Chapter 9: The Father Behind the Lie
The photograph remained on the screen.
Daniel Carter.
Alive.
Standing somewhere unknown.
Older.
Tired.
But real.
Nia stared at the image until her eyes began to hurt.
After everything.
After every secret.
Every lie.
Every impossible revelation.
There was still one thing her mind refused to accept.
Her father was alive.
A person she had mourned for twelve years was still somewhere in the world.
A person she had spent half her life missing had been watching from a distance.
The room around her disappeared.
She no longer heard the alarms.
She no longer heard the voices.
Only one thought remained.
Why didn’t he come home?
“Lt. Carter: Where?””
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Nobody answered.
She turned.
“Lt. Carter: I asked where.””
Colonel Reed looked at the coordinates on the screen.
His expression was unreadable.
“Colonel Reed: A former research facility.””
Cole looked at him.
“Cole: The Raven site?””
Reed nodded.
Nia noticed.
“Lt. Carter: You know that place.””
Reed didn’t deny it.
“Colonel Reed: Yes.””
“Lt. Carter: Then we go there.””
Reed immediately shook his head.
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
Nia looked at him.
“Lt. Carter: Why?””
“Because whoever sent this message wants you there.””
“Lt. Carter: Good.””
She picked up her equipment.
“Lt. Carter: Then I’ll go.””
Cole stepped forward.
“Cole: Lieutenant—”
She looked at him.
“Lt. Carter: Don’t.””
The single word stopped him.
“Lt. Carter: Everyone has spent my entire life deciding what I can handle.””
She looked at Reed.
“You.””
Then at Cole.
“My father.””
Her grip tightened around the photograph.
“Lt. Carter: I’m done being protected from the truth.””
Reed studied her.
Then quietly said:
“Colonel Reed: You sound like Daniel.””
Nia froze.
It was the first time anyone had compared her to her father.
Not her appearance.
Not her career.
Her choices.
She looked away.
“Lt. Carter: Maybe that’s the problem.””
Two hours later, the three of them moved through the abandoned mountain facility.
No official markings.
No active communication signals.
No signs of life.
The location looked forgotten.
But Nia knew better.
Places like this were never truly abandoned.
They were buried.
The building stood against the mountains like a scar from another era.
Broken windows.
Rusting metal doors.
Old security cameras hanging from the walls.
Cole moved ahead carefully.
“Cole: No movement.””
Reed followed behind.
Nia noticed something.
The colonel was quieter than usual.
Not because he was afraid.
Because he remembered this place.
“Lt. Carter: You’ve been here before.””
Reed stopped.
“Yes.””
“Lt. Carter: When?””
A pause.
May you like
“Colonel Reed: The night your father disappeared.””
N
