Chapter 7: The Warehouse
The photograph of Jonathan remained on my phone.
I stared at it until the image blurred.
My son.
Bound to a chair.
Alive.
And somewhere close enough that the people hunting him believed they could use him against me.
Abigail touched my arm.
“Mom, we have to find him.””
“We will.””
Daniel took the phone from my hand.
“There's more.””
He zoomed into the photograph.
Behind Jonathan, beneath the painted symbol, was a small metal plate.
Daniel's expression changed.
“What?””
He turned the screen toward me.
“Look at the numbers.””
I leaned closer.
*17-04-39.*
“Coordinates?”” I asked.
“No.””
He enlarged the image again.
“It's a warehouse designation.””
Evelyn stepped beside him.
“South Charlotte industrial district.””
“How do you know?””
“I've been tracking Ferguson properties.””
She pulled up a map.
One building was highlighted.
*Ferguson Logistics — Building 17.*
I looked at Daniel.
“We go now.””
He shook his head.
“It's a trap.””
“Of course it is.””
“Rachel—”
“They have my son.””
“And they want you to come.””
“Then let them.””
Daniel stared at me.
“You're not the woman I remember.””
“No.””
I grabbed my jacket.
“I'm her mother now.””
Abigail tried to stand.
I stopped her.
“You're staying here.””
“No.””
“You're injured.””
“I don't care.””
“I do.””
She looked at me through tears.
“Mom, I'm not going to sit in a hospital bed while you go after the brother I just found out existed.””
I softened.
“You're not going.””
She grabbed my hand.
“Then promise me you'll come back.””
I looked at her.
“I promise.””
Daniel walked toward the door.
“I'll go with her.””
Evelyn immediately said, “I'm coming too.””
I looked at her.
“No.””
She frowned.
“I know the property.””
“You've done enough.””
She gave me a cold smile.
“Colonel, you still don't understand.””
“Understand what?””
“I wasn't investigating the Fergusons for myself.””
She reached into her bag and pulled out a photograph.
It showed a younger woman.
A woman I recognized.
My younger self.
Standing beside a newborn baby.
My throat tightened.
“Where did you get that?””
Evelyn's voice softened.
“Your son sent it to me.””
I stared at her.
“Jonathan?””
She nodded.
“He found me six months ago.””
My heart hammered.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because he made me promise.””
“Why?””
“Because he believed your life was being monitored.””
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
“Enough.””
We left.
The drive to Building 17 took twenty minutes.
Neither of us spoke.
Rain began tapping against the windshield.
Daniel finally broke the silence.
“There's something I never told you.””
I kept my eyes on the road.
“That's becoming a habit.””
He sighed.
“During Silver Harbor, I didn't disappear.””
“You were taken.””
“Yes.””
“By Avery?””
“Yes.””
I looked at him.
“Why did he let you live?””
“He didn't.””
My hands tightened around the wheel.
“What?””
Daniel stared out the window.
“I escaped.””
The warehouse appeared ahead.
A massive gray structure surrounded by chain-link fencing.
No lights.
No vehicles.
No security guards.
Too quiet.
Daniel said, “It's empty.””
“That's what they want us to think.””
We parked two blocks away.
Rain soaked my uniform jacket as we approached on foot.
Daniel pointed toward a side entrance.
“Camera.””
I looked up.
A small black lens moved.
“They know we're here.””
“Let them.””
We reached the door.
It opened before I touched it.
Daniel raised his weapon.
I held up my hand.
A voice came from inside.
“Colonel Gardner.””
I stepped into darkness.
The door slammed behind us.
Lights exploded overhead.
Rows of empty shelving stretched across the warehouse.
At the far end, Jonathan sat tied to a chair.
My heart stopped.
“Jonathan!””
His head lifted.
For a second, his eyes met mine.
Then he shouted:
“Mom, get out!””
A metal door behind us locked.
Men emerged from the shadows.
Six.
Then eight.
Daniel raised his weapon.
A voice came through a loudspeaker.
“Welcome home, Colonel.””
General Avery stepped onto a platform above us.
Older.
Thinner.
Still carrying himself like a man who believed the world belonged to him.
I stared up at him.
“You're going to release my son.””
Avery smiled.
“You still give orders.””
“And you still hide behind other people.””
His smile vanished.
Jonathan struggled against the restraints.
“Mom, don't listen to him!””
Avery looked down at him.
“Your son has been remarkably uncooperative.””
“He's nothing like you.””
“No.””
Avery smiled.
“That's why I needed you.””
I looked at Jonathan.
“What's in this building?””
He shook his head.
“Nothing.””
Avery laughed.
“Your son is lying.””
I looked around.
Then I noticed something.
The concrete floor beneath Jonathan was slightly different in color.
A rectangle.
A hidden door.
“The archive,” I whispered.
Avery nodded.
“Finally.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Don't.””
But I already understood.
They hadn't brought Jonathan here because he knew where the archive was.
They had brought him here because *he was the key to opening it.*
I stepped forward.
Avery raised his hand.
Two men grabbed Jonathan.
“Tell me where it is.””
Jonathan looked at me.
His eyes were calm.
Too calm.
Then he smiled.
“Mom.””
Avery frowned.
Jonathan said:
“They still don't know the archive isn't here.””
May you like
The lights went out.
And somewhere beneath our feet, something exploded.
