Chapter 4 - THE BETRAYER
They hid inside an old apartment building downtown.
Nobody lived there anymore.
The perfect place for ghosts.
Sam sat beside the window, staring at the street below.
Maya watched him.
“You think it’s one of your old teammates.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Sam didn’t answer.
“Tell me.”
He looked at her.
“You want the truth?”
“Yes.”
Sam placed three photographs on the table.
Three faces.
Three names.
“Daniel Cross.”
“Marcus Reed.”
“Ethan Cole.”
Maya studied them.
“Which one?”
Sam shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“That’s impossible.”
“No.”
He looked exhausted.
“That’s why it’s dangerous.”
Maya sat down.
“You trusted them.”
“Yes.”
“And one betrayed you.”
“Yes.”
She looked at the Helix Core.
“Then why would they let you survive?”
Sam became quiet.
Because he knew the answer.
“They need me.”
“For what?”
“To unlock something.”
Suddenly, the apartment phone rang.
Both of them froze.
The apartment had no electricity.
No working phone line.
Sam slowly picked up the receiver.
Nobody spoke.
Then a familiar voice whispered.
“Still drinking black coffee, Sam?”
His blood went cold.
“Daniel.”
Maya looked at him.
“You know him?”
Sam stared into the darkness.
“Too well.”
The voice laughed.
“You always were terrible at letting things go.”
“Where are you?”
“Closer than you think.”
Sam gripped the phone.
“You killed Lena.”
Silence.
Then:
“No.”
The voice became serious.
“You did.”
Sam froze.
“What?”
“You brought her into Vortex.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Is it?”
The line went dead.
Maya stared.
“Sam…”
He didn’t move.
Because for the first time, doubt entered his eyes.
A few minutes later, the apartment door opened.
Sam raised his weapon.
A woman stepped inside.
She was wearing a dark coat.
Holding a folder.
Maya moved back.
“Who are you?”
The woman looked at Sam.
“Someone who knows what really happened six years ago.”
Sam narrowed his eyes.
“Name.”
“Rachel.”
“That means nothing.”
Rachel placed the folder on the table.
Inside was an old investigation report.
Sam opened it.
His face slowly changed.
Because on the final page was his signature.
And underneath it:
AUTHORIZED BY SAM CARTER.
Maya looked at him.
“What did you authorize?”
May you like
Sam couldn’t answer.
Because he had no memory of signing it.
