Chapter 14 - Emily's Last SecretThe basement tunnel led beneath the property.
It connected to an old drainage system.
We ran for nearly twenty minutes.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, Michael stopped.
“We can rest here.”
I rounded on him.
“Tell me everything.”
He sighed.
“Your parents were recruited by your grandfather.”
“For Black Compass?”
“At first.”
“Then?”
“They discovered he was collecting evidence on people your family considered dangerous.”
“And they opposed him.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did my mother work with him?”
Michael looked at Lily.
“Because she discovered something.”
“What?”
“The archive was being used to manipulate elections, corporate takeovers and criminal investigations.”
I felt sick.
“And Lily?”
“She was born with a rare genetic mutation.”
“What does that have to do with the archive?”
“The original encryption was biological.”
I stared.
“What does that even mean?”
“The access key wasn't a password.”
Michael tapped his chest.
“It was encoded into DNA.”
Lily didn't understand.
Neither did I.
Michael explained that my grandfather had worked with a team of scientists to create an encryption system impossible to steal digitally.
Instead of a password, it required a specific genetic sequence.
Emily gave birth to Lily.
And everything changed.
Because Lily carried it naturally.
Then Emily discovered Black Compass planned to use Lily as a permanent biological key.
She tried to escape.
Ryan intercepted her.
That was the beginning.
“But Emily survived.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she now?”
Michael looked away.
“She escaped before the wedding.”
I stared.
“What?”
“She arranged the appearance at the wedding.”
“That was her?”
“Yes.”
“But she was taken again.”
Michael nodded.
“Because she wanted you to follow her.”
“Why?”
“She knew you needed to see the truth.”
I couldn't believe it.
My sister had planned the wedding confrontation.
She had gambled everything on me appearing.
Then Marcus interrupted.
“We have another problem.”
“What?”
“Edward's men aren't chasing us.”
I turned.
“Then what are they doing?”
Marcus showed me a satellite image.
A convoy was moving away from the property.
Toward Dallas.
“Where are they going?”
“Your safe house.”
My heart dropped.
Lily was supposed to be there.
A woman named Clara was protecting her.
Marcus called.
No answer.
Then the phone rang back.
Clara's voice screamed:
“JAMES! THEY'RE HERE!”
A gunshot.
Silence.
Then someone else picked up.
Edward.
“You've been chasing the wrong person.”
“What do you want?”
“Your sister.”
“She isn't with you.”
“She is.”
I froze.
Michael grabbed my arm.
“What?”
Edward continued.
“Emily is standing beside me.”
Then I heard my sister's voice.
“James, don't come.”
I closed my eyes.
“Emily.”
“Listen to me.”
“Where are you?”
She began crying.
“Under the church.”
I frowned.
“What church?”
“The church where Vanessa met you.”
I looked at Marcus.
Then Emily whispered:
May you like
“The body they buried eight months ago wasn't mine.”
The line went dead.
