Chapter 12: The Recording
No one spoke.
Edward Bennett's face filled the enormous screen.
The timestamp remained frozen in the upper-right corner.
Recorded: Three Days Earlier.
Daniel felt his pulse hammering against his ribs.
"That's impossible."
"My father died twelve years ago."
Detective Hayes didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he stepped closer to the monitor.
"Freeze the frame."
Officer Romero connected a forensic capture device to the system.
The image stopped.
Hayes studied every detail.
Edward wore a charcoal suit.
A silver tie.
Behind him stood a bookshelf lined with leather-bound volumes.
A brass clock rested on the mantel.
The detective narrowed his eyes.
"Zoom in."
The clock filled the screen.
Its hands pointed to 8:17.
More importantly, the glass covering the clock reflected a window.
Outside that window...
Modern skyscrapers.
Hayes looked back at Daniel.
"This wasn't recorded twelve years ago."
Daniel swallowed.
"So who made it?"
"Someone wanted us to believe Edward was still alive."
Romero adjusted the image again.
"The reflection isn't a green screen."
"It's a real room."
Hayes nodded.
"Find that room, and we find whoever staged this."
The recording resumed.
Edward smiled into the camera.
"If you're seeing this, then Samuel Hayes has probably opened the archive."
Hayes froze.
"He knows my name."
The room fell silent.
Edward continued.
"Detective, if you're watching, you're asking the wrong question."
"The question isn't whether I'm alive."
"It's who wants you to believe I am."
Claire looked toward Hayes.
"He knew you."
Hayes slowly shook his head.
"I never met Edward Bennett."
"But someone studied this investigation."
Edward continued.
"You've already found Noah."
"You've found Eli."
"You've probably found Arthur and Eleanor as well."
Daniel clenched his fists.
"This was made for today."
The man on the screen paused before speaking again.
"The person responsible is standing closer than you think."
The video ended abruptly.
A single line of text appeared.
PLAY FILE 2
Before anyone touched the keyboard, the system displayed another message.
FILE LOCKED
BIOMETRIC AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED
Hayes looked at Claire.
"The system still recognizes you."
Claire hesitated.
"I don't remember any of this."
"I know."
"But the system doesn't care what you remember."
After a long silence, Claire stepped toward the laptop.
She placed her hand on the scanner.
A soft tone sounded.
Identity confirmed.
The second recording unlocked.
This time, the screen didn't show Edward.
It showed Michael.
He looked exhausted.
A bandage covered his left hand.
Behind him was the same room from the previous recording.
He looked directly into the camera.
"If you're seeing this..."
"I failed."
Claire felt Noah move closer to her.
Michael's expression softened when he looked into the lens.
"Noah..."
"If you're old enough to understand this..."
"...I'm sorry."
"I wanted you to grow up as an ordinary boy."
"I wanted Eli to have that chance too."
"But some people refused to let the past die."
He inhaled slowly.
"The archive isn't the danger."
"The ledger isn't the danger."
"The danger..."
"...is the list."
Hayes frowned.
"What list?"
Michael answered as though he had heard the question.
"The names of every person who financed Project Pegasus."
He reached toward the camera and lifted a folded sheet of paper.
"I separated the list from the ledger."
"I hid it where no one would think to look."
Daniel leaned closer.
"Where?"
Michael smiled faintly.
"If you're watching this, Claire already has the key."
Claire instinctively reached into her pocket.
The small brass key.
Room 214.
The same key Noah had hidden in his hand.
Michael continued.
"The key doesn't open a door."
"It opens a music box."
Claire blinked.
"A music box?"
Michael nodded.
"My mother's music box."
Daniel's eyes widened.
"The ballerina..."
Michael smiled.
"Yes."
"The one everyone thought was buried with her."
Arthur suddenly stood.
His face had gone pale.
"No..."
Eleanor whispered,
"I left it upstairs."
Hayes looked at them both.
"Upstairs where?"
Arthur answered quietly.
"In Eleanor's bedroom."
Silence settled over the chamber.
The hidden room behind the wall.
The room they had already searched.
No one had examined the old music box sitting beside the rocking chair.
Hayes looked toward Romero.
"We're going back."
Before anyone could move, the speakers crackled to life one final time.
A distorted voice echoed through the archive.
"You won't make it upstairs."
Every monitor switched on simultaneously.
Security camera feeds filled the screens.
One camera showed the entrance to Bennett Manor.
Another showed the grand staircase.
A third showed Eleanor's bedroom.
Standing beside the rocking chair...
Holding the antique music box in one hand...
Was Victor Soren.
He smiled directly into the camera.
Then, with one deliberate motion, he raised a lighter.
A blue flame flickered to life beneath the wooden music box.
And he said quietly,
May you like
"If I can't have the list..."
"...no one will."
