Chapter 5: The Sixty-Second Warning
The countdown kept falling.
*40.*
*39.*
Marcus stared at the screen, then at Elena.
“What did you steal?””
Elena looked toward the bedroom window.
“Not what.””
Her voice trembled.
“Who.””
Marcus frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Before she could answer, Daniel rushed to the window and pulled the curtain aside.
Three black SUVs were parked along the street.
The rain blurred their license plates.
Doors opened.
Men in dark jackets stepped out.
One carried a long black case.
Another spoke into an earpiece.
Marcus felt every muscle in his body tighten.
“How many?””
Daniel counted.
“At least six.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You know them.””
“I know what they do.””
“Who are they?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“The people who cleaned up after the others.””
Marcus stared.
“You said you didn't know who they were.””
“I didn't.””
Elena grabbed the flash drive from the desk.
“They don't care about this anymore.””
Marcus watched her.
“Then what do they want?””
Elena looked at Nia's photograph on the desk.
“They want the key.””
A loud bang came from downstairs.
Everyone froze.
Nia screamed.
Marcus bolted toward the staircase.
“Nia!””
“I’m here!””
Her voice came from the living room.
Marcus ran down two steps at a time.
Ava and Caleb were crouched behind the sofa with Nia between them.
The front door shook under another impact.
Boom.
The frame splintered.
Marcus reached the bottom of the stairs.
“Stay behind me!””
Ava whispered, “Who are they?””
“I don't know.””
Elena came down behind him.
“Marcus, there's a back door through the kitchen.””
He looked at her.
“And you?””
“I'll follow.””
Another impact.
The deadbolt bent.
Daniel appeared behind them.
“We don't have much time.””
Marcus turned to him.
“Call the police.””
Daniel already had his phone out.
“No signal.””
Marcus took out his own phone.
Nothing.
Vanessa stepped away from the wall.
“There’s a landline in the basement.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Does it work?””
“I don't know.””
“Find out.””
Vanessa moved quickly.
For the first time since Marcus had known her, she looked less like the woman who controlled every room and more like someone trapped inside it.
Marcus looked at Nia.
“Baby, listen to me.””
Nia nodded, tears running down her cheeks.
“Don't let go of Ava.””
“I won't.””
“Caleb, stay beside them.””
Caleb nodded.
“What about you?””
“I'm right behind you.””
Another blow hit the door.
A crack appeared across the wood.
Daniel grabbed Marcus's shoulder.
“Now.””
They rushed through the kitchen.
The back door opened onto a narrow garden.
Rain poured through the trees.
Marcus pushed Nia ahead.
“Go!””
They ran.
Then a voice shouted from inside the house.
“Marcus!””
He stopped.
Vanessa.
He turned.
She stood in the kitchen doorway.
“They know the basement!””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
“There’s another entrance.””
Elena's face changed.
“Where?””
Vanessa pointed toward the floor.
“The old wine cellar.””
Daniel swore.
“Of course.””
Marcus looked at Elena.
“What?””
“They're not entering through the front.””
She grabbed his sleeve.
“They're already inside.””
The words had barely left her mouth when a man stepped out of the hallway.
Black coat.
Black gloves.
A small pistol in his hand.
Nia screamed.
Marcus pulled her behind him.
The man raised the gun.
“Where is the key?””
Nobody answered.
The man tilted his head.
“We know it's here.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Let the children go.””
The man smiled.
“This isn't about the children.””
Elena moved beside Marcus.
“Yes, it is.””
The man's expression changed when he saw her.
He went pale.
“That's impossible.””
Elena stared at him.
“You've been told I was dead.””
He took a step backward.
“You should have stayed dead.””
Marcus felt a cold fury rise inside him.
“You know her.””
The man didn't answer.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Who sent you?””
The man looked at Elena.
“She knows.””
Elena whispered, “Marcus, don't.””
The man's phone buzzed.
He checked the screen.
Then looked at Nia.
His face tightened.
“The girl.””
Marcus pulled Nia closer.
“What about her?””
“She has it.””
Elena said quietly, “No.””
The man raised his weapon toward Nia.
Elena moved instantly.
“STOP!””
Everyone froze.
She reached slowly into her coat pocket.
Marcus looked at her.
“What are you doing?””
Elena pulled out a tiny brass key.
Nia gasped.
“That’s mine.””
Elena looked at her.
“No.””
She held it between two fingers.
“This is a copy.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
Elena smiled sadly.
“The real key was never in the teddy bear.””
Nia's face went white.
“Then why did you put it there?””
“Because I needed someone to find it.””
Marcus looked at Elena.
“Who?””
She looked directly at him.
“You.””
The man with the gun stepped closer.
“Give me the key.””
Elena held it out.
“Come get it.””
Marcus grabbed her wrist.
“What are you doing?””
“Trust me.””
The man's hand extended.
Then—
A gunshot exploded through the kitchen.
Everyone screamed.
The man with the gun stumbled backward.
Another figure emerged from the hallway.
Daniel had fired.
He stood holding a small handgun with both hands.
“Run!””
Marcus didn't hesitate.
He pushed the children through the back door.
Elena followed.
Vanessa remained frozen.
Daniel shouted, “Move!””
She snapped out of it and ran.
They raced across the wet lawn toward the old garden shed.
Behind them, another gunshot cracked through the house.
Nia cried.
“Dad!””
“I've got you.””
They reached the shed.
Marcus shoved the door open.
Inside were gardening tools, old boxes, and a second door at the rear.
Daniel slammed the shed door and braced it with a wooden bar.
“How long?”” Marcus asked.
“Not long.””
Vanessa crouched beside the children.
“There's a tunnel.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What?””
“Under the shed.””
Elena stared at her.
“You still know about it?””
Vanessa nodded.
“I built it.””
“You built it?””
“Not alone.””
Marcus stared at the two women.
“Could somebody please explain what is happening?””
Elena shook her head.
“No time.””
She moved to the floor.
Under a stack of wooden crates was a metal ring.
She pulled it.
A square hatch opened.
Cold air rose from below.
Nia looked down.
“Where does it go?””
Vanessa answered.
“To the old church three blocks away.””
Marcus blinked.
“You're serious?””
“We used it before.””
Daniel climbed down first.
“I'll check the tunnel.””
Marcus helped Ava and Caleb down.
Then Nia.
Elena came next.
Marcus was about to follow when he heard footsteps approaching the shed.
He looked up.
Someone had reached the door.
The wooden bar moved.
Once.
Twice.
Then the voice came through.
“Marcus.””
Marcus recognized it.
His blood ran cold.
Not the stranger.
Not the man who had threatened Nia.
This was someone he knew.
Someone who had been inside his house many times.
Someone he had trusted.
The voice spoke again.
“You have no idea what Elena did to you.””
Marcus looked at Elena below him.
She stared back.
Then whispered,
“Don't listen to him.””
The bar on the shed door splintered.
Marcus climbed down and pulled the hatch shut.
Darkness swallowed them.
They moved through the tunnel on hands and knees.
Water dripped from the ceiling.
The walls were packed dirt and old brick.
Nia's breathing became rapid.
“Dad, I can't.””
Marcus took her hand.
“You can.””
“I’m scared.””
“I know.””
Elena reached forward and held Nia's other hand.
“You're safe.””
Nia looked at her.
“You came back.””
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“I never stopped trying.””
Behind them, something crashed.
Someone had entered the tunnel.
Daniel looked back.
“They're coming.””
Marcus pushed everyone forward.
“Keep moving.””
They crawled faster.
At the end of the tunnel, Daniel found a rusted ladder.
He climbed.
A trapdoor opened above them.
They emerged inside a deserted church basement.
Marcus leaned against the wall, breathing hard.
Ava started crying.
Caleb wrapped an arm around her.
Vanessa collapsed onto a wooden bench.
Marcus looked at Elena.
“You said the real key was never in the bear.””
“Yes.””
“Where is it?””
Elena didn't answer.
Nia did.
She reached inside her hoodie pocket.
Her fingers closed around something.
Slowly, she pulled it out.
A second brass key.
Older.
Darker.
Marcus stared.
“When did you get that?””
Nia looked at Elena.
“She gave it to me before she came back.””
Marcus turned toward Elena.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I needed to know whether I could trust you.””
The words cut deeper than he expected.
“After everything?””
Elena's eyes dropped.
“I didn't know who you had become.””
Marcus stepped back.
“I spent twenty years believing you were dead.””
“I know.””
“I raised our daughter alone.””
“I know.””
“And now you tell me you didn't trust me?””
Elena whispered, “You married Vanessa.””
Silence.
Marcus looked at her.
“So that's what this is.””
“What?””
“You think marrying her means I betrayed you.””
“I think someone wanted you to marry her.””
Marcus's expression changed.
“What?””
Elena nodded.
“They needed access to this house.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“And to you.””
Marcus looked at him.
“Why?””
Daniel's face was grim.
“Because your company wasn't the only thing Elena uncovered.””
He pointed toward Nia.
“The person behind everything has been watching your family for twenty years.””
Marcus looked down at the second key.
“What does it open?””
Elena swallowed.
“A safe.””
“Where?””
She looked at Vanessa.
“Your wife knows.””
Marcus turned slowly.
Vanessa stood.
Her face had gone completely pale.
“Elena…”
Marcus's voice was cold.
“What safe?””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“The one beneath your bedroom floor.””
Marcus stared at her.
“There is no safe under our bedroom.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“There is now.””
Ava whispered, “What does that mean?””
Vanessa looked directly at Marcus.
“They installed it after you married me.””
Marcus's stomach turned.
“Who did?””
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, every light in the church basement went out.
A phone rang in the darkness.
Once.
Twice.
Then a third time.
Marcus felt the phone vibrating inside his pocket.
He pulled it out.
The screen showed a private number.
He answered.
Nobody spoke.
Then a distorted male voice said:
“Ask Vanessa who signed the order.””
Marcus looked at his wife.
May you like
The voice continued.
“Because the signature belongs to your father.””
