Chapter 5 - The Secret Inside the Teddy BearInside a child's toy was evidence powerful enough to destroy people who had spent decades believing themselves untouchable.
The capsule was no bigger than my thumb.
Cold metal.
No markings.
I rotated it between my fingers.
“Can you open it?”
Victor shook his head.
“Not without the key.”
“What key?”
“Your wife's wedding ring.”
I stared at him.
“That ring is buried with her.”
Victor's eyes hardened.
“No.”
“What?”
“Your wife was cremated.”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“I held the urn.”
“I know.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
Victor leaned closer.
“Do you remember the day after the funeral?”
I did.
Rain.
Gray sky.
A cemetery full of people I didn't trust.
And one thing that bothered me even then.
Her wedding ring had been missing.
I had assumed the funeral home had removed it.
I had never investigated.
Because I was broken.
Because I didn't care.
Because I thought everything that mattered had already been taken.
Victor whispered:
“She wasn't supposed to be cremated.”
I stared at him.
“What happened?”
“She was moved.”
“By whom?”
“Your wife's sister.”
I had never met her sister.
Because I had been told she lived in Europe and wanted nothing to do with the family.
Victor pulled out a photograph.
A woman.
Brown hair.
Green eyes.
Older version of Norah's face.
I felt something inside me fracture.
“That's…”
“Your wife's sister.”
“Why have I never seen her?”
“Because she was declared dead before your wife was.”
I looked down at Norah.
The cabin around us was silent.
The passengers were listening.
Nobody understood what they were hearing.
I didn't care.
“What was your wife investigating?”
Victor's expression became grim.
“Operation Black Meridian.”
The name meant something.
Not immediately.
But enough.
I had seen fragments of it in military reports.
Aircraft.
Weapons transfers.
Private contractors.
Missing personnel.
It was supposedly dismantled after a scandal nine years ago.
Supposedly.
Victor continued.
“Your wife discovered that Black Meridian wasn't a military operation.”
“Then what was it?”
“A financial pipeline.”
I frowned.
“Funding wars.”
“Funding governments.”
“Funding criminal organizations.”
I looked at him.
“Mine?”
“Eventually.”
I understood.
My empire hadn't simply risen from violence.
Someone had wanted it to exist.
Someone had needed a criminal organization strong enough to move money, weapons and people outside government oversight.
And I had been the perfect instrument.
Young.
Military-trained.
Ruthless after losing my wife.
Easy to manipulate.
I stood slowly.
“Who built it?”
Victor looked toward the cockpit.
Then said:
“Daniel Martinez.”
I froze.
Douglas's brother.
The man everyone believed was dead.
“He's alive?”
Victor nodded.
“He designed the system.”
“Then why is Douglas helping them?”
Victor didn't answer.
Douglas stepped out of the shadows.
“Because I was forced to.”
I turned.
Douglas looked exhausted.
“They have my wife and son.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere in Chicago.”
“So you put my daughter in danger.”
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
Douglas's eyes filled with something I hadn't expected.
Shame.
“They threatened to kill them if I didn't help.”
I looked at the man.
Then at Norah.
Then at the capsule.
I made a decision.
“Take me to the cockpit.”
Douglas stared.
“They'll kill you.”
“They've already tried.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“They've made one mistake.”
“What?”
“They think I'm the same man I was nine years ago.”
I looked at Victor.
“Get Norah to the rear galley.”
Victor nodded.
Douglas moved to the cockpit door.
I stopped him.
“Wait.”
He turned.
“If you betray me…”
“I won't.”
“I wasn't finished.”
I looked into his eyes.
“You won't get a second chance.”
He nodded.
We entered the cockpit.
The captain was standing beside the controls.
The first officer was gone.
A gun appeared in the captain's hand.
“You should have stayed in economy.”
I looked at the weapon.
Then at him.
“You should have chosen a better cockpit.”
He smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
He pressed a button.
The aircraft suddenly banked.
People screamed.
Norah's voice came over the cabin.
“Dad!”
My entire body reacted.
I lunged.
Not at the gun.
At the controls.
The aircraft rolled harder.
The captain laughed.
“You can't save everyone.”
I steadied the aircraft.
Then I looked at him.
“Yes, I can.”
I took one step forward.
May you like
“And I know exactly how to bring this plane down.”
His smile disappeared.
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