Chapter 2 - The Funeral That Never Happened
Claire could not speak.
Ryan looked at their father.
“What did you just say?”
Richard did not answer.
Claire stepped forward.
“Dad.”
He looked at her.
“Who did you bury?”
Richard's eyes filled with regret.
“You.”
Claire felt the world tilt.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“I know.”
“You said we were talking about someone else.”
“I was.”
“Then why did you say my name?”
Richard looked toward Graves.
The colonel's expression was unreadable.
Claire turned to him.
“Tell me what happened.”
Graves shook his head.
“Your father has to tell you.”
Richard swallowed.
“There was an operation in 2007.”
Claire stared.
“I was seven.”
“Yes.”
“What operation?”
Richard glanced toward the security cameras.
“Not here.”
They moved into the mansion.
The grand hall was filled with guests, security officers, and family portraits.
Claire had grown up surrounded by those portraits.
Generations of Whitakers.
Military commanders.
Judges.
Senators.
Decorated officers.
And at the center of the hall stood the largest portrait of all.
A young Richard Whitaker in military uniform.
Beside him stood Patricia.
Claire had always hated that portrait.
Now she noticed something she had never seen before.
Behind them, barely visible in the painted background, was a black insignia.
The same symbol on her arm.
Claire walked toward it.
Graves followed.
“You've seen it before,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Where?”
He looked at the portrait.
“Inside a classified facility.”
Claire turned.
“What was my father doing there?”
Richard finally answered.
“I wasn't supposed to be there.”
Graves looked at him.
“You were the liaison.”
Richard's face tightened.
“After the operation failed.”
Claire's voice shook.
“What operation?”
Richard stared at the floor.
“Project Nightglass.”
The name meant nothing to Claire.
But Graves reacted immediately.
“Who told you that name?”
Richard looked at him.
“No one.”
“Then you remembered.”
Richard said nothing.
Claire's heart raced.
“What happened to me?”
Her father finally looked directly at her.
“You were never supposed to survive.”
The room went silent.
Claire felt her fingers become cold.
Ryan shook his head.
“Dad, stop.”
Richard continued.
“The people involved believed the children had been eliminated.”
Claire stared at him.
“Children?”
Richard nodded.
“There were six.”
“Six children?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Richard looked at Graves.
“Because they were witnesses.”
Graves's face hardened.
“Not witnesses.”
Richard corrected himself.
“Evidence.”
Claire's voice became smaller.
“Evidence of what?”
Before Richard could answer, a gunshot echoed from outside.
Everyone froze.
Graves immediately moved toward Claire.
Ryan drew his sidearm.
Security officers rushed to the windows.
A second shot followed.
Then silence.
Graves looked at Richard.
“They know we're here.”
Richard whispered:
“No.”
May you like
He looked toward Claire.
“They know she is here.”
