Chapter 4 - THE MAN THEY CALLED DAD
“Dad?”
David finally looked at Noah.
His face showed no surprise.
No panic.
Only disappointment.
“You opened the desk.”
Noah felt something break inside him.
“You knew Mom was alive.”
David shut the door behind him.
Lily began trembling.
“Daddy…”
David looked at her.
For a second, his expression softened.
Then Vanessa snapped, “They found Evelyn.”
David’s jaw tightened.
“Where’s Pierce?”
“They escaped him.”
David cursed under his breath.
Noah stepped forward.
“Why?”
David looked exhausted.
“You’re fifteen. You won’t understand.”
“Try me.”
“Your mother became unstable.”
A laugh came from Noah.
It sounded almost crazy.
“You had a funeral for her!”
“We had no choice.”
“There is always a choice!”
David’s eyes hardened.
“You know nothing about what was happening.”
“Then tell me.”
Silence.
Noah pointed at the files.
“What are these people?”
David’s gaze flicked toward them.
That tiny movement confirmed everything.
He knew.
Vanessa lowered the gun slightly.
“David, this is getting out of control.”
“No,” David said. “It got out of control when you let the children find the passage.”
Vanessa’s face twisted.
“You weren’t here.”
“I was fixing your mistakes.”
Noah glanced at Lily.
They were fighting.
Good.
He moved closer to the filing cabinet.
David noticed.
“Don’t.”
Noah froze.
His father’s voice was cold.
“Do not touch those files.”
“Why?”
“Because if those records leave this house, people will die.”
“People are already dying!”
“Noah!”
David took one step forward.
Lily flinched.
David saw it.
Something like shame crossed his face.
Then his phone rang.
He checked the screen.
His expression changed immediately.
“Who is it?” Vanessa asked.
David turned away.
“Pierce.”
He answered.
“What?”
Noah couldn’t hear the other side.
But his father’s face drained of color.
“Where?”
Pause.
“No. Keep her conscious.”
Noah lunged.
“What happened to Mom?”
David shoved him back.
“Stay here.”
“No!”
David grabbed his shoulders.
“Your mother’s condition is unstable.”
“Because you imprisoned her!”
“She was already sick!”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“She wasn’t sick until Pierce started dosing her.”
David turned on her.
“Shut up.”
Vanessa smiled.
There it was.
A crack.
A truth.
Noah saw it too.
“You drugged Mom.”
David’s silence was answer enough.
From somewhere in the walls came a loud alarm.
Red emergency lights started flashing.
Pierce’s voice echoed through hidden speakers.
“David, we have a breach.”
David grabbed Vanessa’s gun.
“Where?”
“The lower ward.”
“What breach?”
A pause.
Then Pierce answered.
“Evelyn got out.”
Noah’s heart jumped.
“She escaped?”
Pierce’s next words destroyed that hope.
“She didn’t escape alone.”
A new voice came over the speaker.
Female.
Calm.
Powerful.
“David Bennett.”
David stopped breathing.
The woman continued.
“You buried one daughter.”
May you like
Then the lights went out.
“Now I’ve come for the other.”
