Chapter 2 - FILE 42
Cole ordered the house sealed.
Nobody left.
Nobody entered.
The two girls were taken into the sitting room with Maya and her father while Cole’s team searched every hallway, closet, bedroom, and service entrance.
They found no intruder.
That made the message worse.
MOVE THE GIRLS.
Somebody knew exactly who was inside the house.
Somebody knew the investigation had reached File 42.
And somebody was watching closely enough to know when the recorder had been discovered.
Cole returned twenty minutes later.
“We need names.”
Maya looked at Ethan.
He sat handcuffed in a chair.
His gray suit jacket had been sealed inside an evidence bag.
Without it, he somehow looked smaller.
Less powerful.
“You heard him.”
Ethan stared at the floor.
Cole placed the black recorder on the table.
“We can do this here or downtown.”
Nothing.
Maya stepped forward.
“What is File 42?”
Ethan finally looked at her.
“You really want to know?”
“Yes.”
“No, Maya.”
His voice cracked.
“You think you do.”
Her father moved beside her.
“Answer my daughter.”
Ethan gave a bitter laugh.
“You still think this is about me hurting Maya.”
Nobody responded.
Ethan looked toward the girls.
“This started before I met her.”
Maya felt something cold move through her stomach.
“How long before?”
Ethan didn’t answer.
Cole did.
“We’ll find out.”
A technician entered carrying a laptop.
“We cracked the first layer.”
Cole immediately turned.
“What’s inside?”
“Audio.”
“How much?”
“Forty-three files.”
Ethan’s head snapped up.
“Forty-three?”
The technician nodded.
Cole noticed Ethan’s reaction.
“You expected fewer.”
Ethan’s face hardened again.
The technician connected headphones.
Cole stopped him.
“Speakers.”
Ethan stood abruptly.
“No.”
Cole pushed him back into the chair.
“Sit.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
Ethan looked at Maya.
“Get the girls out.”
Maya hesitated.
That was the first thing Ethan had said all night that sounded genuinely protective.
Her father noticed too.
“I’ll take them.”
Maya crouched.
“Go with Grandpa.”
The older girl grabbed Maya’s sleeve.
“Are you coming?”
“Soon.”
“Promise?”
Maya kissed her forehead.
“I promise.”
Her father led them upstairs.
Cole pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then a man’s voice.
“Asset 42 confirmed.”
Maya froze.
Another voice responded.
“Age?”
“Six.”
Her stomach tightened.
“Family?”
“Mother available.”
“Father?”
A pause.
“Compromised.”
Maya stopped breathing.
Cole paused the recording.
“Do you recognize either voice?”
“No.”
Ethan whispered from behind them.
“I do.”
Everyone turned.
Ethan stared at the recorder.
“The first man is Victor Hale.”
Cole’s expression changed.
Maya recognized the name too.
Victor had attended their wedding.
He had stood beside Ethan in nearly every photograph.
He had toasted their marriage.
Maya whispered.
“Your business partner.”
Ethan shook his head.
“My handler.”
The room went silent.
Maya stared at him.
“Your what?”
Ethan looked exhausted now.
“My handler.”
Cole pulled out a chair.
“Start talking.”
Ethan laughed without humor.
“You think you found a criminal conspiracy.”
He looked toward the stairs where the girls had disappeared.
“You found something worse.”
Maya’s hands trembled.
“What?”
Ethan met her eyes.
“A system.”
May you like
And then he told them File 42 wasn’t a recording of one crime.
It was a catalog.
