Chapter 8 - The Other WomanComplete darkness swallowed the room.
Megan grabbed Noah.
Alex pulled his flashlight.
Nothing.
Then came footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Someone was walking through the tunnel.
Jet growled.
Alex moved between the children and the doorway.
“State police!”
The footsteps stopped.
Then a woman's voice echoed.
“You always were stubborn, Alex.”
He recognized it.
Blue scarf woman.
She stepped into the flashlight beam.
Older than Megan.
Same eyes.
Same face.
Megan stared at her.
“Lydia…”
Alex looked between them.
“Who is she?”
Megan's face had gone white.
“My sister.”
Lydia smiled.
“I prefer the name Claire gave me.”
Alex frowned.
“Claire?”
Lydia walked closer.
“Claire was very sentimental.”
Megan shook her head.
“You're dead.”
“No.”
“You died with Claire.”
“That was the story we needed.”
Alex raised his weapon.
“Hands where I can see them.”
Lydia laughed softly.
“You still think this is about arresting someone.”
“What is it about?”
“Memory.”
She glanced at Jet.
“That dog remembers everything.”
Alex tightened his grip.
“Why did you bring children here?”
“I didn't.”
Lydia's smile disappeared.
“They did.”
She pointed at the walls.
“The children were witnesses.”
“To what?”
“The shipments.”
Alex frowned.
“Shipments?”
Lydia nodded.
“Children weren't the merchandise.”
Megan whispered:
“What were?”
“Information.”
Lydia pointed at Noah.
“He saw something in the yard.”
Noah clung to Jet.
“What?”
“A container.”
Alex's pulse quickened.
“What was inside?”
“Records.”
“Records of what?”
Lydia looked at Megan.
“Families.”
A silence.
“Debts. Secrets. Illegitimate children. Blackmail.”
Alex finally understood the scale.
The missing children had been used as witnesses.
Then eliminated when they became liabilities.
Lydia looked at him.
“Your father discovered the network.”
“Why didn't he stop it?”
“He tried.”
“What happened?”
Lydia's expression hardened.
“He was killed.”
Alex stared.
“My father had a heart attack.”
Lydia shook her head.
“No.”
Megan whispered:
“They poisoned him.”
Alex felt his world tilt.
Lydia stepped closer.
“Your father left something behind.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
Alex remembered the files.
“The black book.”
Lydia nodded.
“Everyone wants it.”
“Who?”
Lydia glanced toward the tunnel.
“Elias's surviving partners.”
Alex frowned.
“Elias is dead.”
Lydia smiled.
“That's what they wanted you to believe.”
The lights suddenly returned.
Lydia was gone.
Only the blue scarf remained on the floor.
Noah screamed.
“RUN!”
A gunshot exploded from the tunnel.
Alex dropped.
A bullet tore through the wall.
Jet lunged toward the sound.
Alex shouted:
“Jet, NO!”
The dog vanished.
Another gunshot.
Then silence.
Noah began crying.
Megan held him.
Alex ran into the tunnel.
Jet was gone.
On the ground lay a fresh trail of blood.
And beside it was a black leather wallet.
Inside was a photograph.
A man Alex had seen only in old newspaper articles.
Elias Cross.
May you like
Alive.
And standing beside a train that was arriving that very night.
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