Chapter 13 - The Man Behind the GlassThe emergency alarms began screaming.
People flooded the hallways.
Police rushed toward the main entrance.
I ran upstairs with Ortiz.
A window in the executive conference room had been shattered.
Nobody was inside.
Except for one object.
A laptop.
It was already playing a video.
My father appeared on screen.
“Daniel.”
I stopped.
“You're closer than I expected.”
Ortiz tried to trace the transmission.
No signal.
No location.
Just a prerecorded message.
Victor continued.
“You think Elias is the enemy.”
I stared at him.
“He isn't.”
The video changed.
Photographs appeared.
My mother.
Dylan.
Me as a child.
Then Victor.
“Your mother discovered the research was unstable.”
Rachel stepped closer.
“What research?”
“Project Daniel.”
The screen displayed medical scans.
My childhood records.
My mother's notes.
Victor continued:
“She believed memory could be engineered.”
Then another image appeared.
A child's brain scan.
Mine.
“She tested it on Daniel.”
I felt sick.
“I never agreed to that.”
“You were six.”
His voice was cold.
“You couldn't.”
The video continued.
“Elias wanted the research sold.”
“Your mother wanted it destroyed.”
“I wanted to keep you alive.”
I shook my head.
“Liar.”
Victor looked directly into the camera.
“I know what you remembered.”
My stomach dropped.
The video changed again.
A document appeared.
SUBJECT DANIEL: MEMORY RESPONSE EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS.
Then another:
SUBJECT DEMONSTRATES HIGH-FIDELITY MEMORY RECONSTRUCTION.
Rachel whispered:
“They knew.”
Victor continued:
“Your mother didn't create Blackline to expose us.”
“She created it because she knew one day you would remember.”
I stared.
“She knew you would become the most dangerous person in the company.”
The screen went black.
Then one sentence appeared:
YOU HAVE TWO HOURS.
Ortiz stared at me.
“For what?”
My phone buzzed.
A live video link.
Elias.
I answered.
He was sitting in a dark room.
“Victor has been lying to you for years.”
“So have you.”
He smiled.
“You are finally beginning to understand.”
“Where is my father?”
“Safe.”
“You killed my mother.”
His expression changed.
“No.”
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did she die?”
Elias looked away.
“Because Victor made a decision.”
I felt the room shrink.
“What decision?”
“He chose you.”
“What does that mean?”
“He had one bullet.”
I froze.
“He could save your mother or take control of the research.”
Elias's face became grim.
“He chose the research.”
I couldn't speak.
Dylan turned away.
Rachel stared at me.
Elias continued:
“Your father has spent twenty years pretending he hated you.”
“Why?”
“Because hatred kept you obedient.”
My hands shook.
“You manipulated my life.”
“Yes.”
“You attacked me.”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Elias smiled.
“Your brother.”
Dylan closed his eyes.
Then Elias said:
“But your father ordered it.”
Silence.
I looked at Dylan.
He nodded.
“I know.”
Then something shattered behind Elias.
He turned.
The video cut out.
Ortiz drew her weapon.
“Someone found him.”
“Who?”
We heard footsteps behind us.
Victor walked into the room.
He was holding no weapon.
He looked at me.
“I came to finish this.”
Ortiz raised her gun.
“Hands where I can see them.”
Victor ignored her.
He looked only at me.
“You want the truth?”
“Yes.”
“Then ask your brother what he did the night your mother died.”
I turned.
Dylan was crying.
May you like
He whispered:
“I was there.”
