Chapter 10: Building 2B
The road to Building 2B disappeared beneath the fog.
Daniel drove with both hands locked around the steering wheel.
No music.
No conversation.
Only the sound of rain striking the windshield.
In the back seat, Lily sat between Jordan and Justin.
All three children were silent.
Richard sat beside Daniel.
Anna was in the passenger seat.
Marcus followed in another vehicle.
Claire had stayed behind to destroy the church's surveillance equipment before anyone could trace them.
Daniel glanced at the GPS.
Three minutes.
Then the screen went black.
He didn't react.
“Expected,” Richard said.
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“You knew this would happen.”
“I knew the Circle would interfere.”
“You knew too much.”
Richard looked at him.
“I've spent eleven years trying to stop this.”
“And yet they're still ahead of us.”
Richard didn't answer.
Daniel looked at him.
“Tell me something.”
“What?”
“Were you ever really my father?”
Richard stared out the window.
“Yes.”
“That's not what I meant.”
“I know.”
Daniel's voice hardened.
“Did you ever love me?”
Richard turned.
“With everything I had.”
“Then why did you let me believe you abandoned me?”
Richard's eyes filled with regret.
“Because the first time I tried to come back…”
He paused.
“They took Lauren.”
Daniel's hands tightened around the wheel.
“They used her to control you.”
“Yes.”
“And my mother?”
“She made another deal.”
Daniel looked at him.
“With the Circle?”
Richard nodded.
“She agreed to disappear if they left you alone.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Everyone sacrificed themselves for me.”
Richard looked down.
“No.”
“What?”
“You were the one who paid the price.”
Daniel said nothing.
Because that was true.
Eleven years of grief.
Eleven years of unanswered questions.
Eleven years of believing everyone he loved had abandoned him.
Then he heard Jordan whisper from the back seat.
“Daddy.”
Daniel glanced at the mirror.
“Yes?”
Jordan pointed through the window.
“That road.”
Daniel frowned.
“What about it?”
“Mommy said never take that road.”
Richard turned sharply.
“Stop the car.”
Daniel slammed on the brakes.
The vehicle skidded across the wet pavement.
Richard stared ahead.
A black SUV sat across the road.
Engine running.
Headlights off.
Daniel reached for his weapon.
Richard grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
“Why?”
“Look at the license plate.”
Daniel narrowed his eyes.
He recognized it.
It belonged to Morrison Dynamics security.
“That's one of our cars.”
Richard nodded.
“Was.”
Daniel looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
Richard's face hardened.
“It was assigned to Lauren.”
Daniel's blood went cold.
“Lauren's car was destroyed.”
“Yes.”
“Then how is it here?”
Richard stared through the windshield.
“Because the car that crashed wasn't Lauren's.”
Daniel slowly turned.
“What?”
Richard whispered:
“Lauren switched vehicles before the accident.”
Daniel remembered Claire's photograph.
The black SUV following the sedan.
He finally understood.
The vehicle that crashed had been a decoy.
Lauren had escaped.
But someone had found her.
“Then whose body did they bury?”
Richard didn't answer.
Daniel's voice became barely audible.
“Whose body?”
Richard closed his eyes.
“I don't know.”
Building 2B rose from the fog like a dead monument.
Six stories of concrete.
Broken windows.
Rusting security fences.
The Morrison Dynamics logo had been removed years ago.
But the outline remained.
Daniel parked outside.
The three children remained inside the vehicle.
Anna looked at him.
“Don't go alone.”
“I won't.”
Richard opened his door.
“I'll come.”
Daniel looked at Marcus approaching from behind.
“You stay with the children.”
Marcus nodded.
Daniel handed him the keys.
“If anything happens…”
“I know.”
Daniel looked at Lily.
She was staring at Building 2B.
Her face had gone pale.
“Lily?”
She whispered:
“Mommy doesn't want you to go inside.”
Daniel crouched beside her.
“Why?”
“Because that's where they hurt Grandpa.”
Richard froze.
“Who told you that?”
“Mommy.”
“When?”
“Before she left me.”
Daniel looked at Richard.
His father's expression had changed.
“What happened here?”
Richard stared at the building.
“Everything.”
The entrance doors opened without resistance.
That frightened Daniel more than a locked door would have.
Inside, dust covered the floor.
Old laboratory equipment remained behind glass.
A broken clock hung above reception.
Its hands were frozen at 9:31.
Daniel stopped.
“Why 9:31?”
Richard stared at the clock.
“That was the time the first transfer happened.”
“What transfer?”
“Money.”
Daniel looked around.
“Your father started the Circle here?”
Richard nodded.
“He created Morrison Dynamics as a legitimate technology company.”
“And the network?”
“Came later.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“What happened?”
Richard's voice became quieter.
“The company grew faster than anyone expected.”
“Because of the money.”
“Yes.”
“Dirty money.”
“Yes.”
They reached an elevator.
Richard pressed the button.
Nothing happened.
Daniel noticed a keypad beside it.
Six digits.
“What code?”
Richard entered:
091209
The doors opened.
Daniel looked at him.
“What's that date?”
“Your birthday.”
Daniel's expression changed.
“You made my birthday the access code?”
“No.”
Richard looked at the elevator.
“Your grandfather did.”
The doors closed.
The elevator descended.
Past the basement.
Past the lower levels.
Past every floor listed on the building's official plans.
Daniel looked at the display.
B1
B2
B3
Then:
B4
The elevator stopped.
The doors opened.
A long corridor stretched ahead.
Lights flickered on one by one.
Daniel raised his weapon.
“Stay behind me.”
Richard nodded.
They walked.
At the end of the corridor was a glass room.
Inside sat a single chair.
And a woman.
Daniel stopped breathing.
Lauren.
She sat with her back toward them.
Her hair was longer.
Her shoulders thinner.
But it was her.
“Lauren.”
She turned.
Daniel's world stopped.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Daniel.”
He ran.
Richard shouted:
“Wait!”
Daniel ignored him.
He reached the glass door.
Lauren stood.
Her hand touched the glass.
Daniel placed his palm against hers.
“You're alive.”
Lauren nodded.
“Yes.”
He couldn't speak.
She smiled through tears.
“I knew you'd find me.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
For fourteen months, he had imagined this moment.
In every version, he had held her.
Now he couldn't even open the door.
“Why didn't you come home?”
Lauren looked down.
“Because I couldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because they had Lily.”
Daniel's voice cracked.
“You could have told me.”
“I tried.”
“You let me bury you.”
“I know.”
“I held your coffin.”
“I know.”
“I thought my children had lost their mother.”
Lauren began crying.
“So did I.”
Daniel's anger disappeared.
He wanted to forgive her.
He wanted to hold her.
But something was wrong.
He could see it in her eyes.
Fear.
Not of him.
Of something behind him.
Daniel turned.
Richard stood motionless.
Lauren stared at him.
“You shouldn't have brought him.”
Daniel looked at his father.
“Why?”
Lauren stepped back.
“Because he isn't your father.”
Daniel froze.
Richard's face changed.
“What did you say?”
Lauren's voice shook.
“Richard Morrison died eleven years ago.”
Daniel stared.
The man beside him stepped backward.
Lauren continued:
“That man is an impostor.”
Silence.
Daniel slowly turned toward Richard.
His father's face had gone completely blank.
“Dad?”
The man smiled.
It wasn't Richard's smile.
Daniel knew immediately.
The stranger raised his weapon.
A gunshot shattered the glass.
BANG!
Daniel dropped.
Lauren screamed.
The bullet struck the wall behind him.
Richard—or whoever he was—ran.
Daniel fired.
The man disappeared through a side door.
Daniel rushed toward Lauren.
She grabbed his arm.
“Don't chase him.”
“Who was that?”
Lauren shook her head.
“Not here.”
“Where are the boys?”
“Safe.”
“Who has them?”
“Marcus.”
Daniel froze.
Lauren looked at him.
“Marcus is the only person I still trust.”
Daniel stared.
“Marcus?”
“Yes.”
“He worked for the Circle.”
“I know.”
“He followed you.”
“I know.”
“He lied to me.”
“So did I.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Then why should I trust you?”
Lauren took a breath.
“Because I'm the one who asked him to.”
Daniel went silent.
Lauren reached inside her coat.
She pulled out a small photograph.
It showed Daniel, Lauren, and the twins.
But Daniel noticed something.
The twins were babies.
And beside Lauren stood Lily.
A newborn.
Daniel stared.
“This was taken before the twins were born.”
Lauren nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why was Lily with you?”
Lauren's eyes filled with tears.
“Because Lily wasn't born after the twins.”
Daniel looked confused.
“She was born first.”
He shook his head.
“The dates don't match.”
Lauren whispered:
“Because her birth record was changed.”
Daniel stared.
“Who changed it?”
Lauren looked at him.
“Your mother.”
Daniel felt the old anger return.
“Why?”
“Because Lily was never supposed to exist.”
Daniel looked at the photograph.
Then he noticed something else.
The date.
It wasn't fourteen months before Lauren died.
It was seven years earlier.
Daniel looked at Lauren.
“How old is Lily?”
“Seven.”
His heart stopped.
He finally understood.
Lily had been born before Daniel's marriage to Lauren.
Before the twins.
Before he knew the truth.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Lauren's voice broke.
“Because you weren't the father she was supposed to have.”
Daniel stared.
“What does that mean?”
Lauren looked toward the corridor.
“They changed your DNA records.”
Daniel froze.
“Who?”
“Your grandfather.”
“Why?”
“To hide your real identity.”
Daniel stepped back.
“What?”
Lauren whispered:
“You are not Richard Morrison's biological son.”
The world seemed to go silent.
Daniel couldn't breathe.
Lauren continued:
“Your father was someone else.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
“I've seen the records.”
“No.”
“Daniel—”
“No.”
He backed away.
“Stop.”
Lauren reached for him.
He pulled away.
“Who?”
Lauren began crying.
“Your mother never told you because she was terrified.”
“Who was my father?”
Lauren looked directly into his eyes.
And whispered:
“Thomas Morrison.”
Daniel's blood went cold.
His uncle.
The man supposedly dead.
The man who had appeared at the church.
His father's brother.
Lauren continued:
“Thomas wasn't your uncle.”
Daniel stared at her.
“He was your biological father.”
Daniel couldn't move.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A man's voice whispered:
“Now you understand why they wanted you dead.”
Daniel looked toward Lauren.
The voice continued:
“But you're still missing one piece.”
“What?”
A pause.
“Your mother didn't order Lauren's death.”
Daniel froze.
The voice became softer.
“Lauren ordered it herself.”
The call ended.
Daniel looked at Lauren.
She was crying.
“Daniel…”
He stepped backward.
“Is it true?”
Lauren couldn't answer.
“Did you arrange your own death?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She looked toward the dark corridor.
“Because I knew what they would do if they discovered Lily.”
Daniel's voice trembled.
“You sacrificed yourself.”
Lauren nodded.
“I had to.”
“Who was Lily's father?”
Lauren looked at him.
“You.”
Daniel's eyes widened.
“But you just said—”
“I lied.”
“What?”
Lauren stepped closer.
“The DNA records were changed.”
She placed a trembling hand against his chest.
“You are Lily's father.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Then why did you say Thomas was?”
“Because the person on the phone wanted you to believe it.”
Daniel looked toward the doorway.
“Who was that?”
Lauren whispered:
“The real leader of the Circle.”
The lights suddenly went out.
Lauren grabbed Daniel's hand.
“Don't move.”
A door slammed somewhere in the darkness.
Then another.
Then another.
Voices echoed through the building.
Men.
Dozens of them.
Daniel pulled Lauren behind him.
“Stay close.”
A red emergency light flickered on.
For one second, Daniel saw the corridor.
Men in black suits stood at both ends.
Weapons raised.
And in the center—
Marcus.
Holding Jordan and Justin.
Daniel's heart stopped.
“Marcus!”
Marcus looked at him.
His face was unreadable.
Then he slowly placed a gun against Jordan's head.
Lauren gasped.
“No.”
Marcus whispered:
“I'm sorry, Daniel.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
“Let them go.”
Marcus shook his head.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked behind Daniel.
At Lauren.
Then at Lily.
And said:
“Because the woman you think you're saving…”
He paused.
“…is the one who betrayed all of us.”
Lauren's face went white.
Marcus pulled back the hammer.
And somewhere behind the walls, a hidden speaker crackled to life.
A woman's voice filled Building 2B.
Old.
Calm.
Familiar.
Evelyn.
“Daniel…”
May you like
A pause.
“You finally came home.”
