Chapter 7 - THE ARCHIVEThey escaped through a secondary tunnel.
The passage eventually led to the surface behind the old ship.
Police reinforcements had arrived.
But when Pavel tried to explain what they had found, his radio went silent.
Every officer's radio went silent.
Then every police car engine stopped.
The forest became completely still.
A man walked out between the trees.
Pavel recognized him.
Inspector Pavel's former partner.
Mihai.
Dead for six years.
Pavel raised his weapon.
"Mihai?"
The man smiled.
"Still carrying that?"
Pavel could barely breathe.
Mihai looked at Lidia.
"She told you, didn't she?"
"Told me what?"
"About the archive."
Lidia shook her head.
"I couldn't."
Mihai laughed.
"The archive has been here for sixty years."
Pavel looked at Stefan.
"You knew?"
Stefan nodded.
"That's why they needed me alive."
Mihai pointed toward the ship.
"Everything is recorded."
"What?"
"Names. Payments. Orders. Police reports. Death certificates."
Mihai stepped closer.
"Even the fake ones."
Pavel's blood ran cold.
"Who is behind it?"
Mihai smiled.
"You are looking at them."
He pointed to the police officers.
Pavel turned.
Three officers had lowered their weapons.
One was Inspector Pavel's deputy.
Another was the chief of police.
The third was a man Pavel had never seen before.
Lidia whispered:
"They found us."
The chief raised his gun.
"All of you."
A shot exploded.
Stefan pushed Lidia aside.
The bullet struck the ship.
Pavel fired back.
The forest erupted into chaos.
People screamed.
Gunfire cracked between the trees.
Ovidiu hid behind the van.
Then he saw something.
A small child standing behind the shooters.
The child was smiling.
The same child who had been inside the underground room.
But she had never left.
Ovidiu stared.
"How did you..."
The child raised one finger to her lips.
Then whispered:
"Don't tell them I'm real."
She vanished behind the trees.
Moments later, the gunfire stopped.
The traitors were gone.
Only the chief remained.
Wounded.
Pavel grabbed him.
"Who is behind this?"
The chief spat blood.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes."
The chief smiled.
"Your mother signed the first order."
Pavel froze.
"My mother is dead."
"I know."
May you like
The chief leaned closer.
"That is what makes it so useful."
