Chapter 40 - The Unseen Thread
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The message opened automatically on the small screen, displaying a simple text file written in plain code.
‘To Mara Osei.’
My breath hitched in my throat as I read the first line.
‘If you are reading this, Gabriel Vance has failed, and you have taken control of Vance Dynamics. You believe you have ended the war. You believe you have secured your daughter's future.’
‘But Gabriel was not the leader of our organization. He was simply our Chief Executive Officer.’
‘Vance Dynamics was never a company, Mara. It was a testing ground. We created the technology, we funded the wars, and we allowed you and your father to tear down the corrupt management so that the true heirs could take the throne.’
‘You didn't destroy our network. You cleaned it for us.’
‘Welcome to the High Council, Chairwoman. Your seat is waiting for you in Geneva.’
‘We will be in touch when Maya turns one.’
‘- The Founders.’
I stared at the screen, the tea mug slipping from my fingers and shattering on the stone floor of the veranda, spilling warm liquid across my feet.
My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. I looked down at Maya sleeping peacefully in her bassinet, completely oblivious to the shadow that had just lengthened over her life.
From down the driveway, I heard my father's heavy footsteps returning, his warm, cheerful laughter echoing through the garden as he talked to one of the security guards.
I quickly wiped a single tear from my eye, minimized the message on the satellite communicator, and set it back on the table just as Dad stepped onto the veranda.
"Everything arrived in one piece!" Dad called out holding a wooden crate, his face beaming with joy. "What was that noise? Did you drop your glass?"
I looked up at my father, forcing the most beautiful, convincing smile onto my face—the smile of a woman who was ready to fight forever.
"Just dropped my mug, Dad," I said softly, reaching down to gently pick up my daughter. "Everything is fine."
May you like
I held Maya tight against my chest, looking out over the sunny garden, knowing with absolute certainty that the world would never truly be safe.
And I was ready.
