Chapter 6: The Truth Ethan Hid
Nobody moved.
The door remained closed.
But somehow, Victor Kane felt closer than ever.
Like his voice was already inside the room.
Claire whispered:
“You can’t listen to him.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because he’s good at making lies sound like answers.””
A bitter laugh came from outside.
Kane heard her.
“Interesting coming from you, Claire.””
Her face changed.
I noticed.
And I hated that I noticed.
Because everyone in this room had secrets.
Everyone except Ghost.
The dog stood beside me.
Waiting.
I opened the door.
“Madison!””
Hayes grabbed my arm.
I pulled away.
“I need answers.””
“You don’t know what he’ll do.””
“No.””
I looked at him.
“But I know what happens when nobody tells me the truth.””
The door opened.
Victor Kane stood outside.
No weapon.
No anger.
Just that calm expression that made him more frightening.
He looked older up close.
More tired.
Like he had spent years running from something.
“Hello, Madison.””
I stared.
“You know my name.””
“I’ve always known your name.””
“Why?””
His eyes moved to Ghost.
“Because Ethan talked about you constantly.””
My chest tightened.
“Don’t use him to manipulate me.””
“I’m not.””
Kane looked serious.
“He loved you.””
The words landed harder than I wanted.
Claire looked away.
Hayes stayed silent.
Kane continued.
“And that’s exactly why he left.””
I stepped closer.
“What?””
“He left because of you.””
The room went cold.
I felt my anger disappear.
Replaced by confusion.
“What are you saying?””
Kane sighed.
“Ethan discovered Black Meridian because of a file.””
“What file?””
“Yours.””
I stared.
“My file?””
“Yes.””
“That makes no sense.””
“It does if you understand what Ethan found.””
Kane looked at Claire.
“She knows.””
Claire’s face hardened.
“Don’t.””
“Tell her.””
I turned.
“Tell me what?””
Claire stayed silent.
That silence hurt more than anything.
“Claire.””
She closed her eyes.
“Before Ethan met you…”
A pause.
“He was investigating you.””
I felt like the floor moved.
“Why?””
“Because your father was involved.””
My breathing stopped.
“My father?””
I hadn’t heard that name connected to anything in years.
My father had died when I was nineteen.
A normal man.
A businessman.
A man who loved fishing and hated hospitals.
“No.””
Claire looked at me.
“He wasn’t who you thought he was.””
I shook my head.
“You’re lying.””
Kane spoke quietly.
“He wasn’t the person running Black Meridian.””
“But?””
“He helped create the system.””
The room became silent.
I thought about my childhood.
The late nights.
The locked office.
The conversations I never understood.
I had spent years believing my father was distant because he was busy.
Not because he was hiding something.
“Ethan found out,” Claire said.
“He realized your father’s research was connected to the operations.””
“And he investigated me?””
“Yes.””
My eyes filled with anger.
“So everything was fake?””
“No.””
Claire stepped forward.
“Madison, listen.””
“He came close to you because of an investigation.””
“He stayed because he fell in love.””
I looked away.
I didn’t want that answer.
Because it was too complicated.
Because part of me wanted to hate Ethan.
And another part knew I couldn’t.
Kane continued.
“When Ethan discovered the truth, he found out your father wasn’t just involved.””
“What then?””
“He had created a contingency.””
“What kind?””
“A way to erase everyone connected to Black Meridian.””
I looked at Ghost.
“Ethan disappeared to protect me.””
Claire nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t he tell me?””
“Because he knew you would follow him.””
A painful laugh escaped me.
“She knew me well.””
“Yes.””
Claire’s voice softened.
“He said you were the bravest person he knew.””
I looked down.
“Then why send Ghost now?””
Kane answered.
“Because he failed.””
Everyone looked at him.
Kane continued.
“The people hunting him found him.””
My heart stopped.
“Where is he?””
Kane looked toward the mountains on the tracker.
“He’s trapped.””
“By who?””
Kane’s expression became serious.
“By the same person who killed your father.””
The clinic went silent.
I whispered:
“Who?””
Kane looked at Claire.
Claire looked away.
And that was when I understood.
She wasn’t afraid of Kane.
She was afraid of the answer.
Finally, Claire spoke.
“Ethan’s commander.””
Hayes frowned.
“That’s impossible.””
Claire looked at him.
“No.””
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“It’s worse.””
She looked at me.
“Your father’s old partner.””
A name.
A name I had heard my entire childhood.
A name from old photographs.
A name I never thought mattered.
“General Marcus Vale.””
I felt sick.
Because I knew him.
Everyone knew him.
A decorated war hero.
A man who appeared on television.
A man who gave speeches about honor.
A man who had stood beside my father at family dinners.
Claire reached into her bag.
She pulled out another photograph.
She placed it on the table.
It showed Ethan.
Alive.
Captured.
And standing behind him…
was General Marcus Vale.
Holding a gun.
Claire whispered:
“He has Ethan.””
Then Ghost suddenly barked.
Once.
Loud.
He ran toward the door.
I looked down.
A new message had appeared on the hidden phone.
This time, it was from Ethan.
*MADISON. IF YOU SEE THIS… RUN.*
A second message appeared.
*VALE KNOWS ABOUT GHOST.*
May you like
Then the final message loaded.
*HE KNOWS ABOUT YOU.*
