Chapter 6 - THE GIRL IN THE RED COATThe little girl did not move.
She stood at the far end of the tunnel with the photograph pressed against her chest.
Her red coat looked too clean for a place this filthy.
Her bare feet were wet.
Nathan stared.
“Who are you?”
The girl said nothing.
Mara lifted her weapon.
“Stay where you are.”
The girl looked at Mara.
Then she smiled.
“You remember.”
Mara's breathing stopped.
Nathan turned toward her.
“You know her?”
“No.”
The girl spoke softly.
“You do.”
Mara took one step forward.
The girl raised the photograph.
“Your father gave this to me.”
Nathan stared.
“My father?”
“He said you'd come.”
“When?”
The girl shrugged.
“Before he died.”
Nathan felt a chill.
“How old are you?”
“Fourteen.”
Nathan looked at her.
“That’s impossible.”
The girl smiled.
“You ask the wrong questions.”
Suddenly the tunnel lights flashed.
A metallic door opened behind the girl.
She stepped through.
Nathan ran after her.
Mara grabbed him.
“Wait.”
But it was too late.
The door slammed.
Nathan hit it with his shoulder.
Locked.
Karen stood behind them, trembling.
“What was that?”
Mara stared at the door.
“A messenger.”
“For who?”
Mara hesitated.
“The network.”
They returned to the control room.
The monitor now displayed a map.
Seven properties.
Seven underground access points.
All connected beneath Willowmere Lane.
Then Nathan noticed something.
A blinking red point.
Not on the map.
Under his truck.
He zoomed in.
“What's that?”
Mara leaned closer.
A seventh tunnel wasn't connected to the others.
It went directly beneath the old county courthouse.
Karen stared.
“That's where Voss kept his records.”
Nathan frowned.
“Voss is dead.”
Karen shook her head.
“No.”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw him die.”
Karen looked toward the door.
“So did I.”
Mara understood.
“Then someone is using the tunnels to move people.”
Nathan looked at the map.
“Or bodies.”
A sound came from above.
Three knocks.
Same pattern.
Three.
Three.
Three.
Nathan looked up.
The knocking continued.
Then a voice came through the speaker.
“Time's up.”
Shaw.
The monitor showed a live feed.
Karen's house.
Someone was inside.
Nathan recognized him immediately.
The fourth suspect.
He was standing in Karen's kitchen.
Holding a photograph.
A photograph of Nathan’s mother.
Then he turned toward the camera.
And said:
“She's still alive.”
Nathan stopped breathing.
“My mother died thirteen years ago.”
The man smiled.
“Did she?”
The screen went black.
Nathan turned to Mara.
“Take me to my mother's grave.”
Mara stared at him.
May you like
“Why?”
“Because I think we've been lied to about that too.”
