Chapter 10: The Man Wearing Her Father’s Badge
Nia raised her weapon.
The person standing in the doorway did not move.
The hallway lights flickered above him, casting shadows across his face.
For one impossible moment, Nia thought she was looking at a ghost.
Not because she knew him.
Because she knew the badge.
Her father’s old security badge hung from his jacket.
The same badge she had seen in family photographs.
The same badge she remembered sitting on the kitchen counter every night after his shifts.
“Who are you?”” Nia demanded.
The man slowly lifted his hands.
“Someone who has been waiting for you to ask that question.””
Marcus stepped forward.
His eyes narrowed.
“Where did you get that badge?””
The man looked at him.
“From the person who gave it to me.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“My father?””
Nia looked at him sharply.
“No.””
The man shook his head.
“Your father gave it to me.””
Silence.
Arthur stared.
“That’s impossible.””
The man looked at the old man.
“Arthur, you’ve spent years believing the wrong story.””
Arthur’s grip tightened around his cane.
“You know my name.””
The man nodded.
“I know all of your names.””
Nia kept her weapon steady.
“Start talking.””
The man looked at Rex.
The dog stared back.
Then, slowly, Rex walked toward him.
Nia’s heart tightened.
She expected the dog to react.
To growl.
To warn them.
But Rex didn’t.
He sniffed the man’s hand.
Then sat.
Marcus looked shocked.
“Rex knows you.””
The man nodded.
“Because I was there.””
“Where?””
The man looked at Marcus.
“When you disappeared.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Who are you?””
The man hesitated.
Then answered.
“My name is Daniel Brooks.””
Nia’s eyes narrowed.
“Daniel Brooks?””
She searched her memory.
The name felt familiar.
Daniel noticed.
“You’ve heard it before.””
“Where?””
He looked toward her.
“From your father.””
Nia froze.
“My father never mentioned you.””
Daniel gave a sad smile.
“That’s because he was trying to protect you.””
Arthur looked between them.
“From what?””
Daniel’s expression became serious.
“From the same people who erased Marcus.””
Marcus looked around the room.
“Then why are you here?””
Daniel reached into his jacket.
Nia reacted instantly.
“Slowly.””
Daniel stopped.
He pulled out a small envelope.
Not a weapon.
He placed it on the table.
“This was your father’s final message.””
Nia stared.
“My father’s?””
Daniel nodded.
“He knew he wouldn’t make it out.””
The room became silent.
Nia looked at the envelope.
She wanted to reach for it.
But her hands would not move.
Because part of her feared what she would find.
Another part feared she already knew.
Arthur stepped forward.
“Open it.””
Nia looked at him.
He nodded gently.
“You deserve the truth.””
She opened the envelope.
Inside was a single page.
Her father’s handwriting.
The first line made her chest tighten.
*Nia, if you are reading this, then Rex found Marcus.*
She stopped.
Marcus watched her.
“Keep going.””
She continued.
*I need you to understand something. Marcus was never the target. He was the evidence.*
Nia looked confused.
Evidence of what?
She read further.
*The mission that took Marcus was not a failure. It was an investigation.*
Marcus stepped closer.
“My mission?””
Daniel nodded.
“You were investigating something bigger.””
Marcus looked angry.
“I was told it was a rescue operation.””
Daniel shook his head.
“They needed you to believe that.””
Nia kept reading.
*The people responsible are not outside the system. They are inside it.*
Her fingers trembled.
Then she reached the final sentence.
*Trust Daniel. Trust Rex. But trust no badge unless Rex trusts it first.*
Nia slowly lowered the letter.
She looked at Daniel.
“You were my father’s partner.””
Daniel nodded.
“For twenty years.””
Arthur stared.
“Then why didn’t I know?””
Daniel looked away.
“Because after your father died, everyone who knew the truth became a target.””
Marcus looked toward the hallway.
“They killed him.””
Daniel didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
Suddenly, the lights shut off.
Complete darkness.
A second later, emergency lights turned red.
A voice came over the room speaker.
“Unauthorized personnel detected.””
Daniel looked up.
His face changed.
“They found us.””
Nia raised her weapon again.
“Who?””
Daniel looked toward the door.
“The people who own this airport.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Own?””
Daniel nodded.
“Not legally.””
A sound echoed outside.
Footsteps.
Many footsteps.
Nia looked at the others.
“How many exits?””
Daniel shook his head.
“None.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
Daniel pointed to the walls.
“This room was built to keep people inside.””
The footsteps stopped outside.
A voice spoke through the door.
“Daniel.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
Nia noticed.
He recognized the voice.
“Who is that?””
Daniel whispered:
May you like
“The man who ordered Marcus’s disappearance.””
The door handle turned.
