Chapter 13 — “I Choose Daddy”
Chapter 13 — “I Choose Daddy”
The courthouse doors slammed open.
I ran.
“Noah!”
An officer grabbed my arm.
“Mr. Carter, wait!”
I shoved him away.
“Where is my son?”
Nobody answered.
The security corridor was empty.
The guardian who had been assigned to Noah lay unconscious near the elevator.
My heart stopped.
Vance crouched beside him.
“He's alive.”
“Where's Noah?”
“I don't know.”
I looked around.
Then I saw something on the floor.
A small blue ribbon.
Noah's ribbon.
He always wore it around his wrist.
I picked it up.
My hands started shaking.
“They took him.”
Vance stood.
“We'll find him.”
“They took him during a court hearing.”
“Yes.”
“Inside a secured courthouse.”
“Yes.”
“Then someone inside helped them.”
Vance didn't answer.
He didn't have to.
I already knew.
Someone had betrayed us.
Again.
We reviewed the courthouse cameras.
At 10:42 a.m., Noah entered the children's waiting room.
At 10:47, a woman wearing a court employee's uniform entered.
At 10:49, she left carrying a small backpack.
At 10:51, the cameras went dark.
Vance stared at the screen.
“That's impossible.”
“What?”
“The system was manually overridden.”
“By whom?”
He checked the access logs.
His expression changed.
“Judge's chambers.”
My stomach tightened.
“Is the judge involved?”
“No.”
“Then who used his credentials?”
“We're finding out.”
He turned toward the hallway.
“Lock down the building.”
Officers rushed in every direction.
I stood frozen.
My son had disappeared again.
And this time, I couldn't even tell myself he was somewhere safe.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Daddy?”
My knees almost gave out.
“Noah!”
A man's voice interrupted.
“You have ten minutes.”
“Where is he?”
“Listen carefully.”
“I want to hear my son.”
“You will.”
There was a pause.
Then Noah whispered:
“Daddy, don't be scared.”
I closed my eyes.
“I'm not scared, buddy.”
I was terrified.
“You're coming home.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
The line went silent.
Then the man spoke.
“Bring Lily.”
I froze.
“What?”
“Bring Lily Reed.”
“No.”
“Then Noah dies.”
“You want Lily?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she knows where Amelia hid the final recording.”
I looked at Lily.
She had heard everything.
Her face had gone white.
“I don't know where it is.”
The voice laughed.
“You don't have to remember.”
“What does that mean?”
“You only have to survive long enough for us to make you remember.”
The call ended.
Lily sat down.
“I know where they're taking us.”
“Where?”
“The old railway station.”
“How do you know?”
“Because that's where Thomas took me when I was a child.”
I looked at her.
“What happened there?”
“He used to make me listen to recordings.”
“Of what?”
“My mother's voice.”
“Why?”
“To make me remember things.”
“Did you?”
“I remembered one thing.”
“What?”
She looked at me.
“My mother said your father was innocent.”
I stared.
“Why would she say that?”
“Because he didn't steal the Archive.”
“Then who did?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Think.”
“I've spent twenty years trying to forget.”
I took a breath.
“Now you have to remember.”
Vance refused to let us go alone.
He assembled a small team.
Lily came with us.
Vanessa insisted on coming too.
“No.”
She looked at me.
“I know the station.”
“That's not enough.”
“I know Thomas.”
“So do I.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You know the man he pretended to be.”
“What does that mean?”
“Thomas always had someone above him.”
“Victor?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Vanessa looked at Lily.
“Her.”
Lily frowned.
“Me?”
“Your mother.”
Silence.
“Amelia?”
Vanessa nodded.
“Thomas never controlled Amelia.”
“Then why did she disappear?”
“Because she let him believe he did.”
I stared at Vanessa.
“You're saying Amelia was playing Thomas?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To protect Lily.”
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
“My mother sacrificed herself for me.”
“Yes.”
“And now she's missing.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew?”
“I suspected.”
Lily looked away.
“You knew enough.”
Vanessa didn't defend herself.
“I know.”
The old railway station stood abandoned outside the city.
We entered through the side door.
Dust covered the floor.
The lights flickered.
Then a speaker crackled.
“Welcome.”
Thomas's voice.
Vance raised his weapon.
“Show yourself.”
Laughter.
“Detective Vance.”
“You're under arrest.”
“I already am.”
Thomas appeared on a screen.
“But you haven't arrested the man who matters.”
The screen changed.
A photograph appeared.
Victor.
Then another.
A man I didn't recognize.
Then another.
My father.
And finally—
My mother.
Thomas said:
“Your father believed Victor was the enemy.”
The screen showed Victor meeting my father.
“But Victor believed your father was the enemy.”
Then another image.
Amelia.
“And Amelia knew they were both wrong.”
Lily stepped forward.
“What did my mother know?”
Thomas smiled.
“She knew who created the Archive.”
Lily's face changed.
“Who?”
Thomas looked directly at her.
“You.”
Lily staggered backward.
“No.”
Thomas continued.
“Not intentionally.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your mother used your genetic records to create the original encryption.”
Lily stared.
“I was a child.”
“Exactly.”
“You're lying.”
“I wish I were.”
The screen displayed a medical file.
SUBJECT: LILY REED
Then:
GENETIC KEY — UNIQUE.
I looked at Lily.
“What does this mean?”
She couldn't answer.
Thomas did.
“It means the Archive can only be opened completely by her.”
My blood ran cold.
“That's why you wanted her.”
“Yes.”
“And me?”
“You are the second authorization.”
“And Noah?”
Thomas smiled.
“Your son is the contingency.”
I stepped toward the screen.
“You're sick.”
“No.”
His voice became quiet.
“I'm practical.”
A door opened behind us.
Two men dragged Noah into the room.
My heart shattered.
He was frightened.
But he was standing.
“Daddy!”
I moved forward.
A gun pointed at his head.
I stopped.
“Don't.”
Noah looked at me.
“It's okay.”
“No, buddy.”
He smiled through tears.
“You promised.”
“I did.”
“I knew you'd come.”
Thomas spoke.
“Lily.”
She stepped forward.
“Let him go.”
“First, the recording.”
“I don't have it.”
“You do.”
“No.”
Thomas looked at her.
“Your memory does.”
Lily closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
“The chapel.”
Thomas smiled.
“Exactly.”
I looked at her.
“What chapel?”
“The one beneath the hospital.”
Vance's expression changed.
“The hidden chapel.”
Lily nodded.
“Amelia hid the recording there.”
Thomas's voice became excited.
“Finally.”
Then Lily added:
“But you can't access it.”
“Why?”
“Because it requires two signatures.”
I understood.
Mine.
And hers.
Thomas smiled.
“Then sign.”
“No.”
“Lily.”
“No.”
Thomas looked at Noah.
One of the men raised his gun.
I stepped forward.
“Stop!”
Lily grabbed my arm.
“Don't.”
I looked at her.
She whispered:
“Trust me.”
Thomas waited.
“Sign.”
Lily walked toward the table.
I followed.
A document lay there.
The transfer of the Carter-Reed Trust.
If we signed, Thomas would control everything.
I looked at Lily.
She nodded slightly.
I picked up the pen.
Thomas smiled.
“Good.”
I signed.
Lily signed.
Thomas laughed.
“Thank you.”
Then the document flashed red.
INVALID.
Thomas's smile vanished.
“What?”
Lily stepped away.
“You forgot something.”
Thomas stared.
“What?”
She pointed at the bottom of the document.
“Two signatures aren't enough.”
Thomas grabbed the paper.
“What did you do?”
I smiled for the first time.
“The signatures had to be voluntary.”
Thomas looked at me.
“You were threatened.”
“Yes.”
“Then they're invalid.”
Thomas's face twisted with rage.
“You think this is funny?”
“No.”
I looked at Noah.
“I think you're finished.”
Vance moved first.
His team stormed the room.
Gunfire erupted.
The kidnappers dropped their weapons.
Thomas disappeared through a side door.
Lily ran toward Noah.
I reached him first.
I pulled him into my arms.
“Daddy.”
“I've got you.”
“I knew you would come.”
I held him tighter.
Then he whispered:
“Daddy?”
“What?”
“I saw Grandma.”
I froze.
“Where?”
“Before they brought me here.”
“Where was she?”
Noah pointed toward the tunnel.
“She was talking to a man.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“What did he look like?”
Noah thought.
“Like Uncle Victor.”
My blood ran cold.
“Victor?”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Not Uncle Victor.”
“Then who?”
“He had the same face.”
I stared at him.
“That doesn't make sense.”
Noah nodded.
“He said Grandma called him her brother.”
I looked at Lily.
She went pale.
“That's impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor only had one brother.”
“Who?”
She whispered:
“Your father.”
We found Victor's body twenty minutes later.
He had been shot.
But before he lost consciousness, he grabbed my hand.
“Daniel.”
“Who did this?”
He struggled to breathe.
“Your mother.”
I froze.
“What?”
“She found him.”
“Who?”
Victor's eyes widened.
“The real one.”
“Who?”
He whispered:
“Thomas isn't Thomas.”
I stared.
“What does that mean?”
Victor's eyes closed.
“He's been dead for twelve years.”
Silence.
I looked toward Lily.
She was trembling.
Vance stepped closer.
“Then who is the man we've been chasing?”
Victor opened his eyes one final time.
“The brother.”
Then he passed out.
The hospital became chaos.
Victor survived surgery.
Noah was placed under protective custody.
Lily refused to leave him.
Vanessa sat alone in the waiting room.
I found her there.
She looked exhausted.
“Daniel.”
“What?”
“I owe you the truth.”
“You've said that before.”
“I know.”
“Then say it.”
She looked at me.
“The man who has been pretending to be Thomas Reed…”
She paused.
“…isn't Victor's brother.”
I waited.
“He's your mother's brother.”
I stared.
“My mother had a brother?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Vanessa whispered the name.
“Samuel Carter.”
I couldn't breathe.
“That's impossible.”
“He died before you were born.”
“Then who is he?”
Vanessa looked toward the hospital corridor.
“That's what we're going to find out.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice spoke.
My mother's voice.
“Daniel.”
I froze.
“Mom?”
“Listen carefully.”
“Where are you?”
“I don't have much time.”
“Who took you?”
“No one.”
“What?”
“I went willingly.”
“Why?”
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“Because the man behind Vanessa has found us.”
“Who?”
My mother breathed softly.
“Your grandfather.”
The call ended.
I stood frozen.
My grandfather had been dead for thirty years.
Or so I had believed.
Then Noah came running toward me.
“Daddy!”
I turned.
He pointed at the hospital window.
“That's him.”
Across the street stood an elderly man.
Watching us.
He slowly raised his hand.
And smiled.
The same smile Noah had drawn in his notebooks.
The same smile Ethan had described.
The same smile belonging to the man who had been watching our family for years.
Then he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
I looked at Lily.
She whispered:
“That's my grandfather too.”
And suddenly I understood.
The war wasn't between Thomas and my family.
It had never been.
May you like
The real war had started before any of us were born.
And now the man who had started it had finally come out of hiding.
