Chapter 12 - THE SECRET ROOM UNDER THE CHURCHThree hours later, Daniel received a video.
Eli sat at a wooden table.
Alive.
A man stood behind him.
Only his hands were visible.
An old sign hung on the wall.
SAINT BARTHOLOMEW COMMUNITY CHURCH.
Daniel knew the place.
It had been abandoned for twelve years.
He and Lena entered through the side door.
No alarms.
No guards.
No movement.
The church was dark.
Then Eli's voice echoed from beneath the floor.
“Officer?”
Daniel ran toward it.
They found a trapdoor beneath the altar.
Stairs led underground.
The room below contained filing cabinets.
Thousands of them.
Each labeled with a child's name.
Lena opened the first.
Adoption records.
Medical records.
Photographs.
Payments.
Everything.
Daniel opened another.
Then another.
Most files were marked CLOSED.
Some had children's names he recognized from missing-person cases.
Lena whispered:
“This is bigger than Voss.”
A man stepped from the shadows.
Aaron.
He held a gun.
“Drop yours.”
Daniel complied.
“You took my son.”
Aaron's face twisted.
“He was never your son.”
Aaron laughed bitterly.
“You don't know what they did.”
“Then tell me.”
Aaron lowered the gun.
“I thought I was protecting him.”
“From what?”
“From the Director.”
“Who is the Director?”
Aaron looked at Lena.
Then Daniel.
“You already know.”
Daniel's stomach dropped.
“No.”
Aaron pointed upstairs.
“The chief.”
The church doors slammed shut.
Multiple locks engaged.
Daniel heard voices outside.
Police.
Lots of them.
Lena looked through the basement window.
Red and blue lights flashed.
“Daniel.”
“What?”
“They're surrounding the building.”
Aaron whispered:
“They're not here to rescue us.”
The basement lights turned on.
A screen descended from the ceiling.
A live feed appeared.
The police chief stood before the camera.
Beside him was Eli.
The chief smiled.
“Officer Cross, you've been very difficult.”
Daniel stared.
The chief's next words were quiet.
“Bring us the files.”
Daniel looked at Aaron.
Then Lena.
Then the thousands of children's records surrounding them.
On the screen, Eli began crying.
May you like
The chief leaned toward the camera.
“Or the boy disappears like his mother did.”
