Chapter 6 — The Stranger Behind Lauren
Chapter 6 — The Stranger Behind Lauren
The words on my phone seemed to burn through the screen.
You are the first heir.
I read them again.
Then again.
My hands were cold.
I looked at James.
He was staring at the laptop, but I knew he wasn't seeing it anymore.
He was trying to understand what the message meant.
Lauren stood near the window, pale and trembling.
“Who sent that?” I asked.
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“No.”
“You said Reed had the recording.”
“He does.”
“Then he sent it.”
“I don't know.”
James finally looked up.
“Lauren.”
She turned.
“Where is Reed?”
“I told you. I don't know.”
“You were with him.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know where he went.”
“I don't.”
James walked toward her.
“Why should I believe you?”
“You shouldn't.”
That stopped him.
Lauren looked at me.
“You shouldn't believe anything I say.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I'm scared.”
“Of Reed?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I finally understood what he wanted.”
I swallowed.
“What?”
She whispered:
“Not the money.”
“Then what?”
“You.”
Nobody spoke.
James moved closer to me.
Lauren continued.
“He doesn't care about the trust itself.”
“Then why spend years chasing it?”
“Because the trust is proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That your family owns something that powerful people stole.”
“What?”
“Not just money.”
She pointed toward the laptop.
“Blackridge wasn't a military operation.”
James frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
“It was a transfer.”
“A transfer of what?”
“Ownership.”
My stomach tightened.
“Ownership of the patents.”
Lauren nodded.
“The military technology your grandfather developed.”
My father had told me about patents.
But not this.
“What does that have to do with me?”
“You are the legal heir.”
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather changed the trust before he died.”
“When?”
“Before your mother was killed.”
I looked at James.
He seemed as confused as I was.
“Why did he change it?”
“Because he knew they were coming.”
“Who?”
Lauren shook her head.
“People who wanted the technology.”
James asked:
“Who exactly?”
Lauren looked at him.
“Victor Kane.”
The name meant nothing to me.
But James reacted immediately.
“That's impossible.”
“Who is Victor Kane?” I asked.
James didn't answer.
Lauren did.
“The man who has been funding everything.”
I had never heard the name.
Yet the way James looked at Lauren told me it mattered.
“Who is he?”
James rubbed his forehead.
“Victor Kane was a defense contractor.”
“Was?”
“He disappeared after Blackridge.”
Lauren shook her head.
“He didn't disappear.”
“What does he control?”
“Private security companies. Logistics. Weapons research. Political donations.”
I stared at her.
“And he's behind Reed?”
“Yes.”
“And behind you?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Almost a year.”
My stomach dropped.
“You've been working for him for a year?”
Lauren nodded.
“How did he approach you?”
“Through a man named Daniel.”
“Who is Daniel?”
“I don't know his last name.”
“What did he want?”
“Information.”
“About my family?”
“Yes.”
“About me?”
“Yes.”
“About Emma?”
Lauren lowered her eyes.
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“What information?”
“Your pregnancy.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“He wanted to know if you were pregnant before you told anyone.”
“Why?”
“Because he knew the child would matter.”
“How?”
“I don't know.”
“You knew enough to keep helping him.”
“I know.”
“You followed me.”
“Yes.”
“You monitored Emma.”
“Yes.”
“You reported to him.”
“Yes.”
“And you still expect me to believe you didn't know what he wanted?”
Lauren started crying.
“I thought he wanted the trust.”
“And?”
“He wanted the heir.”
James stepped toward her.
“Where is Kane now?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't lie.”
“I swear.”
“Then how does he communicate with you?”
“Through Daniel.”
“Phone?”
“Usually.”
“Emails?”
“Sometimes.”
“Payments?”
“Cash.”
“Where?”
“Private accounts.”
James looked at me.
“We need those records.”
Lauren nodded.
“I have them.”
“Where?”
She reached into her bag.
She pulled out a USB drive.
“This is everything.”
James took it.
“Everything?”
“Bank transfers. Messages. Instructions.”
He stared at the drive.
“Why didn't you give this to us before?”
“Because I was still hoping I could save myself.”
“And now?”
Lauren looked at me.
“I know I can't.”
We took the drive to my father's office.
He was waiting.
When he saw Lauren, his expression hardened.
“You.”
Lauren stopped.
“Dad.”
“You betrayed this family.”
She looked down.
“Yes.”
“You endangered Emily.”
“Yes.”
“You endangered Emma.”
“I know.”
My father turned toward me.
“Why did you bring her here?”
“She has evidence.”
He looked at the drive.
“From whom?”
“Victor Kane.”
His face changed.
I noticed.
“You know him.”
My father slowly sat down.
“Yes.”
“Tell me.”
He shook his head.
“Emily, you don't understand who that man is.”
“Then explain.”
“He was once my business partner.”
Silence.
I stared at him.
“What?”
“Before you were born.”
“You worked with him?”
“Yes.”
“What did you build?”
“Defense technology.”
“Blackridge?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
My father looked at Lauren.
She answered.
“The Sentinel program.”
I frowned.
“What is that?”
My father sighed.
“A military communications system.”
James stepped forward.
“The one that was stolen.”
My father nodded.
“It wasn't stolen.”
“What?”
“It was sold.”
“To whom?”
“Victor Kane.”
The room went silent.
“You sold military technology to him?”
“I was forced.”
“By whom?”
My father looked at me.
“Your grandfather.”
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“My grandfather forced you?”
“He was afraid.”
“Of Kane?”
“Of what Kane knew.”
“What did he know?”
My father swallowed.
“That I wasn't your biological father.”
I stopped breathing.
Again.
That sentence.
The same one from the recording.
But now it was real.
I looked at him.
“Who is?”
He closed his eyes.
“I don't know.”
I felt the world tilt.
“What?”
“Your mother never told me.”
“Then why did she marry you?”
“Because she loved me.”
“Did she love him?”
“I don't know.”
“Who was he?”
My father looked toward James.
“That's what Kane has been searching for.”
The USB drive contained hundreds of files.
Messages.
Transfers.
Photographs.
Instructions.
Most were encrypted.
But one folder wasn't.
EMILY CARTER — SUBJECT 001.
My stomach turned.
I opened it.
There were photographs of me.
As a child.
At school.
At university.
At my wedding.
Pregnant.
And then Emma.
Photographs taken from outside our house.
Inside the hospital.
At the park.
I covered my mouth.
“They've been watching me for years.”
James stared at the screen.
His hands tightened into fists.
Lauren whispered:
“I didn't take those.”
“I know.”
“Daniel did.”
James looked at her.
“Who's Daniel?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You've met him.”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“At Kane's office.”
“Describe him.”
“Tall. Brown hair. Scar under his left eye.”
James froze.
“What?”
“You know him?”
James looked at me.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Daniel Mercer.”
“Who is he?”
“My former intelligence officer.”
I stared at him.
“You worked with him?”
“Yes.”
“Blackridge?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he betrayed our unit.”
Lauren whispered:
“He didn't betray anyone.”
James looked at her.
“What?”
“He works for Kane.”
James's face hardened.
“That isn't possible.”
“It is.”
“Mercer died.”
“No.”
Lauren shook her head.
“Another dead man.”
James stared at her.
“He was listed as killed in Afghanistan.”
“He wasn't.”
I looked at James.
“How many people you told me were dead are actually alive?”
He didn't answer.
That evening, the USB suddenly stopped working.
The laptop screen went black.
Then one line appeared.
HELLO, EMILY.
James immediately disconnected the computer.
Too late.
A video began playing.
Victor Kane appeared.
Silver hair.
Expensive suit.
Calm expression.
He looked directly into the camera.
“Emily.”
My heart pounded.
“You don't know me.”
He smiled.
“But I know you.”
James moved in front of me.
Kane continued.
“You've spent your entire life believing your father was Charles Whitmore.”
My father looked away.
“You've recently learned that isn't true.”
I stared at the screen.
Kane smiled.
“You're probably wondering who your biological father is.”
James whispered:
“Turn it off.”
I didn't.
Kane continued.
“So let me save you some time.”
The screen went black.
Then another image appeared.
A photograph.
My mother.
Standing beside a man.
I had never seen him before.
But something about his face made my heart stop.
He looked like me.
The eyes.
The jaw.
The shape of his mouth.
I looked at James.
He stared at the photograph.
Then whispered:
“That's impossible.”
Kane's voice returned.
“Your biological father is alive.”
My breath caught.
“He has been waiting for you.”
The screen went black.
Then one final message appeared.
Come to the Blackridge facility alone.
Underneath it was an address.
And a time.
Midnight.
My father tried to stop me.
“You can't go.”
“I need answers.”
“He wants you there.”
“I know.”
“He'll kill you.”
“Maybe.”
James grabbed my hand.
“You're not going alone.”
Kane had specifically demanded that I come alone.
But I no longer cared.
Too many people had made decisions about my life without me.
My father.
My mother.
James.
Lauren.
Reed.
Kane.
Everyone thought they knew what was best for me.
Not anymore.
“I am going.”
James looked at me.
“Then I'm going too.”
My father stood.
“I'll call the authorities.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
“If we involve them, Kane disappears.”
James nodded.
“She may be right.”
My father looked at him.
“You'll take her?”
“Yes.”
“You don't know what you're walking into.”
James looked at me.
“I know exactly what I'm walking into.”
Then Lauren spoke.
“I'll come.”
I turned.
“No.”
“I know the facility.”
James frowned.
“How?”
“Kane took me there.”
My stomach tightened.
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“What happened?”
She looked at me.
“He showed me something.”
“What?”
“Your mother's final file.”
My blood ran cold.
“Where is it?”
“He has it.”
“What does it say?”
Lauren shook her head.
“I didn't read it.”
“Why?”
“Because he said I wasn't ready.”
I stared at her.
“Then maybe he was right.”
At 11:42 p.m., we arrived at the old Blackridge facility.
It was abandoned.
Or supposed to be.
The gates were rusted.
The buildings were dark.
But there were fresh tire tracks in the snow.
James stopped the car.
“We're not alone.”
I looked ahead.
A single light came on inside the main building.
Then another.
Then another.
Someone was waiting.
My phone rang.
Victor Kane.
I answered.
“Hello?”
“Welcome home, Emily.”
I froze.
“This isn't my home.”
“It belonged to your grandfather.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
“Why?”
“Because you're the last person who can unlock the trust.”
I looked at James.
“How?”
“Your DNA.”
I felt cold.
“You've been tracking me because of my DNA?”
“Yes.”
“What about Emma?”
Kane laughed softly.
“She is your successor.”
My blood ran cold.
“Leave my daughter alone.”
“I never intended to hurt her.”
“You threatened her.”
“I needed to know if she carried the marker.”
“What marker?”
“The same one your grandfather carried.”
I swallowed.
“What is it?”
Kane's voice became quieter.
“Come inside.”
The line ended.
James opened the car door.
“Stay behind me.”
We entered the building.
The hallway was dark.
At the end stood a steel door.
It opened automatically.
Inside was a small room.
A table.
Two chairs.
A projector.
And a photograph.
My mother.
I walked closer.
There was another photograph beside it.
A man.
The same man from the video.
My supposed biological father.
Under the photograph was a name.
Jonathan Vale.
I whispered:
“Jonathan Vale.”
Kane's voice came through the speakers.
“Yes.”
I turned.
“Where is he?”
A door opened behind us.
A man stepped into the room.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Scar across his cheek.
He looked at me.
His eyes filled with tears.
“Emily.”
I couldn't move.
James reached for his weapon.
The man raised his hands.
“I don't want to hurt you.”
I stared at him.
“Who are you?”
His voice broke.
“My name is Jonathan Vale.”
Silence.
He looked at me.
“And I'm your father.”
My knees nearly gave out.
Before I could speak, every light in the building suddenly switched on.
Armed men appeared behind the glass.
Nathan Reed stepped into the doorway.
Victor Kane's voice filled the room.
“Now that the family is finally together…”
May you like
A slow pause.
“…we can begin.”
