the final photo showed the vehicle heading down an unfamiliar road.
Adrian zoomed in.
The road sign was barely visible.
SAINT MARTHA'S CHILDREN'S CENTER.
Then another message appeared.
YOU HAVE ONE HOUR.
GET THERE ALONE.
Adrian looked at Elena.
She was crying.
“What?” he asked.
She whispered:
“Adrian…”
He turned.
Behind her stood Nora.
She was staring at the photograph.
“No.”
“What?”
Nora shook her head.
“That isn't where they take us.”
Adrian crouched.
“Then where?”
May you like
Nora looked at him.
“They take us underneath it.”
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