Chapter 12 - The Sixth Chair)
A section of the ballroom floor opened.
Everyone stepped back.
Beneath it was a narrow staircase.
Daniel laughed softly.
"Charles always loved theater."
Samuel looked at him.
"You knew this existed."
"I knew there was another archive."
Ethan turned.
"You've never opened it?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it required both keys."
Elena looked at the staircase.
"So my father made sure no single person could access it."
Daniel nodded.
"Mateo was smarter than Charles."
Ethan glared.
"Stop talking about him like a friend."
Daniel's expression became strange.
"He was my friend."
Elena stared.
"You threatened his daughter."
"After he died."
"That makes it better?"
"No."
For the first time, Daniel seemed tired rather than powerful.
"Northstar changes people."
Elena shook her head.
"People change themselves."
She descended first.
Ethan followed.
The underground room was smaller than expected.
One circular table.
Six chairs.
Five bore family symbols.
Mercer.
Ruiz.
Shaw.
Knox.
Bennett.
The sixth chair had no name.
Only a symbol.
A black circle crossed by a silver line.
Margaret whispered, "I've seen that."
"Where?" Ethan asked.
"Charles's study."
Thomas nodded.
"So have I."
Elena approached a locked cabinet.
The flash drive opened it.
Inside were paper files.
Real paper.
No network.
No remote deletion.
Daniel swore.
Charles had anticipated him.
Samuel removed the first folder.
NORTHSTAR OVERSIGHT.
Inside were financial records showing payments from all five families into a private account.
The recipient was listed only as Custodian.
Evelyn Shaw stood.
"This meeting is over."
Elena blocked her.
"No."
"You have no authority over me."
"As guardian of the Ruiz vote, I apparently do."
Gerald laughed.
"You're a school art teacher."
Elena looked at him.
"Then it must be embarrassing to be trapped in a room because of me."
Thomas smiled despite himself.
They opened more files.
Judges.
Executives.
Police commanders.
Journalists.
Some had accepted money.
Some had been threatened.
Some appeared to be victims.
Then Ethan found Nathan's file.
He opened it with shaking hands.
SUBJECT: NATHAN CHARLES MERCER.
STATUS: RECOVERED.
Ethan stared.
"Recovered?"
Margaret grabbed the page.
A location was listed.
St. Matthew's Institute.
Colorado.
Date: three years after Nathan's supposed death.
Then later notes.
TRANSFERRED TO CUSTODIAN.
No destination.
Ethan searched the folder.
A photograph fell out.
Adult Nathan.
Alive.
Older.
Standing beside Charles.
The date was five years ago.
One year after Charles's supposed death.
Ethan laughed.
A broken sound.
"They were both alive."
Margaret covered her mouth.
Thomas whispered, "Charles found him."
Daniel stared at the photograph.
He looked genuinely shocked.
"You didn't know?" Ethan asked.
"No."
"Why should I believe you?"
"You shouldn't."
Daniel stepped closer.
"But Charles hid this from me too."
Elena found another document.
A contract.
Signed by Charles.
Signed by Mateo.
Signed by Margaret.
And signed by a sixth person.
The signature was illegible.
But beneath it was a title.
CUSTODIAN.
Victoria stared at the date.
"This was signed before Daniel joined Northstar."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Elena looked at him.
"So someone has always been above you."
Daniel's silence confirmed it.
A phone rang.
Not anyone's phone.
An old black telephone sat on the circular table.
It began ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Ethan answered.
"Hello?"
A distorted voice spoke.
"Six chairs were built."
Everyone stared.
"Five families sat."
Ethan tightened his grip.
"Who are you?"
The voice continued.
"One family watched."
"Where is my brother?"
A pause.
"Alive the last time I saw him."
Margaret sobbed.
Ethan's heart hammered.
"And my father?"
Another pause.
"That depends on what you call alive."
The line disconnected.
Daniel rushed toward the staircase.
Ethan stopped him.
"Where are you going?"
Daniel looked genuinely frightened.
"You still don't understand."
"Then explain."
Daniel stared at the sixth chair.
"The Custodian wasn't supposed to contact anyone directly."
"So?"
"If he called this room, he knows we opened the archive."
Elena looked toward the ceiling.
"And?"
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Mercer House isn't the trap."
A deep metallic sound echoed through the walls.
Locks engaging.
May you like
Daniel looked at Ethan.
"This room is."
