Chapter 9 - The Promise
Patricia finally told them the truth.
Nora had not been a random child.
She had been the daughter of a scientist who discovered the Black Meridian network.
Her father had created a system that could identify hidden operatives inside government institutions.
Before he could expose them, he disappeared.
Nora inherited something he left behind.
Not money.
Not documents.
A memory.
A sequence of information encoded into her mind.
The network wanted her alive.
The military wanted her hidden.
Several people wanted her dead.
Patricia had been assigned to protect her.
Richard had been assigned to eliminate the evidence.
Instead, he helped Patricia.
Claire listened in silence.
“What happened the night of the operation?”
Patricia looked down.
“They came for Nora.”
“Who?”
“People wearing military uniforms.”
Claire's face tightened.
“They were our own people.”
Graves nodded.
“Black Meridian had infiltrated the command structure.”
Patricia continued.
“We escaped through an underground tunnel.”
“What about the other children?”
“They were moved first.”
“Where?”
“We don't know.”
Claire looked at the five names in the notebook.
“What happened to them?”
Patricia shook her head.
“We believed they were dead.”
Claire looked at Graves.
“But you said everyone who wore the symbol was dead.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you recognize it?”
Graves took a slow breath.
“Because I was there.”
Everyone turned toward him.
“I was one of the officers sent to retrieve the children.”
Claire stared.
“And?”
“We arrived too late.”
“Who ordered the operation?”
Graves's jaw tightened.
“General Whitaker.”
Richard looked away.
Claire turned toward him.
“Grandfather?”
Richard nodded.
Claire felt another piece of her childhood collapse.
“Why would he do that?”
“He believed Nora was too dangerous to protect.”
Graves said quietly:
“He believed the network could be controlled.”
Claire looked at her father.
“Did he know?”
“Yes.”
“And you?”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
Claire stepped backward.
“So everyone knew.”
Patricia said:
“I didn't.”
Claire turned.
“You knew enough.”
Patricia accepted the accusation.
“Yes.”
Outside the house, headlights appeared through the trees.
Several vehicles.
Graves immediately moved toward the window.
“How many?”
Ryan counted.
“Six.”
Graves looked at Richard.
“Are they yours?”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
Claire looked at the approaching vehicles.
A man stepped out of the first one.
Even from a distance, she recognized him.
Daniel.
He looked toward the house.
May you like
Then toward Claire.
And smiled.
