Chapter 9 - THE OFFICER ON THE PAYROLLDaniel shut off his radio.
The silence felt worse.
Elena crouched beside him.
“They know we're here.”
“Who?”
“Everyone.”
They pushed through the basement.
At the far wall was another red door.
This one had no handle.
Elena placed her palm against a small metal panel.
A light flashed.
The door unlocked.
Inside was a control room.
Monitors covered the walls.
Traffic cameras.
Hospital cameras.
Police body cameras.
Private security feeds.
Dozens of screens.
Daniel stared.
“They've been watching us.”
One monitor showed him at the hospital.
Another showed Lena entering the station.
Another showed Eli sleeping.
Then Daniel saw something that made his blood run cold.
A camera feed from inside the police evidence room.
Lena stood beside a filing cabinet.
She was speaking to someone.
A man.
Daniel couldn't see his face.
But he recognized the jacket.
Gray.
The same jacket worn by the maintenance worker at the hospital.
“Elena.”
“What?”
“Lena.”
Elena looked at the screen.
“She's working for them.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“Look.”
Lena handed an envelope to the man.
The screen froze.
A timestamp appeared.
Two hours earlier.
Daniel felt betrayed.
He trusted Lena.
Worked beside her for years.
The truth was impossible.
Then another camera feed opened.
The man turned.
His face became visible.
Aaron Mercer.
Alive.
Daniel stepped backward.
“No.”
Elena's expression hardened.
“I told you.”
“Aaron is not the Director.”
“No.”
“Then who is?”
She looked at another screen.
A live camera appeared.
Eli sat in a dark room.
He was alone.
A chair sat opposite him.
Someone stepped into frame.
Gray hair.
Expensive watch.
Adrian Voss.
Daniel's stomach dropped.
Voss leaned toward the child.
“Do you remember me?”
Eli shook his head.
Voss smiled.
“You will.”
Daniel rushed toward the door.
Elena grabbed him.
“You can't go.”
“My son is there.”
“It's a trap.”
“He's three years old.”
“And they want you to react.”
Daniel stopped.
On the monitor, Voss placed a small red toy car on the table.
Eli immediately recoiled.
Voss smiled.
“You remember the basement.”
Daniel stared.
Voss continued.
“You remember your mother.”
Eli began crying.
Then Voss said something that changed everything.
“You remember Officer Cross, too.”
Daniel froze.
“How would he know?”
Elena whispered.
“Because he has been watching you since before you found Noah.”
The monitor cut to black.
Then text appeared.
MEET ME AT HIGHWAY 17.
May you like
Underneath:
COME ALONE.
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