Chapter 9 - BEHIND DOOR 17Daniel approached Door 17.
Rex stood directly beside him.
Eli was trembling.
“That's my mom.”
Sarah grabbed his hand.
“We need to be careful.”
“She called me.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you scared?”
Sarah didn't answer.
Daniel studied the door.
No handle.
Only a biometric scanner.
He looked at Rex.
The dog sniffed the panel.
Then sat.
Daniel understood.
Rex was alerting again.
“Everyone back.”
The scanner suddenly illuminated.
A voice came from behind the door.
“Daniel Brooks.”
He froze.
The voice was male.
Not Eli's mother.
Not Nathan.
Someone else.
“You have five minutes.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“For what?”
“To decide which person comes out.”
“What does that mean?”
“You'll see.”
The door opened.
Inside was a room divided by glass.
Three people stood behind separate panels.
Eli's mother.
Nathan Hart.
And Captain Vance.
Daniel's mouth went dry.
Olivia stared at Nathan.
“Nathan?”
He looked at her.
“Sarah.”
Daniel stepped toward the glass.
“You're alive.”
Nathan nodded.
“Barely.”
Vance laughed.
“You're still asking questions.”
Daniel ignored him.
“How do I get you out?”
Nathan's eyes moved toward Eli.
“You don't.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then why bring us here?”
“Because this was never about escaping.”
Nathan stepped closer to the glass.
“It's about choosing.”
A countdown appeared on the wall.
04:39.
Daniel stared.
“What choice?”
Nathan pointed toward three control panels.
“Only one door can open.”
Daniel looked at the others.
“What happens to the others?”
The countdown continued.
04:10.
Nathan's expression was grim.
“They die.”
Sarah stepped forward.
“No.”
Daniel turned toward Nathan.
“You built this place?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Nathan looked at Vance.
“Ask him.”
Vance smiled.
“You don't understand the system.”
“Explain it.”
“It was designed to protect information.”
“People are not information.”
“They became assets.”
Daniel's disgust sharpened.
Vance continued.
“Every person inside this facility knows something. Each one is a liability.”
Nathan shook his head.
“That's not why you took them.”
Vance turned.
“Tell him.”
Nathan remained silent.
Vance smiled.
“Ask Sarah why Eli was chosen.”
Sarah began crying.
Daniel turned toward her.
“You knew?”
“I knew he was important.”
“How?”
“Because his mother was one of the first.”
Eli shouted:
“Stop talking about her!”
Everyone looked at him.
The boy pointed at Vance.
“You were there.”
Vance's smile vanished.
“You remember me?”
Eli nodded.
“You were wearing a blue tie.”
Daniel stared.
Vance looked suddenly afraid.
Eli continued.
“You told the other men to take my mom.”
The countdown hit 02:00.
Vance stepped toward the glass.
“That isn't possible.”
“I remember.”
Rex barked.
The sound echoed through the room.
Eli pointed at Vance.
“Rex remembers too.”
Daniel looked at his dog.
Rex was staring directly at Vance.
No doubt.
No hesitation.
The dog had identified him.
Daniel raised his weapon.
“Captain Vance, step away from the glass.”
Vance laughed nervously.
“You think the dog can prove anything?”
“No.”
Daniel's radio crackled.
Then a new voice spoke.
“Maybe the camera can.”
Every screen activated.
Security footage appeared.
Vance.
Years earlier.
Standing in the airport.
Ordering armed men to take a group of children.
Daniel stared.
Vance turned white.
The countdown stopped.
03:17.
Not 00:00.
A new message appeared.
PHASE TWO STARTING.
Then every locked door in the chamber opened at once.
Hundreds of terrified people stepped into the corridor.
Daniel realized the worst part.
This place wasn't a prison.
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It was a storage facility.
And everyone inside had been waiting for someone to find them.
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