Chapter 7: The Man in the Photograph
Marcus couldn't breathe.
The photograph trembled between his fingers.
His mother stood beside the scarred man, exactly as Nia had described him. But it was the baby that held Marcus's attention.
The tiny face.
The dark eyes.
The small crease above the left eyebrow.
Marcus had that same crease.
He had seen it in every family photograph of himself as a child.
He looked at Elena.
“Who is this baby?””
Elena didn't answer.
“Who is this baby?””
“I don't know.””
Marcus slammed the photograph onto the box.
“You know exactly what this is.””
“I know what it looks like.””
“Then stop protecting whoever did this.””
“I am not protecting them.””
“Then tell me the truth!””
His voice echoed through the narrow space.
Nia flinched.
Marcus immediately lowered his voice.
“I'm sorry.””
He crouched beside her.
“I'm sorry, Nia.””
She watched him carefully.
Marcus held out his hand.
“Come here.””
After a moment, she took it.
He helped her out of the hidden compartment and wrapped the old blanket around her shoulders.
Elena watched silently.
Marcus looked at the photographs again.
“Where is my father?””
Elena's face tightened.
“I don't know.””
“You knew my mother disappeared.””
“Yes.””
“You knew she worked in that basement.””
“Yes.””
“You knew there was a man with a scar.””
“Yes.””
“You knew there were children.””
“Yes.””
“And you still kept this from me.””
“I was trying to keep you alive.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Alive?””
Elena nodded.
“The people behind this don't want the children found.””
“Why?””
“I don't know.””
“You've had two years.””
“I spent those two years trying to keep Nia hidden.””
“And my mother?””
“I found her name in the records.””
“What records?””
“The same records from B-17.””
Marcus opened another box.
Folders filled it.
Some were marked with dates.
Others had numbers.
One folder had his name.
He pulled it out.
The first page contained a photograph of Marcus as a child.
He stared.
“I never saw this.””
Elena stood beside him.
“Neither did I.””
Marcus turned the page.
There were medical records.
School records.
Addresses.
Then a handwritten note.
*SUBJECT MUST NOT BE INFORMED OF BIOLOGICAL PATERNITY.*
Marcus's fingers tightened around the paper.
“Why?””
Elena whispered, “Keep reading.””
He turned another page.
A name appeared.
*Daniel Reed.*
Marcus stopped.
“My father.””
Under the name was a date.
Then:
*STATUS: DECEASED.*
Marcus looked at Elena.
“My father died when I was eleven.””
“Yes.””
“That was what my mother told me.””
Elena said nothing.
Marcus turned the page.
A second note had been attached.
*Death officially recorded. Cause: cardiac event.*
Below it, someone had written in red ink:
*FALSE.*
Marcus stared.
His heartbeat thundered.
“What does that mean?””
Elena shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Then Nia spoke.
“He didn't die.””
Marcus slowly turned.
“What?””
Nia pointed at the file.
“Daddy's daddy didn't die.””
Marcus crouched.
“How do you know?””
“I heard Grandma talking.””
“Where?””
“At the hospital.””
“When?””
“Before the man took Amara.””
Marcus felt cold.
“What did your grandmother say?””
Nia squeezed the blanket.
“She said Grandpa was hiding.””
Marcus looked at Elena.
“Your mother knew him?””
“No.””
“My mother.””
Elena nodded.
Marcus looked back at Nia.
“What did she say?””
Nia swallowed.
“She said, ‘Daniel found out.’”
“Found out what?””
“I don't know.””
“What happened next?””
“The man with the scar came.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Did he hurt anyone?””
Nia shook her head.
“He took the baby.””
“What baby?””
“The one in the picture.””
Marcus looked down.
His hands went numb.
“The baby in this photograph?””
Nia nodded.
“That's not you.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
Nia pointed at the photograph.
“That baby isn't you.””
Elena whispered, “Nia…”
Marcus looked at the image again.
The baby looked like him.
But Nia was certain.
“How do you know?””
“Because I saw him.””
Marcus stared.
“Who?””
“The baby.””
Nia's voice became barely audible.
“He was alive after Grandma disappeared.””
Marcus looked at Elena.
“You told me my mother disappeared eight years ago.””
“She did.””
“And Nia says she saw her after that.””
“I know.””
Marcus's eyes widened.
“You knew?””
“I found Nia's drawings.””
“Where?””
“In the wall.””
“Show me.””
Elena hesitated.
Marcus held out his hand.
“Show me.””
She reached into the hidden space and pulled out a small bundle of papers.
Crayon drawings.
A woman.
A tall man.
Two girls.
A baby.
And a hospital room.
Marcus looked through them one by one.
Then he stopped.
The final drawing showed a black door.
Above it was written:
*DADDY'S ROOM.*
Marcus frowned.
“What is this?””
Nia looked at the drawing.
“That was where they kept him.””
“Who?””
“My daddy.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Nia, I'm your daddy.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Marcus's face fell.
Nia pointed to the drawing.
“The other daddy.””
Elena went completely still.
Marcus looked at her.
“What other daddy?””
Before she could answer, the phone in Elena's pocket began ringing.
She looked at the screen.
Her face drained of color.
Marcus saw the caller name.
*DANIEL.*
His father's name.
Marcus whispered,
“Answer it.””
Elena didn't move.
“Answer it.””
She pressed the screen.
A man's voice came through.
“Marcus.””
Marcus stopped breathing.
The voice continued.
May you like
“If you're hearing this, your mother failed.””
The call ended.
