Chapter 8: The Father Who Lived
Marcus stared at Elena's phone.
“Call him back.””
Elena's hand shook.
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because he won't answer.””
“Try.””
She pressed the number.
The call rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then voicemail.
Marcus grabbed the phone.
“Dad?””
Nothing.
He listened.
Only static.
Then a recording began.
“Marcus, if you've found B-17, you have less time than I did.””
Marcus's face changed.
Elena looked at him.
The recording continued.
“Do not trust anyone who tells you Nia was the first child.””
Marcus looked at Nia.
She stared back.
The recording crackled.
“Your mother believed the children were being used to hide something much bigger. She was right.””
Marcus whispered, “Dad…”
“There are records under the house.””
The recording stopped.
A burst of static.
Then one final sentence.
“Look beneath the pantry floor.””
The phone went silent.
Marcus lowered it.
Elena shook her head.
“No.””
Marcus turned.
“What?””
“You can't.””
“Why?””
“Because if he knew about the floor, then they know too.””
“Who are they?””
“I don't know!””
“You keep saying that!””
“Because every time I got close, someone disappeared!””
Marcus stared at her.
“Who disappeared?””
Elena looked away.
“My brother.””
Marcus's expression softened for only a second.
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
“What was he investigating?””
“The hospital.””
“Was he looking for Nia?””
“He was looking for children.””
Marcus looked at the photographs.
“How many?””
Elena swallowed.
“Twenty-three.””
Marcus's eyes widened.
“Twenty-three children?””
“I only found evidence of twenty-three.””
“And Nia?””
“She was number seventeen.””
Marcus looked down at the marking on the photograph.
R-17.
“R means…”
“Registry.””
“And seventeen?””
“The order.””
Marcus slowly looked at Nia.
“Then Amara was?””
“Eighteen.””
Nia's face crumpled.
Marcus crouched beside her.
“Do you remember where Amara went?””
Nia nodded.
“Under the hospital.””
Marcus glanced at Elena.
“You said the records were in the basement.””
“They were.””
“There was another level.””
Elena nodded.
“Below B-17.””
Marcus stood.
“Then that's where we're going.””
Elena grabbed him.
“You don't understand.””
“Then explain.””
“The man with the scar isn't working alone.””
“Who is he working for?””
“I don't know.””
“Who gives the orders?””
Elena stared at the floor.
“I heard one name.””
Marcus waited.
“Say it.””
She whispered,
“Lorraine.””
Marcus recoiled.
“My mother?””
Elena nodded.
“No.””
Marcus's voice hardened.
“My mother is dead.””
“I know.””
“She couldn't be giving orders.””
“I know.””
“Then who is Lorraine?””
Elena's eyes filled.
“That's what I never figured out.””
A floorboard creaked.
All three froze.
Marcus looked toward the pantry.
Nothing.
Then another creak.
This time beneath them.
Marcus slowly looked down.
“The floor.””
He moved the pantry table aside.
Dust covered the hardwood.
Near the baseboard was a narrow metal seam.
He knelt.
His fingers traced it.
A hidden latch.
Elena whispered, “Marcus.””
He opened it.
A small compartment appeared beneath the floor.
Inside was a black notebook.
Marcus lifted it.
The cover had no title.
He opened the first page.
Names.
Dozens of names.
Dates.
Hospital room numbers.
Beside each name was a letter.
A.
B.
C.
Some were crossed out.
Some had been circled.
One name made Marcus stop.
*NIA REED — R-17 — TRANSFERRED.*
Below it:
*AMARA REED — R-18 — TRANSFERRED.*
Marcus flipped the page.
The next entry read:
*SUBJECT R-19 — MALE — PATERNITY: DANIEL REED.*
Marcus's eyes widened.
“My father?””
Elena leaned closer.
“Keep reading.””
Below the entry was a date.
The same date Marcus had been told his father died.
And beside it:
*TRANSFERRED TO PRIVATE LOCATION.*
Marcus's hands began to shake.
“He was taken.””
Elena nodded.
“Your father wasn't killed.””
Marcus turned another page.
A handwritten message appeared.
*Daniel refused to cooperate. Lorraine threatened to expose Marcus's true identity.*
Marcus stopped.
“My true identity?””
Elena said nothing.
He turned the page.
A final sentence had been written in red:
*Marcus was never Daniel's biological son.*
The notebook fell from his hands.
Nia stepped closer.
Marcus stared at the words.
“No.””
Elena began crying.
“Marcus…”
“No.””
He picked up the notebook.
“This is a lie.””
“I don't know.””
“My mother raised me.””
“Yes.””
“My father was Daniel.””
“Yes.””
“Then why does this say—”
A loud bang shook the pantry door.
Nia screamed.
The three of them turned.
The man with the scar stood on the other side of the thin wooden door.
His voice was calm.
“You finally found it.””
Marcus stepped in front of Nia.
The man laughed softly.
“You always were your father's son.””
Marcus stared at the door.
“Who are you?””
Silence.
Then the man's answer came.
“Ask Elena.””
Marcus turned.
Elena was already crying.
May you like
The man continued from the other side.
“She knows exactly who your real father is.””
