Chapter 13 - Locker 902Adrian reached Grand Central before dawn.
Lucas insisted on going.
Adrian didn't want him there.
But Lucas had survived the crash.
He had spent fifteen years beside Adrian.
And Adrian still didn't know whether to trust him.
That was the worst part.
They entered the station separately.
Locker 902 sat beneath a staircase.
Adrian inserted the key.
The door opened.
Inside was a small cassette recorder.
A passport.
A photograph.
And a letter.
The photograph showed a younger Adrian with his father.
His father looked happy.
Not powerful.
Just happy.
The letter was addressed to Adrian.
He opened it.
My son,
If you are reading this, I have failed to protect you.
Adrian stopped.
Lucas waited.
Adrian kept reading.
The organization you inherited was never mine. I built it because I believed I could control the people behind it. I was wrong.
Your mother left because she knew what I had become.
Adrian's hands trembled.
He had never been told why his mother disappeared.
I lied about her death.
Adrian stopped breathing.
She is alive.
Lucas whispered:
“Boss?”
Adrian raised a hand.
He kept reading.
I also lied about Sophia.
His eyes widened.
Sophia is not my daughter.
He exhaled.
She is the daughter of the man who trained me.
Adrian stared at the page.
Then the cassette began playing automatically.
His father's voice filled the dark station.
“If you're hearing this, Graham is probably dead.”
Adrian looked at Lucas.
“Or soon to be.”
The recording continued.
“Do not trust the people who claim they protected me.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“Do not trust Vincent.”
The tape hissed.
“Do not trust Graham.”
Another pause.
“And never trust the man driving your car.”
Adrian slowly turned.
Lucas stared back.
The station suddenly felt enormous.
Empty.
Cold.
Adrian stepped away.
Lucas whispered:
“Adrian…”
“Stop.”
“I can explain.”
“You should have started before I asked.”
Lucas's face changed.
Adrian drew his weapon.
“Who are you?”
Lucas stared at him.
Then he slowly raised both hands.
“I never wanted to hurt you.”
“That's not an answer.”
“No.”
Lucas swallowed.
“I was sent to watch you.”
“By who?”
Lucas looked down.
“Your father.”
Adrian froze.
“So you're loyal to him.”
“I was.”
“Was?”
Lucas nodded.
“Until I saw what he became.”
Adrian lowered the weapon slightly.
Then his phone rang.
Sophia.
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Adrian.”
“Where are you?”
“I don't know.”
“Is Emma with you?”
“No.”
A pause.
Then Sophia said:
“They took my mother.”
Adrian's blood turned cold.
“When?”
“An hour ago.”
“Who?”
“I saw the man.”
“Who?”
Sophia began to cry.
“The man with the silver ring.”
Adrian looked at Lucas.
“The silver ring,” Lucas whispered.
Adrian's phone crackled.
Sophia's voice disappeared.
Another voice replaced it.
An old man's voice.
Calm.
Familiar.
“Hello, son.”
May you like
Adrian stopped breathing.
His father's voice.
