Chapter 3 - The File With Claire's Name On It
The mansion's private security room was hidden behind a false wall.
Richard opened it with an old mechanical key.
Claire followed him inside.
Ryan and Graves came behind them.
The room contained no modern screens.
Only filing cabinets.
Boxes.
Photographs.
Documents.
Old military maps.
Claire felt as if she had stepped into a grave.
Richard unlocked a cabinet.
He removed a thin black folder.
Claire saw her name.
CLAIRE WHITAKER.
Her stomach dropped.
“That's mine.”
Richard did not answer.
She took the folder.
Inside was a photograph.
A little girl.
Seven years old.
Blonde hair.
A small red sweater.
Claire recognized herself.
But the picture was dated three days after the night she supposedly almost died.
She looked at the next photograph.
Same girl.
Different location.
Different clothing.
Then another.
And another.
Claire looked up.
“I was alive.”
Richard nodded.
“After the hospital?”
“Yes.”
“Where was I?”
Richard closed his eyes.
“Safe.”
“From whom?”
“Everyone.”
Claire slammed the folder onto the table.
“You lied to me.”
“I protected you.”
“You stole my life.”
Richard looked at her.
“I gave you one.”
Ryan stepped between them.
“Dad, explain everything.”
Richard looked at Graves.
The colonel slowly nodded.
Richard took a breath.
“Project Nightglass was created to identify a network operating inside several military intelligence agencies.”
Claire listened.
“They called themselves the Black Meridian.”
Graves continued.
“They weren't a normal organization. They had people inside intelligence, military procurement, private security, and political offices.”
Richard nodded.
“The six children discovered something they weren't supposed to see.”
“What?”
Richard hesitated.
“They saw the names.”
Claire frowned.
“What names?”
“People who were supposed to be dead.”
Claire stared at him.
Graves said quietly:
“The same names we later found among active officers.”
Claire looked at her tattoo.
“And the symbol?”
Richard answered.
“The symbol was used by the people who protected the children.”
Claire stared.
“Then why did Colonel Graves say everyone who wore it was dead?”
Richard's face changed.
“Because that's what Black Meridian wanted him to believe.”
Claire turned toward Graves.
“You weren't told the truth.”
Graves shook his head.
“No.”
Claire looked back at the file.
One final page was folded inside.
She opened it.
It contained only one sentence.
SUBJECT C-06 WAS NEVER RECOVERED.
Claire stared.
“Subject C-06?”
Richard's voice cracked.
“That wasn't you.”
Claire looked up.
“Then who was C-06?”
Nobody answered.
A sound came from behind the wall.
Three slow knocks.
Everyone froze.
Three more knocks.
Graves raised his weapon.
Richard whispered:
“That room has no entrance.”
The knocking stopped.
Then a woman's voice came through the wall.
“Claire.”
Claire's blood ran cold.
May you like
She knew the voice.
It was her mother's.
