Chapter 15 - The Girl in the RoomMichael took Sadie to an abandoned house outside the city.
Callum followed from a distance.
He knew better than to rush.
Inside, Sadie sat in a wooden chair.
Her father placed a photograph on the table.
It showed her at seven.
“Do you remember this room?”
“No.”
“You will.”
He turned on an old projector.
The image appeared.
Young Sadie sat on a bed.
Emma stood beside her.
Michael watched from the doorway.
A woman sat behind them.
Elena Russo.
Callum's mother.
Sadie's stomach tightened.
Michael spoke.
“She was the original Aurelia.”
The projector continued.
Elena placed a small device beside Sadie.
“She isn't going to remember anything.”
Michael's younger voice answered:
“That is the point.”
Elena looked at him.
“You promised.”
“I always keep my promises.”
She smiled.
“That's what makes you dangerous.”
The screen went black.
Sadie stared.
“What happened next?”
Michael looked at her.
“You were given the key.”
“The memory.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To hide the identity of Aurelia's successor.”
“Who was it?”
Michael smiled.
“You.”
Sadie shook her head.
“No.”
“You were chosen because nobody would suspect a child.”
“Who was supposed to train me?”
“Elena.”
Callum's mother.
Sadie realized.
“You weren't training me to run the organization.”
“No.”
“What then?”
“To destroy it.”
She stared.
Michael nodded.
“Emma discovered the plan.”
“That is why she fought you.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you kill her?”
“I didn't.”
Sadie froze.
“Who did?”
Michael looked toward the window.
“You're asking the wrong question.”
“Then what should I ask?”
“Who ordered it?”
Sadie whispered:
“Aurelia.”
Michael nodded.
“Exactly.”
“Your wife?”
“No.”
“Elena?”
“Yes.”
Sadie stared.
Callum's mother had ordered Emma's death.
“But she loved Callum.”
“She loved the organization more.”
Michael stood.
“Your mother was afraid of you.”
“My mother?”
“Evelyn.”
Sadie frowned.
“Evelyn is dead.”
“No.”
Michael smiled.
“She is hiding.”
“Where?”
“Inside the one place you would never search.”
Sadie looked at him.
“Where?”
He stepped closer.
“In your own memory.”
The door exploded.
Callum entered.
Gunfire.
Michael fled.
Callum reached Sadie.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He untied her.
“My father is insane.”
“He's worse than that.”
“What did he tell you?”
Sadie explained.
Callum listened.
Then she said:
“Elena ordered Emma's death.”
Callum stopped.
“No.”
“She did.”
“She would never…”
“She did.”
Callum backed away.
His face changed.
Sadie saw something inside him break.
“My mother.”
He whispered.
Then his phone rang.
A message appeared.
CALLUM, COME HOME.
It was from Elena.
Attached was a location.
His childhood home.
Sadie looked at him.
“We have to go.”
Callum nodded.
Then another message arrived.
COME ALONE. OR SADIE DIES.
Callum looked at her.
Sadie shook her head.
“You're not going alone.”
“I have to.”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“Sadie.”
“If she wants you alone, she expects you to obey.”
He looked into her eyes.
“Then we do the opposite.”
May you like
And for the first time, Callum Russo smiled.
“Good.”
