Chapter 9 - The Daughter They BuriedDawn arrived without sunlight.
A thick gray sky hung over the city as Marcus stepped out of Blackwell Medical Center.
He had spent the last twenty minutes saying nothing.
Ethan walked beside him.
Thorne followed.
Daniel remained several steps behind.
Nobody trusted anybody anymore.
Not completely.
Marcus looked toward the eastern horizon.
"Where is Mia?"
Ethan stopped.
"She's in a secure location."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer I can give you."
Marcus turned.
"You kidnapped my daughter."
"I saved her."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
Marcus grabbed Ethan by the coat.
"Then take me to her."
Ethan didn't resist.
Instead, he looked directly into Marcus's eyes.
"If I take you there, everyone following you will find her."
Marcus released him.
"Who is following me?"
Ethan looked toward Daniel.
"Ask him."
Marcus turned.
Daniel's face was pale.
"Daniel."
No response.
"Who is following me?"
Daniel swallowed.
"The Foundation has assets everywhere."
"Police?"
"Some."
"Government?"
"Some."
"Courts?"
"Yes."
"Media?"
Daniel hesitated.
"Yes."
Marcus stared.
"So my entire life was surrounded by people working for my father."
"Not your father."
Daniel looked away.
"For the Foundation."
Marcus walked toward him.
"And you?"
Daniel met his eyes.
"I was recruited by Richard."
"When?"
"Six years ago."
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"Right after Ethan disappeared."
Daniel nodded.
"You were supposed to monitor me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Because your father believed you were going to discover the truth."
"What truth?"
Daniel looked at Ethan.
Ethan answered.
"That you had a sister."
Marcus froze.
The city seemed to disappear.
"What?"
Ethan said nothing.
Marcus stepped closer.
"My father had another child?"
Daniel nodded.
"A daughter."
"Where is she?"
Nobody answered.
Marcus's voice became harder.
"Where is she?"
Daniel opened his phone.
He showed Marcus the photograph.
The same photograph from the penthouse.
Richard Blackwell stood beside a little girl.
She looked about seven.
Dark hair.
Blue eyes.
A small scar beneath her left eyebrow.
Marcus stared.
There was something familiar about her.
Something terrifyingly familiar.
"Who is she?"
Daniel whispered:
"Victoria Blackwell."
Marcus shook his head.
"Never heard of her."
"Because she was erased."
"Why?"
Ethan looked at him.
"Because she was the first successor."
Marcus stared at the photograph.
"Then why Mia?"
Ethan's face hardened.
"Because Victoria failed."
Marcus looked up.
"Failed at what?"
"Obeying."
A black sedan suddenly screeched around the corner.
Thorne raised his weapon.
"Down!"
The windshield exploded.
Gunfire ripped through the street.
Marcus ducked behind a concrete barrier.
Thorne returned fire.
Ethan dragged Daniel behind a parked vehicle.
The sedan accelerated.
Another vehicle appeared behind it.
Marcus recognized the emblem on its door.
A black circle.
Three silver lines.
The Foundation.
"Move!" Thorne shouted.
They ran toward the SUV.
Thorne opened the driver's door.
Marcus jumped inside.
Ethan followed.
Daniel barely made it.
The SUV roared away.
Marcus looked through the rear window.
The Foundation vehicles followed.
"How many?"
"Four."
"Can we lose them?"
Thorne smiled grimly.
"I built this SUV."
He slammed the accelerator.
The vehicle shot forward.
Three minutes later, they entered a tunnel.
The Foundation cars followed.
Then Thorne turned off the main road.
Marcus felt the SUV tilt.
"What are you doing?"
"Trust me."
They crashed through a maintenance gate.
The pursuing vehicles continued straight.
Silence.
Thorne slowed.
Ethan exhaled.
"That was close."
Marcus looked at him.
"Take me to Victoria."
Ethan's face changed.
"Why?"
"Because if she's alive, she knows what my father did."
Daniel shook his head.
"Victoria isn't your ally."
Marcus looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because she hates the Blackwell name."
Ethan corrected him.
"She hates what it represents."
Marcus looked again at the photograph.
The little girl seemed to be staring back at him.
His sister.
A child his father had erased.
A successor before him.
And possibly the key to everything.
Marcus closed his eyes.
"Find her."
Thorne looked at him.
"Where?"
Marcus looked at Ethan.
Ethan whispered:
"Blackwell doesn't have to find her."
Marcus frowned.
"Then who does?"
May you like
Ethan's answer was barely audible.
"She has been looking for you."
