Chapter 5: The Son's Secret
“Your son has it.””
The words on the note seemed to burn through the paper.
Daniel stared at it.
Then at me.
“What does that mean?””
“I don't know.””
He laughed once, breathless and disbelieving.
“You don't know?””
“No.””
“You just told me you were looking for a flight recorder.””
“I was.””
“And now there's a note saying I have it.””
“I know.””
His eyes hardened.
“Then someone better explain how.””
Jonathan stepped toward the cabinet.
“Daniel, empty your pockets.””
Daniel froze.
“What?””
“Everything. Phone, wallet, keys.””
“You think I stole something?””
“I think someone put something on you.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Do you believe him?””
“I believe someone is trying to make us turn on each other.””
Reed moved toward the stairs.
“Then let's secure the house before we search anyone.””
A deep thud shook the ceiling.
Dust drifted from above.
Everyone looked up.
Another impact.
This time closer.
Leah grabbed her mother's hand.
“What was that?””
Reed checked his magazine.
“They're inside.””
Jonathan's face became expressionless.
“Daniel.””
His son turned.
“Stay with Mara.””
Daniel swallowed.
“And you?””
“I'm going upstairs.””
“I’m coming.””
“No.””
“Dad—”
Jonathan stepped close enough that their faces were inches apart.
“Listen to me.””
Daniel stopped.
“My entire life, I've asked you to trust me.””
“And now?””
“Now I'm asking you to stay alive.””
Jonathan turned to Reed.
“Take Leah and Susan through the secondary passage.””
Reed nodded.
Daniel reached for his father's arm.
“What aren't you telling me?””
Jonathan looked at him for several seconds.
Then he said, “The man looking for Mara isn't the most dangerous person involved.””
Daniel's face tightened.
“Then who is?””
Jonathan looked toward the monitor.
Dawson was gone.
The screen now showed static.
“The person we don't know about yet.””
A gunshot cracked overhead.
Then another.
Reed motioned sharply.
“Move.””
Everyone started toward the far corridor.
I caught Daniel's arm.
“Wait.””
“What?””
I pointed toward his jacket.
“Your pocket.””
He reached inside.
His fingers touched something.
He pulled out a small silver key.
We both stared at it.
Daniel frowned.
“This isn't mine.””
I took it from him.
A tiny black label was attached.
*B-17.*
Jonathan saw it.
His face changed immediately.
“Where did you get that?””
“I don't know.””
“Daniel, think.””
“I told you. It isn't mine.””
Jonathan grabbed the key.
“B-17.””
Susan whispered, “The marina.””
Leah looked at her.
“What marina?””
Susan's face had gone pale.
“The one your father sold.””
Jonathan stared at his wife.
“You remember?””
“I remember everything.””
Daniel looked between them.
“What marina?””
Jonathan didn't answer.
I did.
“Potomac Naval Reserve Facility.””
Daniel frowned.
“I've never heard of it.””
“Because it closed eight years ago.””
I turned the key in my fingers.
“The lockers were never emptied.””
Reed looked at me.
“You think the recorder is there?””
“I think someone wants us to think it is.””
“Then why give Daniel the key?””
“Because the real target may not be the recorder.””
Jonathan's gaze sharpened.
“What, then?””
I looked at Daniel.
“Him.””
The basement door above us burst open.
Voices.
Footsteps.
Reed raised his weapon.
“Back.””
A man's voice shouted from the stairwell.
“Mercer! Step away from the girl!””
Jonathan looked at me.
“Girl?””
I almost smiled despite myself.
“Apparently.””
The intruders started down.
Reed fired toward the ceiling.
The footsteps stopped.
“Move!”” he shouted.
We ran.
The secondary corridor was narrow, damp, and barely lit.
Susan stumbled.
Leah caught her.
Daniel stayed beside me.
“You knew I'd get targeted.””
“I suspected it.””
“That's comforting.””
“I’m sorry.””
He glanced at me.
“For what?””
“For dragging you into this.””
He shook his head.
“You didn't drag me.””
“What?””
“I walked in.””
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he asked, quietly, “Was any of it real?””
I knew what he meant.
The apartment.
The dinners.
The bad movies.
The road trips.
The way he always stole fries from my plate.
I looked at him.
“All of it.””
He nodded once.
“Okay.””
Then he squeezed my hand.
“We can deal with the rest later.””
The corridor ended at a steel door.
Jonathan entered a code.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Nothing.
“Problem?”” Reed asked.
“The system has been changed.””
I stepped forward.
“Move.””
Jonathan looked at me.
“You know the override?””
“I installed the original.””
I pulled a small hairpin from my purse.
Daniel actually blinked.
“You carry that around?””
“I've had an interesting life.””
I crouched by the panel.
Three wires.
One switch.
A hidden mechanical release.
I bypassed the lock.
The door opened.
Beyond it was a service tunnel leading into the woods.
Cold air rushed through.
Rain smelled cleaner underground.
Leah stared.
“Who are you?””
I glanced at her.
“Tonight?””
She nodded.
“Tonight, I'm the woman trying to keep your family alive.””
We stepped outside.
A bright light swept through the trees.
Reed pushed everyone behind a concrete barrier.
“Vehicle.””
A black SUV stopped at the edge of the woods.
The driver's door opened.
No one moved.
Then a man stepped out.
Not armed.
Not wearing a tactical vest.
Just a dark coat.
Silver hair.
Jonathan stared at him.
“No.””
The man smiled.
“Hello, Jonathan.””
I recognized him instantly.
My blood turned cold.
Daniel looked at me.
“You know him.””
I nodded.
“Unfortunately.””
Reed whispered, “Who?””
I watched the man walk closer.
“Admiral Thomas Keller.””
Jonathan’s former commanding officer.
A man who had been officially listed as dead six years ago.
Keller stopped beneath the trees.
His eyes settled on me.
“Hello, Graybird.””
Daniel looked at Jonathan.
“You said he was dead.””
Jonathan didn't answer.
Keller smiled.
“People in our world die very conveniently.””
Then he looked at Daniel.
“And sometimes they inherit things.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“What do you want from me?””
Keller's smile disappeared.
“Your mother gave you something.””
Susan stiffened.
Jonathan turned toward his wife.
“What did you give him?””
Susan shook her head.
“Nothing.””
Keller laughed softly.
“Not consciously.””
I looked at Susan.
Then at Daniel.
“Check your phone.””
Daniel pulled it out.
There was a new photo.
A picture of a small metal box.
Underneath it was a timestamp.
*2018-11-04.*
Daniel stared at the image.
“I've never seen this.””
I took the phone.
The timestamp meant nothing.
Then I recognized the serial number stamped on the corner.
My stomach dropped.
I looked at Jonathan.
“That box belongs to the recovery team.””
Keller nodded.
“Exactly.””
Reed raised his weapon.
“Where is it?””
Keller looked at him.
“Closer than you think.””
Then his eyes shifted to Daniel.
“Ask your son what he found in his father's study six months ago.””
Jonathan's face went white.
Daniel looked confused.
“I didn't find anything.””
Keller smiled.
“You did.””
“No.””
“You found a photograph.””
Daniel shook his head.
“I don't remember.””
“Of course you don't.””
Keller reached into his coat.
Reed immediately aimed at his chest.
“Hands.””
Keller slowly raised both hands.
“I’m not here to shoot anyone.””
He pulled out a folded photograph and dropped it onto the wet ground.
It landed face-up.
Daniel walked toward it.
I grabbed his arm.
“Don't.””
He looked at me.
“Why?””
“Because this is what he wants.””
Jonathan stepped forward.
“I'll get it.””
He bent down.
Picked up the photograph.
His hands started shaking.
I saw his face.
And I knew before he spoke that whatever was on that photograph was worse than the flight recorder.
“What is it?”” Daniel asked.
Jonathan didn't answer.
Keller looked at me.
“You should tell him.””
I stared at Jonathan.
“Tell me what?””
Jonathan closed his eyes.
Then whispered,
“The man in this photograph is the reason you survived the crash.””
He handed the photograph to me.
I looked down.
It showed a dark runway.
A damaged aircraft.
Three men standing beside it.
The first was Jonathan.
The second was Keller.
The third—
I stopped breathing.
Because the third man was Daniel.
Not six months ago.
Not six years ago.
He was younger.
Maybe twenty-two.
Standing beside the wreckage of the aircraft that was supposed to have killed me.
May you like
And written on the back in black ink were six words:
*He was there before you disappeared.*
