Chapter 6: The Second Viper
Madison didn't answer the phone.
She just stared.
The ringing echoed through the quiet room.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Everyone watched her.
Including me.
Because there was only one reason Adrian Vale would call my sister.
He wanted her involved.
“Give me the phone,” I said.
Madison looked at me.
“No.””
“Madison.””
“No.””
Her voice was steady.
“I need to know why.””
I understood that.
More than she realized.
Because curiosity had always been the first step toward danger.
Mercer moved closer.
“Put it on speaker.””
Madison hesitated.
Then answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only silence.
Then Vale spoke.
“Captain West.””
Madison’s face tightened.
“How do you know me?””
A quiet laugh.
“I know everyone connected to Elena.””
My expression changed.
“Vale.””
“I was wondering when she would speak.””
Madison looked at me.
“What does he mean?””
Vale answered before I could.
“He means your sister has spent years protecting you from the truth.””
I stepped forward.
“Don’t involve her.””
“Why not?””
His voice became colder.
“After all, she spent tonight telling everyone she wasn't afraid of Black Viper.””
Madison looked down.
The words hurt because they were true.
Vale continued.
“I thought it was interesting.””
“What?””
“That the woman who created the legend was standing in the same room as the woman who wanted to replace it.””
Nobody spoke.
Madison gripped the phone.
“You don’t know me.””
“No?””
Vale sounded amused.
“I know your training scores.””
Her expression changed.
“I know every instructor who evaluated you.””
A pause.
“And I know exactly why you chose that course.””
Madison went still.
“Why?””
“Because of her.””
Silence.
I looked at my sister.
Vale had found the wound.
The one nobody talked about.
Madison’s entire career had been built around proving she belonged.
But she had never admitted who she was trying to prove herself against.
Me.
“You’re lying,” Madison said.
“Am I?””
Vale continued.
“You didn't want to become a great soldier.””
The room waited.
“You wanted to become the daughter your parents already believed you were.””
Madison’s eyes filled with anger.
“Shut up.””
For the first time, her voice broke.
I stepped closer.
“Madison.””
She ignored me.
Vale laughed softly.
“That’s why you hate her.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
The answer came instantly.
“You don't hate Elena because she disappeared.””
A pause.
“You hate her because she never had to compete.””
Madison closed her eyes.
The phone shook slightly in her hand.
I had never seen her like that.
Not during training.
Not during arguments.
Not ever.
Because Adrian Vale wasn't attacking her strength.
He was attacking the reason behind it.
“Why are you calling me?”” Madison asked.
Vale answered:
“Because I need Elena to come back.””
My jaw tightened.
“She’s not going anywhere.””
“Oh, she is.””
The confidence bothered me.
“Why?””
“Because she needs to know what really happened.””
I looked at Mercer.
He looked back.
We both understood.
Vale wasn't just trying to expose me.
He was trying to force me to return to the one place I had spent fifteen years avoiding.
The place where everything ended.
The place where my team disappeared.
“Give me the address,” I said.
Everyone looked at me.
Vale smiled through the phone.
“I knew you would.””
Madison turned.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“This is my fight.””
She shook her head.
“That’s what you always do.””
“What?””
“Decide you have to carry everything alone.””
The words stopped me.
Because they sounded like something I would say to someone else.
Not something someone would say to me.
Madison looked at me.
“I spent my whole life thinking you were hiding because you thought you were better than us.””
Her voice softened.
“But maybe you were hiding because you were carrying things nobody else could.””
I didn't answer.
Because for once, I didn't have an argument.
Vale spoke again.
“You have ten hours.””
The line went quiet.
“Wait.””
No response.
“Vale.””
Nothing.
The call ended.
Mercer immediately started issuing orders.
“Get a team ready.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Elena—”
“No team.””
His expression hardened.
“You know better than anyone that walking into this alone is—”
“Exactly what he wants.””
Everyone stopped.
I looked at the dark screen.
“Vale knows how I think.””
Mercer nodded slowly.
“He’s predicting your moves.””
“Yes.””
“And you think a larger team makes you easier to predict.””
“Yes.””
Nobody liked the answer.
But they knew it was true.
My father approached quietly.
For the first time that night, he looked uncertain.
Not disappointed.
Not confused.
Just a father.
“I don't know who you are anymore.””
The words hurt.
But before I could respond, he continued.
“But I know one thing.””
He looked at Madison.
Then at me.
“I spent fifteen years being proud of one daughter and blind to another.””
My throat tightened.
“I’m sorry.””
I didn't expect that.
Not from him.
Not tonight.
Not after all these years.
I looked away.
Because accepting an apology was sometimes harder than holding onto anger.
Madison walked toward me.
She stopped.
“I know you probably don’t want me there.””
She paused.
“But I’m coming.””
I almost argued.
Then I stopped.
Because maybe she was right.
Maybe the biggest mistake I made was believing protecting people meant keeping them away.
I looked at Mercer.
He sighed.
“You two are impossible.””
A small smile appeared.
“Fine.””
He handed me a small device.
“What is this?””
“Emergency transmitter.””
I looked at him.
“For backup.””
I nodded.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
I opened it.
And my entire body went cold.
*ELENA, BEFORE YOU COME AFTER ME, ASK YOUR SISTER WHAT SHE FOUND IN YOUR OLD FILE.*
I slowly looked up.
Madison’s face had gone pale.
Because she knew exactly what he meant.
“What did you find?”” I asked.
She said nothing.
“Madison.””
Her eyes filled with fear.
“I didn’t know what it was.””
“What?””
She swallowed.
“Three months ago…”
A pause.
“I found a hidden document in my training records.””
My heart started pounding.
“What document?””
She looked at me.
And whispered:
“Your name was on it.””
The room went silent.
“Why was my name in your records?””
Madison looked terrified.
“Because the military wasn’t training me to become better than you.””
She took a breath.
“They were training me to replace you.””
And for the first time that night…
I realized Black Viper wasn't just coming back.
Something else had been created in my absence.
May you like
Something with my name attached to it.
Something that had been waiting for fifteen years.
