Chapter 12: The Sister Buried Twice
For several seconds, Eleanor didn't move.
The rain tapped against the van's roof. Daniel watched the street through the windshield, while David stood beside the open rear doors with his gun lowered at his side.
Marcus stared at his mother.
“Your sister is alive?””
Eleanor covered her mouth.
“I thought she was dead.””
“You told us you were an only child.””
“Because I was told that she had died.””
David's voice was sharp.
“By whom?””
Eleanor looked at the black laptop screen.
“By General Vale.””
Marcus sat back.
“How many people in this family have been officially dead?””
No one answered.
Eleanor wiped her face and drew a shaky breath.
“My sister, Catherine, was a systems analyst. She helped me build the original database for Project Lantern. She understood the technical side better than anyone. When the program was compromised, she discovered that someone had been copying witness identities into a separate database.””
“The database that Shaw used to target people,” Rachel said.
Eleanor nodded.
“Catherine tried to report it. She went to Vale because she believed he would protect the program.””
“And he made her disappear,” David said.
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you search for her?””
“I did. I contacted every agency I knew. I requested records.
I filed reports. Eventually, I was shown a death certificate and a report stating that she had died overseas.””
Marcus's expression hardened.
“You accepted it?””
“I wanted to believe it.””
David let out a bitter breath.
“There's that phrase again.””
Eleanor looked at him.
“I deserve your anger.””
“You deserve more than anger. But right now, your sister is being held hostage because of this operation. So tell us everything you know.””
Eleanor straightened.
“Catherine created a failsafe. If the program was ever used to target protected witnesses, the system would automatically generate a complete audit trail and send it to an independent oversight authority.””
Rachel leaned forward.
“Where is it?””
“Inside the central archive. But the failsafe requires two separate credentials: mine and Catherine's.””
Marcus frowned.
“Why both?””
“Because Catherine designed it to prevent either of us from altering the record alone.””
David looked toward the laptop.
“So Vale needs Mom to unlock the archive.””
“And Catherine to verify the result,” Eleanor said.
Marcus felt the pieces beginning to fit together.
“That's why he wants you to come alone. He needs your credentials, but he doesn't want anyone watching what he does with them.””
Eleanor nodded.
“If I refuse, he'll kill Catherine. If I cooperate, he'll get access to the audit trail.””
“Can he delete it?”” Marcus asked.
“Not once the failsafe is activated. The complete record will be transmitted to the independent oversight authority.””
Rachel shook her head.
“Unless Vale has compromised that office too.””
Eleanor looked at her.
“Then the system has failed completely.””
David paced beside the van.
“We're not walking into his headquarters.””
“I have to,” Eleanor replied.
“No.””
“David, she's my sister.””
“And you're the only person who can prove how the program was corrupted. If Vale gets you, he gets the key to the archive.””
Eleanor lifted her chin.
“Then we make sure he doesn't get to control what happens next.””
Marcus looked at Rachel.
“Can we access the archive without entering the building?””
“Not remotely. The authentication server is isolated. We need a physical terminal.””
“What if we get inside and activate the failsafe?””
“Vale will know immediately.””
“Good.””
Rachel stared at him.
“You want him to know?””
“I want him to believe he's winning until the evidence is already beyond his reach.””
David studied his younger brother.
“You're thinking like a doctor.””
“What does that mean?””
“You're looking for a way to keep everyone alive while the situation gets worse.””
Marcus gave him a tired look.
“It's a useful skill.””
Daniel checked the street again.
“We can't sit here. That black SUV will return.””
Rachel closed her laptop.
“There is another way into headquarters. An underground records entrance used by auditors. It bypasses the main security checkpoint.””
“Can you get us in?”” David asked.
“I can get us to the door. After that, we improvise.””
David looked at Eleanor.
“If you go inside, you follow my instructions.””
She almost smiled.
“You sound like your father.””
“Don't insult me.””
For the first time that night, Eleanor laughed softly.
It lasted only a second.
Then she looked at Marcus.
“If we get Catherine out, there's something you need to know about the warehouse fire.””
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
“What?””
Eleanor glanced toward Thomas.
“Your father wasn't the only person who helped hide the evidence.””
Thomas lowered his eyes.
Marcus stared at him.
“What did you do?””
His father reached into his coat and removed a small, folded document.
“I was told to destroy the original shipment ledger. I didn't. I replaced it with a duplicate and hid the original in the vault.””
David looked at him in disbelief.
“You knew where the evidence was all along?””
“I knew where one copy was.””
“And you let us search for it?””
“I was afraid that if I revealed the location, Vale would know I had kept it.””
Marcus's voice hardened.
“You could have told us.””
“I know.””
Thomas held out the document.
“This contains the access code to the central archive. I wrote it down before the system was changed.””
Rachel took the paper and examined it.
“It's an old administrator code.””
“Will it work?”” Marcus asked.
“Possibly. But if it's been revoked, the system may lock us out.””
David checked his watch.
“We don't have another option.””
They drove to the federal headquarters in silence.
The building stood at the center of a secure government complex, its glass facade reflecting the city lights. Armed guards controlled the main entrance. Cameras covered the parking areas, and black vehicles occupied the spaces nearest the building.
Daniel parked in an underground service garage two blocks away.
Rachel led them through a pedestrian tunnel to a side entrance concealed behind a loading dock.
“This is the records access point,” she whispered.
“Auditors used it before the system was moved online.””
David examined the door.
“Any alarms?””
“Probably.””
“That's comforting.””
Rachel swiped her badge.
The panel flashed red.
She tried again.
*ACCESS DENIED.*
Thomas handed her the old code.
“Try this.””
Rachel entered it manually.
The panel remained red for a moment.
Then the lock clicked.
The door opened.
Marcus looked at his father.
“You remembered the code.””
“I remembered what mattered.””
They entered a narrow corridor lined with filing cabinets and old computer terminals. The lights were dim, and the air smelled of paper and dust.
At the end of the corridor stood a secure archive room.
Rachel entered the code.
The door opened.
Inside, a single terminal sat beneath a security camera. A small green indicator blinked beside the keyboard.
Eleanor approached it.
“This is where Catherine built the failsafe.””
Marcus looked around.
“Where is she being held?””
Rachel opened a floor plan on her laptop.
“Interview rooms are on the upper level. If Vale brought her here, she'll be in the secure detention wing.””
David checked his weapon.
“I'll get Catherine.””
“No,” Eleanor said.
“He expects me to come alone. If you go looking for her, you'll trigger the alarm.””
“Then what do you suggest?””
Eleanor took the seat in front of the terminal.
“I give him what he wants.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Mom, no.””
“I activate the authentication process. Once it begins, Vale will have to bring Catherine here to complete the verification.””
Rachel looked at the terminal.
“She may be right. The system requires both witnesses physically present.””
David shook his head.
“That's exactly how he gets you in one room.””
“Then we make sure the evidence is transmitted before he can stop us.””
Marcus looked at his mother.
“You said the failsafe couldn't be altered once activated.””
“It can't.””
“Then start it.””
Eleanor inserted the flash drive.
The terminal displayed a prompt.
*PROJECT LANTERN — DUAL WITNESS AUTHENTICATION.*
*WITNESS 001: CATHERINE REED.*
*WITNESS 002: ELEANOR REED.*
A second prompt appeared.
*ENTER FINAL AUTHORIZATION CODE.*
Eleanor typed the sequence.
The screen went black.
Then a message appeared.
*AUTHENTICATION ACCEPTED.*
A countdown began.
*00:10:00.*
Rachel stared at it.
“Ten minutes until the complete audit trail is transmitted.””
David moved toward the door.
“Then we have ten minutes to get Catherine.””
A speaker clicked overhead.
General Vale's voice filled the room.
“Excellent, Eleanor. You've done exactly what I expected.””
Eleanor didn't look up.
“You're going to lose everything.””
“Perhaps. But not before I correct one final mistake.””
The archive door locked automatically.
Red lights flashed above the entrance.
A second door opened on the opposite side of the room.
Two armed guards entered, escorting a woman in handcuffs.
Catherine Reed.
She looked older than Eleanor, with silver hair and a thin scar running along her jaw. Her eyes were tired, but when she saw her sister, she stopped walking.
“Ellie?””
Eleanor rose so quickly that her chair fell backward.
“Catherine.””
The sisters stared at each other across the room.
Eleven years of grief and unanswered questions seemed to gather between them.
Then Catherine looked at the terminal.
Her expression changed.
“You activated the failsafe.””
“Yes.””
Catherine turned toward the guards.
“You shouldn't have brought me here.””
One guard shoved her toward the chair beside Eleanor.
“Sit down.””
Catherine remained standing.
“You don't understand what you've done.””
The speaker crackled.
Vale's voice returned.
“Oh, I believe I understand perfectly.””
A screen descended from the ceiling.
On it appeared a live image of Thomas Reed, sitting alone in a small interrogation room.
His hands were cuffed to the table.
A man in a dark suit stood behind him, holding a pistol against the back of his head.
Marcus lunged toward the screen.
“Dad!””
Thomas looked directly into the camera.
“Marcus, listen to me.””
Vale interrupted.
“Complete the authentication, Eleanor. Or Thomas Reed dies before the countdown reaches zero.””
Eleanor stared at the screen.
Catherine grabbed her wrist.
“Don't do it.””
“He'll kill him.””
“He'll kill him anyway.””
Marcus looked at the countdown.
*00:08:42.*
Then a new line appeared beneath the timer.
*FINAL AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED: PROJECT DIRECTOR'S BIOLOGICAL HEIR.*
Marcus frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Catherine turned toward him.
Her face went white.
“No.””
Marcus looked at his mother.
“Mom?””
Eleanor couldn't meet his eyes.
Catherine whispered, “The system doesn't recognize Marcus as a witness.””
She looked at Eleanor with horror.
“It recognizes him as the successor.””
Marcus felt the room tilt.
“Successor to what?””
The terminal flashed.
*PROJECT LANTERN — NEXT DIRECTOR IDENTIFIED.*
*MARCUS REED.*
The speakers crackled again.
General Vale laughed softly.
“Welcome to the family business, Marcus.””
Then the countdown stopped.
May you like
And the screen displayed a final message.
*SUCCESSOR ACCEPTANCE REQUIRED TO RELEASE WITNESS 001.*
