Chapter 11 - Two Daughters Beneath the Broken Stars
Celeste looked like a version of me shaped by a different world.
Her hair was cut to her shoulders.
A thin scar crossed her right eyebrow.
She wore a dark coat and gloves.
When she removed the left glove, the crescent-shaped birthmark was visible.
Neither of us spoke at first.
There was too much to compare.
The line of the jaw.
The shape of the eyes.
The way we both held our shoulders when expecting danger.
“You brought agents,” she said.
“They stayed outside.”
“They’re inside the southern tree line, the service tunnel, and the road checkpoint.”
I almost smiled.
“You expected me to come unprotected?”
“I hoped you were smarter than that.”
Her voice truly did sound like mine.
“Did you send the audio recorder?”
“Yes.”
“Did you leave the key beside Ryan’s blood?”
“No.”
“Did you attack him at the hospital?”
“No.”
“Can you prove it?”
She handed me a small drive.
“Security records from Meridian’s internal system. The attacker was Sabine Keller.”
“Keller was at the power station.”
“Her brother was. Sabine specializes in impersonation.”
“Why should I trust files you brought?”
“You shouldn’t.”
Celeste walked toward the observatory’s center.
A damaged telescope pointed through the open dome.
Snow drifted across the floor.
“I have spent twelve years inside Meridian,” she said. “I joined because I wanted to know why my records disappeared.”
“Did you know about me?”
“Not at first.”
“When did you find out?”
“The day you sold Asteron.”
That day had been public celebration for me.
For her, it had apparently been revelation.
“Elias showed me your photograph,” she continued. “He said you were my replacement.”
“You believed him?”
“I wanted to hate someone.”
“I understand that.”
She looked surprised.
Then guarded again.
“Grandma Evelyn tried to protect us. She failed because she underestimated Victor.”
“Did Dad kill her?”
“Not directly.”
The answer chilled me.
“Explain.”
“Elias’s physician changed her medication. Victor provided access. Your mother helped create the appearance of a natural stroke.”
My mother had not only hidden letters.
She had helped prepare Grandma’s death.
I felt sick.
“Why wasn’t Grandma protected?”
“She trusted a federal investigator.”
“Who?”
Celeste looked toward the broken dome.
“Marcus Reed.”
My blood turned cold.
Agent Reed was outside.
“He was involved with Northstar?”
“He was a junior financial investigator then. Grandma gave him evidence. Two days later, Elias knew everything.”
“Reed claims he’s trying to stop them.”
“Maybe he is now.”
“Why?”
“Because Northstar ordered his wife’s death eight years ago.”
The story became more complicated with every answer.
“Does he know you’re here?”
“He knows someone arranged the meeting. He does not know it is me.”
“You said the reserve could destabilize governments.”
“It contains ownership records, bribery ledgers, covert accounts, and hidden assets accumulated over three decades. Some funds financed legitimate development. Others financed coups, surveillance programs, and private military operations.”
“Grandma created that?”
“No. She created the original ethical investment structure. Elias corrupted it.”
“Why do our keys still control it?”
“Because he could not remove her inheritance protocol without invalidating the entire network.”
I removed the silver key from my pocket.
“Where is yours?”
Celeste opened her coat.
A matching key hung from a chain around her neck.
“Grandma arranged for the Morgans to keep it.”
“Then why hasn’t Elias taken it from you?”
“He tried.”
She touched the scar near her eyebrow.
“I became more useful alive.”
“What does he want now?”
“For us to activate the reserve.”
“You said that would expose him.”
“It would also release dormant funds worth nearly two billion dollars.”
The number stunned me.
“He believes he can intercept the transfers before the evidence becomes public.”
“Can he?”
“If he controls one of us.”
I understood.
“You’ve been pretending to work for him.”
“For twelve years.”
“And now?”
“Now he knows I betrayed him.”
A faint red light appeared on the wall.
Celeste’s expression changed.
She grabbed my arm.
“We need to leave.”
A sharp crack echoed through the observatory.
The floor exploded near our feet.
Gunfire.
The agents outside began shouting.
Celeste pulled me behind a concrete support.
“How did they find us?” I asked.
“They followed you.”
“Reed controlled the route.”
Celeste looked at me.
“Exactly.”
An explosion tore through the lower entrance.
Smoke filled the dome.
Celeste fired twice toward the doorway.
Then a voice came through the darkness.
May you like
“Both keys on the floor.”
Agent Reed stepped into view holding a gun.
