Chapter 13 - The Men Wearing My Father's WatchThe masked men moved with military precision.
Two covered the windows.
One blocked the hallway.
Another went straight for Lily.
I grabbed her.
Marcus fired.
The masked man ducked.
Then the room filled with smoke.
I couldn't see.
I could barely breathe.
Someone grabbed my shoulder.
I swung.
The person blocked my strike.
Then whispered:
“James.”
I froze.
The voice was familiar.
Impossible.
My mother.
No.
That was impossible.
My mother had died sixteen years ago.
But the figure removed the mask.
It wasn't her.
It was a man.
Older.
Scarred.
Wearing my father's watch.
“My name is Michael.”
“Who are you?”
“Your father's partner.”
My heart pounded.
“My father had a partner?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
Michael looked at me.
“Alive.”
The room seemed to tilt.
My father.
Alive.
I couldn't speak.
Michael continued.
“Your parents discovered Black Compass.”
“They were killed.”
“No.”
“Then why did we believe they died?”
“Because they wanted you safe.”
I stared at him.
“Where are they?”
Michael looked toward Sarah.
“She knows.”
Sarah shook her head.
“I only remember fragments.”
Michael stepped closer.
“Your mother was moved to a protected facility.”
“And my father?”
“Captured.”
“By Edward?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Michael's expression darkened.
“He disappeared.”
Edward rose from the floor.
Blood ran down his forehead.
“You believe him?”
Michael turned.
Edward smiled.
“Your father's partner?”
He laughed.
“Your father never trusted him.”
Michael's face hardened.
“That was before.”
“Before what?”
“Before your father discovered you.”
I frowned.
“Discovered me?”
Michael looked at Lily.
Then at me.
“Your grandfather had another plan.”
“What plan?”
“To protect the bloodline.”
Edward stepped forward.
“Stop.”
Michael ignored him.
“Your father wasn't protecting the archive.”
He pointed at Lily.
“He was protecting her.”
I looked at my niece.
“Why?”
“Because Lily is the only living person whose DNA matches the original encryption.”
I stared.
“This is insane.”
“No.”
Michael looked at me.
“It is worse than insane.”
He pulled a photograph from his pocket.
A laboratory.
A child.
Lily.
She was only three years old.
And standing behind her was Emily.
But there was someone else.
A woman in a white coat.
Sarah whispered:
“That's Dr. Helen Carter.”
I frowned.
“Who is that?”
Michael answered.
“Your mother.”
I couldn't breathe.
My mother wasn't dead.
She had been alive.
All these years.
And she had been part of the experiment that turned Lily into the key.
Then the room shook again.
Edward shouted:
“Get them out!”
The ceiling cracked.
Smoke filled the room.
Michael grabbed Lily.
“Move!”
We ran toward the basement.
But before I escaped, I looked back.
Edward stood among the smoke.
And he was smiling.
May you like
Because he wasn't trying to stop us.
He was following.
