Chapter 4 - THE MAN WHO NEVER LEFTEzra fired.
The bullet struck the steel frame.
Gregor was gone.
Only a recording remained.
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"Always too slow."
Ezra grabbed Rhea's wrist.
"Move."
They rushed through the emergency passage.
The safe room wasn't the only secret his father had built.
A narrow tunnel extended beneath the estate.
Rhea stumbled behind Ezra.
"Where are we going?"
"Out."
"Gregor knows every exit."
"Not every exit."
They reached a reinforced door.
Ezra pulled it open.
Cold rain hit Rhea's face.
They emerged beneath an abandoned greenhouse several hundred feet from the house.
Security vehicles surrounded the estate.
Smoke rose into the sky.
Blackwell House was burning.
Rhea stared in horror.
"The house."
Ezra looked back.
His face was expressionless.
But she saw the pain in his eyes.
"Everything is gone."
"No."
He looked at her.
"Not everything."
Rhea didn't understand.
Ezra pulled out the USB drive.
"This."
They escaped in an armored vehicle.
By dawn, they were in a safe apartment downtown.
Rhea sat on the floor surrounded by old files.
She had spent six hours searching hospital archives.
Ezra entered carrying coffee.
"You should sleep."
"So should you."
"I don't need much."
"That's unhealthy."
He handed her the cup.
She took it.
"Thank you."
It was the first normal moment they had shared since arriving at Blackwell House.
Then she looked at him.
"Your father knew my parents."
Ezra sat opposite her.
"Apparently."
"My parents died seventeen years ago."
"Yes."
"Gus survived the explosion at the hospital."
"Yes."
"How did he survive?"
Ezra looked away.
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
He looked back.
"I don't have the answer."
"Maybe you do."
Silence.
Then Ezra reached into his pocket.
He placed an old key on the table.
"My father gave this to me when I was nineteen."
Rhea stared.
"What does it open?"
"I don't know."
"Have you tried?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"He told me never to use it unless I had lost everything."
Rhea stared at the key.
"And now?"
"I've lost everything."
They found the lock several hours later.
It was in an old storage facility registered under Ezra's father.
Inside was a single metal cabinet.
The key opened it.
Inside were dozens of tapes.
One was labeled:
CONNOLLY FAMILY.
Rhea's hands shook.
She inserted it.
The video began.
Her father appeared.
Young.
Alive.
Terrified.
"I know they're listening," he whispered.
A second person entered the frame.
Rhea couldn't see the face.
Her father said:
"The child has begun remembering."
The stranger asked:
"What about the girl?"
"She doesn't know."
"Then keep her ignorant."
Rhea leaned closer.
Her father continued:
"If they discover she saw the procedure, they'll kill her."
The video stopped.
Rhea stood frozen.
"I saw it."
Ezra looked at her.
"What?"
"I was there."
"What happened?"
"I don't know."
She closed her eyes.
A memory surfaced.
White walls.
Blood.
A child's scream.
A woman crying.
Her mother's voice.
"Don't look, Rhea."
Then another memory.
A needle.
A metal tray.
Gregor Thane.
Young.
Standing beside her father.
Rhea opened her eyes.
She was shaking.
"Gregor was there."
Ezra stood.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
She turned toward him.
"He wasn't just involved."
"What did you see?"
"He was the doctor."
Ezra's face changed.
"What?"
"He operated on Gus."
They stared at each other.
Then Ezra's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Gregor's voice came through.
"Did she remember?"
Ezra said nothing.
Gregor laughed.
"Good."
"Where is Gus?"
"Closer than you think."
"Tell me."
"No."
"Then I'll find you."
"I don't think so."
Gregor paused.
Then his voice became quiet.
"Because your brother is standing beside me."
Rhea's heart stopped.
Gregor continued.
"And he has something to tell you."
A new voice came through.
Gus.
"Rhea?"
She covered her mouth.
"Gus?"
His voice trembled.
"I'm sorry."
A gun clicked.
Then Gus whispered:
"They'll kill me if I tell you."
Rhea stepped toward the phone.
"Tell me what?"
There was a long silence.
Then Gus said:
"Ezra wasn't the target."
The call ended.
Ezra stared at Rhea.
She stared back.
"What does that mean?"
Ezra's phone buzzed again.
A message appeared.
A photograph.
Rhea's parents.
May you like
Alive.
Taken yesterday.
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