Chapter 10 - Everything became chaos.Gunfire.
Smoke.
Shouting.
Boots pounding against concrete.
I couldn't see.
I crawled forward until my hand found the wall.
“LILY!”
No answer.
Then someone grabbed my shoulder.
Michael.
“This way!”
We pushed through a service corridor.
Sarah was behind us.
The warehouse had been built like a maze.
Every hallway had another locked door.
Every room seemed to lead somewhere else.
Finally we reached a control room.
Dozens of monitors covered the walls.
One screen showed Lily.
She was in a vehicle.
Vanessa was beside her.
My heart stopped.
“Get them.”
Michael stared at the screen.
“It's a live feed.”
“Track it.”
He worked at the console.
“There.”
A map appeared.
The vehicle was moving toward the old Mercer estate outside the city.
My father's original property.
The house where he had grown up.
The house he had always refused to discuss.
We left immediately.
On the drive, I demanded answers.
“Why is Father obsessed with Lily?”
Michael remained silent.
“Tell me.”
Finally he said:
“Because of Room Three.”
“What is it?”
“A vault.”
“For money?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Michael stared out the window.
“Evidence.”
“Evidence of what?”
“Everything the family did.”
I tightened my grip on the necklace.
“Then why do they need Lily?”
“They don't need Lily.”
“Then what?”
“They need something Claire knows about her.”
I turned.
“What?”
Michael didn't answer.
“Michael.”
“She was born with it.”
“With what?”
“Nothing physical.”
He rubbed his face.
“A memory.”
I stared at him.
“A six-year-old's memory?”
“Yes.”
“Of what?”
“The night your mother died.”
I frowned.
“My mother died of cancer.”
Michael looked at me.
“No.”
The word hit harder than anything else.
“What?”
“She didn't die of cancer.”
“What are you saying?”
“Father killed her.”
My stomach turned.
“Why?”
“Because she discovered Room Three.”
I looked at him.
“And Claire found out?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why she disappeared?”
“Yes.”
“And Vanessa?”
“She knew too.”
The car suddenly jolted.
Michael lost control.
A truck had hit us from behind.
The car spun.
Metal screamed.
Glass exploded.
I slammed against the door.
Then darkness.
When I opened my eyes, I was upside down.
Blood ran down my forehead.
Michael was unconscious.
Sarah was shouting.
“Daniel!”
I crawled out through the broken windshield.
Smoke filled the road.
The truck that hit us was empty.
Someone had staged it.
I looked around.
No Lily.
No Vanessa.
The old Mercer estate was only three miles away.
I ran.
By the time I reached the property, dawn was breaking.
The mansion stood empty.
Huge.
Dark.
Silent.
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, everything was covered in dust.
I walked through rooms I had never seen before.
Then I heard something.
A child's voice.
“Daddy?”
Lily.
I followed it.
Down a hallway.
Through the library.
Behind a bookshelf.
A hidden door stood open.
Inside was a small room.
Lily sat on the floor.
Alone.
I ran to her.
She threw her arms around me.
“Dad!”
“Where's Vanessa?”
She pointed toward another door.
“She told me to wait here.”
I checked her.
No injuries.
Thank God.
“Did she hurt you?”
Lily shook her head.
“She kept me safe.”
I opened the door.
A tunnel led deeper underground.
At the far end was a room with a single chair.
Claire sat in it.
Alive.
Her wrists were free.
I ran to her.
She collapsed into my arms.
“Daniel.”
I held her so tightly she could barely breathe.
“I'm sorry.”
I started crying.
She touched my face.
“You weren't supposed to find me yet.”
“I almost lost Lily.”
“I know.”
“Who is doing this?”
Claire looked toward the tunnel.
“Your father.”
“He's alive.”
“Yes.”
“Michael knew.”
“Yes.”
“Vanessa knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you?”
“I knew enough to be afraid.”
I stepped back.
“Then tell me everything.”
Claire looked at Lily.
Then at me.
“Your father isn't the person running this.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“He's only the face.”
“Then who?”
Claire whispered:
“The person behind Room Three.”
A gunshot echoed through the tunnel.
Claire pulled Lily behind her.
Michael stumbled into the room.
Blood covered his shirt.
He looked at me.
May you like
“Run.”
Then he collapsed.
Related Stories
