Chapter 8 - THE FATHER WHO RETURNED
Maya could not move.
Daniel looked exactly like the man in the old photographs.
But his hair was gray at the temples.
A scar crossed his jaw.
His eyes were empty.
“Dad?”
The word came out as a whisper.
Daniel’s gun remained pointed at Roman.
“Maya.”
His voice broke.
Maya took one step forward.
Roman blocked her.
Daniel’s finger tightened on the trigger.
“Move away from her.”
Roman did not move.
“You know me.”
“I knew you.”
Daniel stood.
A metal chain ran from his ankle to the server cabinet.
Electrode marks covered his wrist.
Maya stared at them.
“What did they do to you?”
Daniel looked toward the ceiling camera.
“They taught me patience.”
Valentina’s voice entered through the speaker.
“And obedience.”
Daniel’s jaw clenched.
Roman slowly lowered his weapon.
“Daniel, Sarah is alive.”
“I know.”
“Elena has her.”
“I know.”
“Then help us.”
Daniel laughed once.
It sounded broken.
“Help you?”
“You built this empire.”
“You fed every monster inside it.”
“I trusted my mother.”
“You trusted power.”
Maya stepped around Roman.
Daniel’s gun shifted.
But he did not aim at her.
She moved closer.
“You sent the voicemail.”
Daniel’s eyes widened.
“The phone in the hallway.”
“You called it.”
He nodded.
“I saw Elena near the cake through the old security feed.”
“I could access one line for six seconds.”
“You warned me.”
“I tried.”
Maya’s eyes filled.
“Why didn’t you call before?”
Daniel looked at the chain.
“They kept me underground.”
“They moved me every few months.”
“They needed me to maintain the ledger.”
Roman looked at the server.
“Why?”
“Because every account is tied to a dead-man switch.”
“If I stop entering a code, the ledger is sent to federal investigators.”
Julian stepped inside.
“Then why hasn’t it been released?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Because they took Sarah.”
Maya understood.
Her father had stayed alive to protect them.
Sarah had stayed silent to protect Maya.
Everyone had been trapped for years.
Valentina’s voice grew impatient.
“Open the primary archive.”
Daniel looked at Maya.
“Do not touch that console.”
Sarah screamed through the monitor.
Elena pressed the knife closer to her skin.
Maya turned.
“Mom!”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Valentina spoke again.
“The archive, Maya.”
“Or your mother dies while your father watches.”
Roman looked at the ceiling.
“You need Maya alive.”
“For now.”
Roman looked at Daniel.
“Can the collar be stopped from here?”
Daniel glanced toward the central console.
“Yes.”
“But opening that console also unlocks every account.”
Valentina would gain access to billions.
Evidence would disappear.
Witnesses would be exposed.
Maya looked at her mother on the monitor.
Then at the console.
She placed her hand on the scanner.
Daniel raised his gun again.
“Maya.”
“I’m sorry.”
She pressed down.
The server roared to life.
Files filled the screens.
The collar around Sarah’s neck unlocked.
It dropped to the floor.
Sarah ran.
Elena slashed at her.
Sarah ducked and pushed Elena into the wall.
The camera feed shook.
Then every screen turned red.
Daniel stared at the warning message.
“What did you do?”
Maya looked at him.
“I didn’t open the archive.”
“I copied it.”
A progress bar appeared.
BLACK LEDGER TRANSFER: 12%.
Roman almost smiled.
Valentina screamed through the speakers.
“Stop her!”
Daniel lowered his gun.
Then a new message appeared.
TRANSFER DESTINATION: UNKNOWN.
Daniel’s face turned pale.
“That isn’t going to the government.”
Roman looked at him.
“Where is it going?”
Daniel stared at the screen.
May you like
“To the person who planned all of this.”
And the transfer climbed to twenty percent.
