Chapter 6: The Name in the Ledger
The speaker clicked off.
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Then Dante ripped the device from the wall.
“Where is he?””
Marcus grabbed his shoulder.
“Dante.””
“Where is Caleb?””
“We don't know.””
“You said they had him.””
“They do.””
“Then find him.””
Marcus stared at his brother.
“I've been trying for three years.””
Dante shoved the speaker onto the floor.
“And you couldn't find one man?””
Marcus's face tightened.
“I found where they were keeping him once.””
“What happened?””
“They moved him.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
Victoria suddenly spoke.
“Four months.””
Marcus turned.
“What?””
Victoria swallowed.
“They moved him four months ago.””
Dante looked at her.
“How do you know?””
“Because that was when they started sending me the new photographs.””
Marcus stepped toward her.
“You saw him?””
“Yes.””
“Alive?””
“Yes.””
Marcus's eyes filled with something between rage and relief.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Victoria's voice broke.
“Because every time I tried to leave, they reminded me what would happen.””
She reached into her purse and pulled out a small envelope.
Dante took it.
Inside were several photographs.
Caleb.
Alive.
His wrists bound.
A bruise beneath one eye.
The final photograph showed a concrete wall behind him.
Written across it in black paint was a number.
*17.*
Dante looked up.
“The archive.””
Victoria nodded.
“They knew about this place.””
Marcus studied the photograph.
“No.””
Dante frowned.
“What?””
Marcus pointed toward the corner.
“Look.””
There was a small metal door behind Caleb.
Stamped above it was another number.
*18.*
Marcus's expression changed.
“The archive isn't the destination.””
Dante looked at him.
“What is eighteen?””
Marcus whispered, “The holding room.””
Elena looked around.
“There are rooms under this place?””
“Dozens,” Marcus said.
Dante closed the envelope.
“Then we're going down.””
Marcus grabbed his arm.
“You don't understand.””
“I understand perfectly.””
“They built these tunnels to move people without anyone seeing.””
Dante stared at him.
“Then we'll use them.””
Victoria stepped forward.
“I know the route.””
Everyone looked at her.
Dante's voice was quiet.
“How?””
“They made me memorize it.””
“Why?””
“So I could bring someone here.””
“Who?””
Victoria hesitated.
“They wanted you.””
Marcus's eyes hardened.
“And tonight?””
Victoria nodded.
“They expected me to bring you here unconscious.””
Dante looked toward the poisoned glass photograph on his phone.
“So the drink wasn't the end.””
“No.””
“What was it?””
“A key.””
Dante frowned.
Victoria continued.
“They told me if you drank it, I was supposed to call them. They would come take you.””
Marcus looked at Dante.
“And if you didn't?””
Victoria stared at the floor.
“They told me to find another way.””
A distant metallic bang echoed through the archive.
Everyone turned.
Someone had entered the house.
Dante switched off the lights.
“Positions.””
Marcus moved behind a stone pillar.
Elena crouched beside the desk.
Victoria pressed herself against the wall.
Footsteps descended the staircase.
One.
Two.
Three.
Slow.
Measured.
Dante raised his weapon.
A shadow appeared beneath the archive doorway.
The intruder stepped inside.
Dante moved.
He struck the man's wrist, knocking his weapon away.
The man swung.
Dante blocked the punch and drove him against the steel door.
Marcus rushed forward.
Together they restrained him.
The attacker struggled.
“Where is Caleb?”” Dante demanded.
The man laughed.
“You're too late.””
Dante slammed him against the wall.
“Where?””
The man looked toward Victoria.
“She knows.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No.””
He smiled.
“She always knows.””
Dante turned to Victoria.
“Tell me.””
“I don't.””
The attacker laughed again.
“She gave them everything.””
Victoria's face crumpled.
“I gave them the password.””
“You gave them the route.””
“I didn't know!””
“You knew enough.””
Dante stared at the man.
“Who sent you?””
The man's smile faded.
“You really don't know?””
“No.””
“You're standing in your father's grave.””
Dante's expression changed.
“My father is dead.””
“So is Marcus.””
Marcus stepped forward.
The attacker stared at him.
Then whispered:
“You should still be dead.””
Marcus grabbed his collar.
“Who ordered it?””
The man refused to answer.
Dante searched him.
He found a small black keycard.
Stamped across it:
*ARCHIVE 18 — AUTHORIZED: A. REED*
Marcus stared at the initials.
His face went pale.
Dante noticed.
“What?””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
“What does A. Reed mean?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Dante grabbed his shoulder.
“Tell me.””
Marcus looked at Victoria.
Then Elena.
Then finally Dante.
“Avery Reed.””
Dante frowned.
“Who is Avery?””
Marcus swallowed.
“Our father.””
The archive went silent.
Dante stared at the keycard.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“He had a middle name,” Marcus said.
“Avery.””
“But his initials were A.R.””
Marcus nodded.
Dante looked toward the hidden passage.
“If he's dead…”
Marcus finished the sentence.
“Then someone is using his identity.””
A soft electronic beep sounded.
The steel door at the far end unlocked by itself.
Everyone turned.
A monitor mounted above the doorway flickered on.
Caleb appeared on screen.
Alive.
Terrified.
His hands were tied behind his back.
“Marcus?””
Marcus stepped toward the screen.
“Caleb!””
Caleb looked directly into the camera.
“Dad…”
Marcus's face collapsed with relief.
Then Caleb's eyes shifted.
He saw Dante.
“Uncle Dante?””
Dante stepped closer.
“I'm here.””
Caleb's breathing became frantic.
“Don't come any closer.””
Dante froze.
“Why?””
Caleb shook his head.
“Because they told me if you came…”
A voice spoke behind him.
“Finish the sentence.””
Caleb's eyes widened.
He whispered:
“They said you'd never leave this house.””
The screen went black.
Then every light in the archive switched on.
The steel doors slammed shut.
May you like
And from somewhere deep beneath the mansion, a woman's voice came through the speakers.
“Welcome home, Dante.””
