Chapter 3 - THE FILE WITH SAM’S NAME
The hidden tunnel beneath the repair shop was narrow and freezing.
Maya followed behind Sam while holding the Helix Core tightly.
Above them, footsteps echoed.
The hunters had entered the building.
“They know about this place,” Maya whispered.
Sam kept moving.
“They know too much.”
“You’re saying someone is feeding them information?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Sam stopped.
Maya nearly walked into him.
“What?”
He looked back.
“The only people who knew about this room were my team.”
“And?”
“There were four of us.”
Maya waited.
“Now?”
Sam’s expression hardened.
“Now there is one.”
They reached the end of the tunnel.
A rusted metal door blocked their path.
Sam entered a code.
The door opened.
On the other side was a small underground parking area.
One motorcycle waited inside.
Maya stared.
“You have a motorcycle?”
Sam shrugged.
“I have many regrets.”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
“Yes.”
They climbed onto the motorcycle.
Sam drove.
Maya held onto him as they escaped into the rainy streets.
For several minutes, they said nothing.
Then Maya spoke.
“You knew Lena.”
Sam slowed slightly.
“What?”
“You knew her before she died.”
“Yes.”
“Not just as a partner.”
Sam remained silent.
Maya continued.
“You loved her.”
The silence answered for him.
“I saw her file,” Maya said.
Sam’s grip tightened.
“What file?”
“Vortex had information on everyone.”
She paused.
“Including you.”
Sam stopped the motorcycle.
The rain fell around them.
“What else did you see?”
Maya hesitated.
“Your partner was not killed because she discovered the Helix Core.”
Sam stared.
“Then why?”
Maya looked at him.
“Because she discovered who created it.”
Sam’s face changed.
“Who?”
Maya reached into her jacket.
She pulled out a small memory card.
“This was hidden inside the prototype.”
Sam took it.
“What’s on it?”
“The original research files.”
He looked at her.
“And?”
Maya whispered.
“The person who invented Helix was not from Vortex.”
Sam inserted the card into his device.
A video appeared.
A man in his fifties sat inside a laboratory.
Sam immediately recognized him.
His eyes widened.
“No…”
Maya looked at him.
“You know him?”
Sam stepped back.
“That’s Dr. Adrian Vale.”
“Who is he?”
Sam stared at the screen.
“The founder of the department that trained me.”
The video started.
Dr. Vale looked directly into the camera.
“If you are watching this, then Vortex has already begun using Helix.”
He paused.
“And Sam…”
Sam froze.
The doctor continued.
“I’m sorry Lena died because of me.”
Sam stopped breathing.
Maya watched his reaction.
“Sam?”
The video continued.
“She discovered the truth.”
Dr. Vale looked terrified.
“And she discovered that the person controlling Vortex was someone she trusted.”
The screen glitched.
Then one final sentence appeared.
THE BETRAYER WAS NEVER OUTSIDE THE TEAM.
Sam looked at Maya.
Neither of them spoke.
Because they both understood.
May you like
The enemy was not chasing them.
The enemy had been beside them all along.
