Chapter 19 - Three KnocksThe attack came before dawn.
Black vehicles surrounded the safehouse.
Security alarms screamed.
Glass exploded.
Claire pulled Ethan behind a wall.
Adam grabbed a rifle.
Daniel locked the doors.
Ruiz called for backup.
But the attackers were already inside.
A man in a black suit stepped into the hallway.
“Ethan Parker.”
Ethan stared.
“How do you know my name?”
The man smiled.
“Everyone does.”
He held up a photograph.
It showed Ethan's biological mother, Sarah.
Alive.
Ethan's breath stopped.
“That was taken three months ago.”
Claire stepped forward.
“No.”
The man smiled.
“She didn't die.”
“Where is she?”
“Come with us.”
Adam raised his weapon.
The man laughed.
“You still think this is about money.”
He looked at Ethan.
“It isn't.”
Ethan stared.
“What is it about?”
“Control.”
The lights went out.
Three knocks echoed through the house.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Everyone froze.
Ethan whispered:
“Mom?”
Claire shook her head.
“I'm here.”
The knocks came again.
From the basement.
Ethan moved toward the sound.
Ruiz grabbed him.
“Don't.”
But he knew.
Three knocks.
The old code.
Someone was trying to communicate.
They opened the basement door.
Inside was a woman.
Bound to a chair.
Alive.
Ethan screamed:
“Sarah?”
The woman raised her head.
She looked exactly like the photograph.
Claire collapsed against the wall.
“No…”
Sarah stared at Ethan.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“My son.”
Ethan couldn't move.
The entire world vanished.
Sarah whispered:
“I knew you'd find me.”
Then she looked at Claire.
“I'm sorry.”
Claire began crying.
“Why?”
Sarah answered:
“Because I had to let you raise him.”
Ethan approached slowly.
“You're my mother.”
Sarah nodded.
Thomas's voice echoed from somewhere above.
“Yes.”
Everyone looked up.
Thomas stood at the top of the stairs.
But he wasn't alone.
Behind him stood Daniel.
Ethan froze.
His father was holding a gun.
“Dad?”
Daniel's face was devastated.
Thomas smiled.
“This is the ending.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
Ethan stepped back.
“Please.”
Daniel looked at him.
“I'm sorry.”
Then he turned the gun toward Thomas.
Thomas's smile disappeared.
Daniel fired.
Thomas fell.
The room erupted.
Daniel lowered the weapon.
“I spent twelve years trying to save you.”
Ethan stared.
Daniel looked at Claire.
“And twelve years pretending I wasn't afraid.”
Thomas lay motionless.
Police rushed in.
The attackers were arrested.
Sarah was freed.
For the first time, Ethan felt the weight inside his chest begin to lift.
Then Ruiz walked toward Thomas's body.
She stopped.
“Ethan.”
“What?”
Thomas was gone.
Only blood remained.
And on the floor beside the blood were three small drops of red wax.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
May you like
The code.
Someone else was still sending the message.
