Chapter 6: The Person Behind the Screen
The message stayed on the laptop screen.
Three words.
I SEE YOU.
Nobody moved.
The house felt smaller than before.
The walls that once carried laughter and memories now felt like they were closing in around them.
Noah held onto his father’s arm.
“Dad…”
Michael immediately looked down.
“It’s okay.”
But even as he said it, he knew it wasn’t true.
Children could sense lies adults tried to hide.
Noah had already learned that fear had a sound.
A locked door.
A whisper on the phone.
A stranger outside the window.
Michael closed the laptop.
“Daniel.”
The investigator looked up.
“Yes?”
“Can someone track us through that file?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not through the file itself.”
“Then how did they know?”
Daniel looked around the room.
“That means someone has access to the device.”
Michael stared at the USB drive.
“You mean someone planted something on it?”
“Possibly.”
Sarah stepped closer.
“Victor?”
Michael didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
And that scared him more than anything.
Victor Hale had always been unpredictable.
But Victor was not careless.
If he gave them that drive, he knew exactly what he was doing.
The question was why.
A sudden vibration came from Daniel’s phone.
Everyone looked at it.
Daniel checked the screen.
His face immediately changed.
“What?”
Michael asked.
Daniel didn’t respond.
“Daniel.”
He turned the phone around.
A message.
From an unknown number.
You should stop protecting him.
Michael frowned.
“Protecting who?”
Another message appeared.
This time with a picture.
Daniel looked at it.
Then slowly turned the screen toward Michael.
Michael froze.
The picture showed him.
Standing in the Northbridge office.
Fourteen years ago.
He had never seen the photo before.
But he recognized the day.
The day everything changed.
The day he betrayed the company.
“How did they get this?”
Sarah whispered.
Daniel looked serious.
“They’ve been collecting information for a long time.”
Michael stared at the picture.
“No.”
He shook his head.
“They didn’t collect this.”
Everyone looked at him.
“They had access to Northbridge.”
Daniel understood.
“You think someone inside the company is helping them.”
Michael nodded.
“Yes.”
Sarah looked worried.
“But Northbridge doesn’t exist anymore.”
Michael looked at her.
“That’s what everyone believes.”
The room became quiet.
Daniel leaned against the table.
“Explain.”
Michael took a breath.
“When Northbridge collapsed, the public story was that the company was exposed and shut down.”
“And the truth?”
Michael looked at the old files.
“The company changed names.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“What name?”
Michael hesitated.
Because saying it made it real.
“Blackstone Alliance.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“That organization still exists?”
Michael nodded.
“Bigger than before.”
Sarah looked shocked.
“You knew?”
Michael looked at her.
“I suspected.”
“Suspected?”
“I saw signs.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Michael looked down.
Because there was no good answer.
“Because I thought if I ignored them, they would ignore me.”
Sarah stared at him.
“And did they?”
Michael looked toward the window.
“No.”
Outside, the streetlights turned on one by one.
Darkness slowly covered the neighborhood.
The same darkness that had been following him for months.
Daniel closed his laptop.
“We need to leave.”
Michael looked at him.
“Where?”
“Somewhere they don’t expect.”
Sarah immediately grabbed Noah’s hand.
“Pack a bag.”
Noah looked confused.
“Are we leaving our house?”
Michael knelt beside him.
“Just for a little while.”
“Because of the bad person?”
Michael paused.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
Noah looked down.
“Did I do something wrong?”
Michael felt his heart break.
“No.”
He placed both hands on his son’s shoulders.
“Listen to me.”
Noah looked at him.
“None of this is because of you.”
“Then why is it happening?”
Michael searched for an answer.
A child shouldn’t have to hear about revenge.
About corruption.
About enemies from the past.
Finally, he said:
“Sometimes people make mistakes.”
Noah listened.
“And sometimes those mistakes follow them.”
The boy was quiet.
“But good people fix mistakes.”
Michael looked at him.
Those words hit harder than Noah realized.
Because they were exactly what Michael needed to hear.
Thirty minutes later, the family was ready.
Only essentials.
Clothes.
Documents.
Medicine.
Nothing that would slow them down.
Michael walked through the house one last time.
The living room where Noah played.
The kitchen where Sarah cooked.
The wall filled with family photographs.
A normal life.
A life built after years of running.
He touched one photograph.
A picture from Noah’s fifth birthday.
Everyone smiling.
Everyone happy.
Michael whispered:
“I’m sorry.”
Sarah heard him.
She stood beside him.
“For what?”
He looked at her.
“For making you live inside a story you didn’t know existed.”
Sarah was silent.
Then she said:
“I’m angry.”
Michael nodded.
“I know.”
“I’m hurt.”
“I know.”
“But I also know something.”
He looked at her.
“You’re trying to protect us.”
Michael looked away.
“I failed.”
Sarah shook her head.
“No.”
She looked toward Noah.
“You made mistakes.”
A pause.
“But you’re here now.”
Michael looked at her.
For the first time that day, he felt something other than fear.
Hope.
Small.
Fragile.
But alive.
Then…
The lights went out.
The entire house became dark.
Noah gasped.
Michael immediately moved.
“Everyone down.”
Daniel pulled out his flashlight.
The silence was terrifying.
No electricity.
No sounds.
No movement.
Then a voice came from the hallway.
A voice from inside the house.
Not outside.
Inside.
“You always did this.”
Everyone froze.
Michael recognized the voice.
Victor.
But it couldn’t be.
Michael turned slowly.
At the end of the hallway stood Victor Hale.
Half-covered in darkness.
“How did you get in?”
Victor didn’t answer.
He looked at Noah.
Then back at Michael.
“You hide people.”
Michael stepped forward.
“You followed us?”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
A pause.
“I followed them.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“Who?”
Victor looked toward the ceiling.
“Everyone who has been watching this house.”
Michael frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Victor walked closer.
For once, he didn’t look like an enemy.
He looked exhausted.
“They’re not after you because of what you did.”
Michael stared.
“Then why?”
Victor looked at Sarah.
Then Noah.
“They’re after your family because of what your father left behind.”
Sarah’s face changed.
“Your father?”
Victor nodded.
“He didn’t just leave secrets.”
He reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small envelope.
“He left a weapon.”
Michael took the envelope.
“What weapon?”
Victor looked directly into his eyes.
“The truth.”
Michael opened it.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
A name.
An address.
And a handwritten message.
Michael read it.
Then froze.
Because the person he was being sent to find…
Was someone he thought he had saved twelve years ago.
Elena Brooks.
Alive.
Michael looked at Victor.
“You knew she survived?”
Victor’s expression was unreadable.
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
Victor looked toward the front door.
“Close.”
Michael looked at the address.
Then back at him.
“Why are you helping me?”
Victor was silent for a moment.
Then he answered:
“Because twelve years ago, you saved my life too.”
Michael frowned.
“I did?”
Victor nodded.
“You just don’t remember.”
Before Michael could ask another question…
A loud crash came from outside.
Everyone turned.
A car window shattered.
Daniel rushed to the window.
His face changed.
“What?”
Michael moved beside him.
Outside, parked across the street…
Was a black SUV.
The same one from the security footage.
The same vehicle that had been watching their home.
But this time…
Someone was standing beside it.
Someone holding a camera.
Watching them.
Victor looked at the figure outside.
Then whispered:
“They found us.”
Michael tightened his fists.
“Who?”
Victor looked at him.
“The person who started all of this.”
The figure outside slowly lifted their head.
Even from a distance…
Michael could feel it.
They were looking directly at him.
Then the person raised one hand.
And waved.
May you like
Like an old friend.
End of Chapter 6
