CHAPTER 6 — THE ROOM UNDER BLACKTHORN
CHAPTER 6 — THE ROOM UNDER BLACKTHORN
“She chose him.”
The words remained in the room long after the voice disappeared.
Evelyn stared at the photograph lying on the floor.
Her mother.
Alive.
Standing beside a man wearing the black stone ring.
The same ring that had appeared in the photograph from the night of the fire.
The same ring Marcus had spent seventeen years trying to identify.
Evelyn slowly looked at her father.
“Who is he?”
Marcus didn't answer.
“Dad.”
His eyes remained fixed on the photograph.
“His name was Adrian Cross.”
Evelyn waited.
Marcus swallowed.
“He was my best friend.”
“The man Mom trusted?”
“Yes.”
“The man who supposedly died the night of the fire?”
“Yes.”
“Then why is he in that photograph?”
Marcus shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“You're lying again.”
“No.”
“You just told me he died.”
“I believed he died.”
“You've been wrong about everything.”
Marcus looked at her.
“That doesn't mean I'm lying.”
Evelyn pointed toward the photograph.
“Then explain that.”
“I can't.”
The room went silent.
Celeste slowly picked up the photograph.
“There has to be more.”
Marcus looked at her.
“There always is.”
Evelyn turned toward the filing cabinets.
“Then we're finding it.”
She opened the nearest drawer.
Files filled it.
Hundreds.
Some were labeled with names.
Others with numbers.
Some with dates.
She pulled out one marked:
E-17
Marcus immediately stepped forward.
“Don't.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because we've already seen enough.”
“No.”
She opened it.
The first page was a photograph of herself.
Taken when she was six.
The second was another photograph.
She was eight.
Then twelve.
Sixteen.
Twenty.
Twenty-seven.
The photographs continued.
Every stage of her life.
Evelyn's face went pale.
“He watched me.”
Marcus nodded.
“Someone watched you.”
“Who?”
“We don't know.”
She flipped through the pages.
There were reports.
Medical records.
School records.
Bank statements.
Travel documents.
Private conversations.
Even photographs from inside her apartment.
Evelyn stopped.
One photograph showed her sleeping.
Her blood ran cold.
“This was inside my bedroom.”
Marcus stared.
“Yes.”
“How?”
He didn't answer.
Celeste stepped closer.
“This isn't surveillance.”
“What is it?”
Celeste looked at the file.
“It's an ownership record.”
Evelyn turned toward her.
“What?”
Celeste pointed to the first page.
At the top was a sentence.
SUBJECT E-17 — ASSET STATUS: ACTIVE
Evelyn stared.
“Asset.”
Marcus's expression hardened.
“That's what Victor called people.”
“People?”
“Anyone he controlled.”
Evelyn continued reading.
EMOTIONAL CONDITION: STABLE
FAMILY CONNECTIONS: LIMITED
FINANCIAL ACCESS: RESTRICTED
THREAT LEVEL: LOW
Then another line.
MARRIAGE OPPORTUNITY: APPROVED
Evelyn stopped.
Her fingers went numb.
“Nathan.”
Marcus nodded.
The next page contained his photograph.
NATHAN ASHFORD
AGE: 28
FAMILY STATUS: SINGLE
LOYALTY: CONFIRMED
FINANCIAL SKILL: HIGH
EMOTIONAL CONTROL: HIGH
Then:
ASSIGNMENT: E-17
Evelyn closed her eyes.
She remembered the first time she met Nathan.
A charity dinner.
He had spilled wine on his sleeve.
She had laughed.
He had smiled.
“You're the first person tonight who hasn't asked me about my father.”
She had thought it was charming.
Now she understood.
It had been rehearsed.
She opened her eyes.
“When did he receive this assignment?”
Marcus looked at the page.
“Four years before your wedding.”
Evelyn whispered:
“He was planning to meet me.”
“Yes.”
“Before he knew me.”
“Yes.”
“Before I knew he existed.”
“Yes.”
She laughed bitterly.
“So our entire relationship was fake.”
Marcus didn't answer.
Evelyn turned another page.
There was a transcript.
Nathan speaking to someone.
NATHAN: She trusts me.
VOICE: And the pendant?
NATHAN: Still with her.
VOICE: Then don't rush.
NATHAN: What if she discovers the truth?
VOICE: She won't.
Evelyn stared.
Whoever was speaking knew her.
Knew Nathan.
Knew the pendant.
And knew exactly how long Nathan had been waiting.
She turned the page.
A handwritten note appeared.
SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SHE CARRIES.
Evelyn touched the sapphire around her neck.
“What does that mean?”
Marcus looked at it.
“Your mother never told me.”
“You helped her build this.”
“Yes.”
“You knew what was inside.”
“I knew part of it.”
“What part?”
Marcus hesitated.
“The archive contained financial evidence.”
“Only financial evidence?”
“I thought so.”
Evelyn looked back at the file.
“Then why was Victor so obsessed with it?”
Marcus didn't answer.
Celeste pointed toward another folder.
“Maybe that's why.”
The folder was thinner.
Its cover read:
VALE BLOODLINE
Evelyn opened it.
The first page contained her mother's name.
The second contained Marcus's.
The third contained Evelyn's.
Then Amelia's.
And beneath Amelia's name—
another line.
SECOND SURVIVOR — CONFIRMED
Evelyn froze.
“What does that mean?”
Marcus took the file.
His eyes widened.
“That's impossible.”
“What?”
He read the page again.
“This wasn't here seventeen years ago.”
Celeste looked over his shoulder.
“What are you seeing?”
Marcus turned the page.
A recent report.
SURVIVAL CONFIRMED.
LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
IDENTITY: WITHHELD.
Evelyn stared.
“Amelia?”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
He continued reading.
RELATION TO E-17: BIOLOGICAL
Evelyn's heart pounded.
“Biological what?”
Marcus stopped.
The page had been torn.
The rest was missing.
Evelyn looked at him.
“Someone else survived.”
Marcus slowly nodded.
“Apparently.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“No.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
Marcus looked at her.
“I've spent seventeen years trying to find Amelia. If there was another survivor, I would have known.”
Evelyn looked around the room.
“Maybe someone made sure you didn't.”
A noise came from the corridor.
Everyone froze.
Marcus raised his gun.
“Stay here.”
He moved toward the door.
Evelyn whispered:
“Dad.”
He stopped.
“What?”
“If that's Nathan…”
“It isn't.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Nathan doesn't make noise when he wants to kill someone.”
Celeste swallowed.
“That's comforting.”
Marcus opened the door.
Nothing.
Only the dark hallway.
He stepped outside.
Evelyn followed.
“Dad.”
He turned.
“I said stay inside.”
“I've spent my whole life staying where people told me.”
She walked past him.
“I'm done.”
Marcus almost smiled.
“You sound like your mother.”
“Good.”
They continued through the corridor.
At the end was another door.
Marcus frowned.
“I've never seen this.”
Evelyn touched the wall.
“There.”
A small seam.
Marcus pushed.
The wall moved.
Another hidden room opened.
Inside was a surveillance center.
Monitors.
Computer terminals.
Security feeds.
Maps.
Photographs.
Evelyn stared.
“This is where they watched Blackthorn.”
Marcus walked toward the screens.
One monitor was still active.
It displayed a live camera feed.
A woman was sitting in a dark room.
Her hands were tied.
Evelyn recognized her immediately.
“Amelia.”
She rushed toward the screen.
“Amelia!”
The girl lifted her head.
Her eyes widened.
“Evelyn?”
Evelyn covered her mouth.
“You can hear me?”
Amelia nodded.
“Where are you?”
“I don't know.”
“Who's with you?”
“Nobody.”
“Where is Nathan?”
Amelia's expression changed.
“He was here.”
“When?”
“An hour ago.”
“Where did he go?”
“He said he had to get something.”
“What?”
Amelia looked toward the camera.
“The pendant.”
Evelyn's hand moved to her neck.
“He knows about the room?”
Amelia nodded.
“He built part of it.”
Marcus froze.
“What?”
Amelia looked at him through the screen.
“Your father didn't build Blackthorn.”
Marcus stared.
“Victor did.”
Amelia shook her head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Adrian.”
Marcus went completely still.
Evelyn looked at him.
“Adrian Cross?”
Amelia nodded.
“He worked with Victor.”
Marcus stepped closer to the monitor.
“When?”
“Before the fire.”
“Why?”
Amelia looked frightened.
“Because Adrian wasn't trying to protect Mom.”
Evelyn's heart sank.
“Then what was he doing?”
“He was trying to find the archive.”
Marcus whispered:
“No.”
Amelia continued.
“Mom knew.”
Evelyn's voice shook.
“What did she know?”
“That Adrian betrayed her.”
Marcus stared at the screen.
“That can't be true.”
Amelia's eyes filled with tears.
“She told me.”
“Where are you?”
Amelia looked away.
“I don't know.”
“Amelia!”
The screen flickered.
A man's face appeared.
Nathan.
He smiled.
“Hello, wife.”
Evelyn stepped toward the monitor.
“Let her go.”
Nathan laughed.
“You finally found the room.”
“You knew it existed.”
“Of course.”
“Why didn't you take the archive?”
“Because I couldn't.”
“Why?”
Nathan looked at the pendant.
“Because it was never meant to open for me.”
Evelyn stared.
“It only opens for me.”
Nathan smiled.
“Exactly.”
Marcus stepped toward the screen.
“What did you do with Amelia?”
Nathan's expression changed.
“She's safe.”
“Let her go.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When Evelyn gives me the pendant.”
Evelyn looked at the screen.
“You're afraid of it.”
Nathan laughed.
“No.”
“You are.”
“I've spent years trying to get it.”
“Because you don't know what's inside.”
Nathan's smile disappeared.
“You don't know either.”
Evelyn looked at the files.
“Then we're both going to find out.”
Nathan leaned toward the camera.
“Careful.”
“Why?”
“Because once you know the truth, you'll wish you hadn't.”
The screen went black.
Marcus turned toward Evelyn.
“We leave.”
“No.”
“Now.”
“Why?”
“Because Nathan wants you here.”
“He already knows where we are.”
“That's not the point.”
“What is?”
Marcus looked around the room.
“This place is a trap.”
Evelyn pointed at the monitors.
“Then why did he let us find it?”
Marcus froze.
She continued.
“Nathan could have shut the room down.”
“Yes.”
“He could have destroyed the files.”
“Yes.”
“He could have killed Amelia.”
“Yes.”
“But he didn't.”
Marcus stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because he needs me to open something.”
Evelyn looked at the central computer.
“There.”
A small red light blinked.
She approached it.
On the screen was one sentence.
AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED
Below it:
E-17
Evelyn placed her hand on the scanner.
The machine activated.
IDENTITY CONFIRMED.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Don't.”
The screen changed.
WELCOME, EVELYN VALE.
Then:
ARCHIVE ACCESS GRANTED.
Thousands of files appeared.
Bank accounts.
Names.
Dates.
Photographs.
Recordings.
Legal documents.
And one folder marked:
ISABELLE — FINAL RECORDING
Evelyn clicked it.
Her mother's face appeared.
Older than Evelyn remembered.
Tired.
Afraid.
But alive.
Evelyn stopped breathing.
“Mom.”
Isabelle looked directly into the camera.
“If you're watching this, Evelyn…”
She paused.
“…then they finally found you.”
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
Her mother continued.
“I need you to understand something.”
She looked down.
“I didn't leave you because I wanted to.”
Evelyn pressed a hand against the screen.
“I left because I discovered the truth about Victor.”
The recording continued.
“Victor wasn't the architect.”
Marcus stiffened.
“What?”
Isabelle looked terrified.
“He was only the man everyone could see.”
Evelyn's heart raced.
“Someone else controlled the money.”
“Someone else controlled the lawyers.”
“Someone else controlled the police.”
“Someone else ordered the fire.”
Evelyn stared.
“Who?”
Isabelle leaned closer to the camera.
“Adrian Cross.”
Marcus staggered backward.
“No.”
Isabelle continued.
“He was the man I trusted most.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“And he betrayed us.”
The screen flickered.
A second recording appeared.
Isabelle was running through a hallway.
Someone was chasing her.
She whispered:
“They know about the girls.”
A man's voice shouted from behind her.
“Isabelle!”
She turned.
The camera shook.
Then the screen went black.
A final message appeared.
ARCHIVE PARTIAL.
MISSING DATA: 17 YEARS.
Evelyn stared.
“What does that mean?”
Marcus looked at the screen.
“Someone removed the rest.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
Celeste suddenly pointed at another monitor.
“Wait.”
A live feed appeared.
A woman was walking through Blackthorn Manor.
She was older.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
Evelyn stared.
She recognized her.
“Margaret.”
Celeste went pale.
“My mother.”
Margaret walked through the mansion alone.
She stopped in front of the old fireplace.
Then looked directly at the camera.
As if she knew they were watching.
She smiled.
Then held up a photograph.
The image showed two little girls.
Evelyn and Amelia.
Margaret placed the photograph on the fireplace.
Then she walked away.
Celeste whispered:
“She wants us to see it.”
Evelyn nodded.
“She's sending a message.”
Marcus looked at the screen.
“What message?”
The monitor zoomed in.
On the photograph, someone had written four words.
ONE OF THEM LIES.
Evelyn looked at Marcus.
Then Celeste.
“Which one?”
Nobody answered.
The screen changed again.
A new file appeared.
E-17 — FAMILY SURVIVORS
Evelyn opened it.
Three names appeared.
EVELYN VALE
AMELIA VALE
And beneath them—
STATUS: UNKNOWN
The third line had been deliberately blacked out.
Evelyn stared.
“There are three.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“That's impossible.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“You said the same thing about Amelia.”
Marcus said nothing.
Then the system began deleting files.
One after another.
FILE DELETED.
FILE DELETED.
FILE DELETED.
Marcus rushed toward the terminal.
“Someone's remotely accessing the system.”
“Can you stop them?”
“I don't know.”
“Try!”
He typed rapidly.
The deletion continued.
Then one final file remained.
SUBJECT E-17 — ORIGINAL BIRTH RECORD
Evelyn reached for it.
The screen opened.
Her eyes widened.
The birth record displayed her mother's name.
Her father's name.
Her date of birth.
Then another line.
TWIN BIRTHS: 2
Evelyn stopped.
“Twins?”
Marcus stared.
“No.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Mom had twins.”
Marcus's face went white.
“I didn't know.”
“You're my father.”
“I know.”
“Then how could you not know?”
Marcus couldn't speak.
The screen suddenly went black.
A message appeared.
ONE SISTER WAS FOUND.
THE OTHER WAS NEVER RECORDED.
Evelyn's heart pounded.
“There's another sister.”
Marcus whispered:
“No…”
A final message appeared.
AND NATHAN KNOWS WHERE SHE IS.
The room fell silent.
Then Evelyn's phone vibrated.
One new message.
Unknown number.
She opened it.
A photograph appeared.
A young woman.
Alive.
Standing beside Nathan.
Underneath was a single sentence:
YOUR SISTER IS ALIVE.
Then another message arrived.
AND SHE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR MOTHER.
Evelyn looked at Marcus.
“Dad…”
Marcus stared at the photograph.
For the first time, he looked completely broken.
Evelyn whispered:
“Who is she?”
Marcus didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
And somewhere across the city, Nathan watched the same photograph on his phone.
Beside him stood Victor Ashford.
The man everyone believed had been dead for twelve years.
Victor looked at Nathan.
“She finally opened the room.”
Nathan nodded.
“And?”
Victor smiled.
“Now she knows there was another girl.”
Nathan looked at the photograph.
“Will she find her?”
Victor's smile disappeared.
“Only if we let her.”
He turned toward the window.
“And that's the problem.”
Nathan frowned.
“What?”
Victor looked back.
May you like
“The girl isn't afraid of us anymore.”
TO BE CONTINUED
