Chapter 16 - A DEAD MAN’S BADGE
Jonah activated the office fire system.
Foam exploded from the ceiling, covering the guards’ visors long enough for Mara and the children to reach the service lift.
Inside, Jonah finally explained.
Daniel Reed had been his older brother.
Seven years earlier, Daniel discovered that Ward was testing Orpheus on airport employees. He planned to expose the project.
Ward killed Daniel’s legal identity before arranging an accident that killed Daniel himself.
Jonah took his brother’s credentials and entered Quinn Aeronautics to investigate.
“Elias found me,” Jonah said. “He offered to build a false death record so Ward would stop looking.”
“You worked with Elias?”
“For three years.”
“Why didn’t you tell me he was alive?”
“I thought he was dead until tonight.”
Mara wanted to believe him.
But Jonah had lied every day since she hired him.
The lift stopped between floors.
Cass’s face appeared on the emergency screen.
“Jonah always tells the truth eventually,” she said. “Usually after everyone who could challenge it is gone.”
The lift began descending toward the underground hangar.
Jonah opened the control panel, but the buttons no longer responded.
Cass continued.
“Ask him who gave Ward the location of Elias’s safe house.”
Mara turned.
Jonah’s silence was answer enough.
“You betrayed him.”
“I made a mistake.”
“Elias has been imprisoned for eighteen months because of your mistake.”
“I was trying to save you.”
The lift doors opened.
Ward waited outside with four guards.
Beside him stood Lena.
Ward smiled at Mara.
“Welcome back, little ghost.”
He held up a childhood photograph.
Mara was standing beside Ward and her father.
May you like
Behind them was a sign bearing one word.
ORPHEUS.
