Chapter 7 - THE HOUSE OF THE HALES
The Hale estate stood beyond a wall of iron gates and towering oak trees.
Julian entered through a private underground garage.
He was no longer pretending to be frightened.
He removed his jacket.
Walked through a hidden door.
And descended.
At the bottom waited an elderly man in a black suit.
Julian stopped.
“Grandfather.”
Nathaniel Hale turned.
The man who had supposedly died thirty years ago looked directly at him.
“You failed.”
Julian lowered his head.
“I found the chip.”
“But you didn't bring me Clara.”
“I didn't know the military would arrive.”
Nathaniel slapped him.
“You were supposed to marry her.”
Julian's jaw tightened.
“I did everything you asked.”
“No.”
Nathaniel stepped closer.
“You humiliated her father.”
Julian looked confused.
“That wasn't necessary.”
“It was.”
Nathaniel smiled.
“Because Arthur needed to believe you were nothing but an arrogant fool.”
Julian stared.
“You knew?”
“I planned the entire wedding.”
Julian went silent.
“The humiliation was useful,” Nathaniel continued. “It forced Arthur to reveal himself.”
Julian's eyes widened.
“So the commander…”
“Exactly.”
Nathaniel had known Arthur was alive.
The wedding had been a trap.
Julian had never been the hunter.
He had been bait.
But there was something Julian didn't know.
Nathaniel turned toward a large monitor.
Security footage showed Clara entering the Hale estate with federal agents.
“She found us.”
Julian looked alarmed.
“What do we do?”
Nathaniel smiled.
“We don't run.”
He pressed a button.
Every screen in the room displayed one image.
Clara's face.
Then another.
Elena.
Then Arthur.
Nathaniel's smile disappeared.
“Bring them all to me.”
Meanwhile, outside the estate, federal vehicles surrounded the property.
Arthur stood beside Clara.
“I need you to stay behind me.”
Clara shook her head.
“No.”
“Clara.”
“I spent my entire life being protected from the truth.”
She held up the microchip.
“I'm done.”
Arthur looked at his daughter.
For the first time, he saw not the little girl he had protected...
but the woman Elena had prepared for this moment.
They entered.
The mansion was empty.
Too empty.
Then the doors slammed shut.
A voice echoed through the speakers.
“Welcome home, Clara.”
She froze.
It was her mother's voice.
Arthur looked terrified.
“That recording wasn't in the archive.”
The voice continued.
“If you're hearing this, Nathaniel has activated the final protocol.”
A screen descended.
Elena appeared.
But this time, she wasn't speaking from thirty years ago.
The recording was recent.
Very recent.
Clara stared at the timestamp.
RECORDED: SIX DAYS AGO.
May you like
Arthur whispered:
“Elena is alive.”
