Chapter 6 - Daniel Sterling lowered the gun.“Before I tell you anything,” he said, “you need to understand one thing.”

Julian crossed his arms.

“What?”

“Your mother isn't the person you should be afraid of.”

Elena frowned.

“Then who?”

Daniel looked at the ceiling.

“Victor.”

Silence.

Julian stepped forward.

“You said Mom tried to kill you.”

“She did.”

“Then why are you protecting her?”

“I'm not.”

Daniel looked at Elena.

“Victoria built the network.”

He pointed at the photographs.

“But Victor controlled it.”

Elena felt sick.

“What network?”

Daniel walked to one of the boxes.

He opened it.

Inside were shipping manifests.

Thousands.

Each one marked with a three-line symbol.

“The Sterling company was used to move people.”

Julian went pale.

“People?”

“Children, mostly.”

Elena stared at him.

“Sold?”

“Some.”

“Where?”

“Everywhere.”

Daniel's voice was filled with shame.

“I discovered it too late.”

“Why didn't you go to the police?”

“Because the police were already compromised.”

Julian shook his head.

“So you disappeared?”

“I tried to expose them.”

Daniel looked at Elena.

“That is why your sister died.”

Elena froze.

“My sister?”

Julian looked confused.

“What sister?”

Daniel's expression changed.

“You were told Elena was an only child.”

He looked at Elena.

“You weren't.”

Elena's breath stopped.

“There were two of you.”

A faint ringing filled the room.

Julian stared.

“Where is she?”

Daniel said nothing.

Elena grabbed his arm.

“Where is my sister?”

Daniel looked toward the old computer system.

“She is the reason Victoria threw that ring into the river.”

Elena's face drained.

“What?”

“The ring wasn't only a key.”

He touched the platinum band.

“It was a message.”

Elena looked down.

“A message to whom?”

Daniel's eyes hardened.

“To the woman who has been waiting eighteen years to come home.”

Julian whispered:

“Who?”

Daniel turned toward Elena.

“Your sister.”

A monitor suddenly flickered on.

Static.

Then a woman's face appeared.

Young.

Beautiful.

Cold.

The woman looked directly into the camera.

And Elena recognized her eyes immediately.

Her own eyes.

The woman smiled.

“Hello, Elena.”

Elena staggered backward.

“Who are you?”

The woman answered:

“Your twin.”

Julian stared at the screen.

“No.”

The woman smiled.

“Hello, Julian.”

She paused.

“I've been watching you for twenty years.”

Elena stepped closer.

“Where are you?”

“Somewhere you won't find me.”

“Why?”

The woman looked directly into the camera.

“Because Mother told me you were dead.”

Elena's eyes filled with tears.

“She lied to both of us.”

“No.”

The woman shook her head.

“She lied to everyone.”

The monitor went black.

Then Victor's voice came through.

“Now you know.”

Daniel looked terrified.

“Victor, don't.”

Victor laughed.

“Your children deserve the truth.”

A red light appeared on the wall.

Daniel noticed it.

His face changed.

“Run.”

Julian frowned.

“What?”

“RUN!”

The underground room exploded.

The blast knocked Elena off her feet.

Dust filled the air.

Julian dragged her beneath a steel table.

Daniel shouted.

Another explosion.

The ceiling cracked.

Water rushed through the walls.

Victor's voice remained calm through the speakers.

“Family reunions are so expensive.”

Julian grabbed Elena.

“There's another exit!”

They ran.

Daniel stayed behind.

Elena turned.

“Dad!”

Daniel looked at her.

“Go!”

“You're coming with us.”

“I can't.”

“Why?”

Daniel smiled.

“Because someone has to stop him.”

He pushed the emergency door shut.

Elena screamed.

“Dad!”

The door locked.

The tunnel collapsed.

Julian pulled her away.

They ran toward daylight.

Behind them, the entire underground chamber disappeared beneath tons of concrete.

Elena emerged into the morning rain.

She turned back.

Her father was gone again.

This time, she had watched it happen.

Julian held her.

She cried silently.

Then her phone vibrated.

One message.

YOU HAVE 24 HOURS.

And beneath it was a photograph.

Daniel Sterling.

Alive.

Tied to a chair.

A gun pressed to his head.

The message continued.

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BRING THE LEDGER.

COME ALONE.