Chapter 10 - The Original FiveThe explosion shattered every window.
Daniel was thrown against the wall.
For several seconds, he heard nothing.
Then silence.
He opened his eyes.
Smoke.
Fire.
Ruiz was unconscious nearby.
Daniel crawled toward him.
“Ruiz.”
No response.
Daniel checked his pulse.
Alive.
His phone was still in his hand.
Chloe was calling.
He answered.
“Chloe?”
“Daniel!”
“I'm here.”
“Where?”
“The mansion.”
“You need to leave.”
“Not without you.”
“Daniel, listen to me.”
Her voice was urgent.
“Your father left a second message.”
“What?”
“He told me never to let you find the original ledger.”
Daniel stared at the black journal.
“Why?”
“Because it contains your name.”
“My name is already everywhere.”
“No.”
Chloe whispered:
“It contains your name as the author.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
“You wrote it.”
“No.”
“You were seventeen.”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don't remember.”
“That’s why they erased your memory.”
Suddenly a figure appeared through the smoke.
Daniel raised his gun.
It was his mother.
She walked toward him.
“Daniel.”
“Mom?”
She looked at the journal.
“You found it.”
“Yes.”
She closed her eyes.
“I hoped you wouldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because now you'll have to know everything.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Tell me.”
She nodded.
“The original five weren't families.”
“What were they?”
“Children.”
Daniel stared.
“Children?”
“They were five children taken from different families.”
“Why?”
“To build something.”
“What?”
“A perfect intelligence network.”
Daniel's face tightened.
“And my father?”
“He was one of the children.”
“So was Vanessa?”
“No.”
His mother looked toward the darkness.
“Vanessa came later.”
“Who were the others?”
“Charles Mercer.”
“Who else?”
“Richard Vale.”
“Evelyn Holloway.”
“Marcus Hale.”
Daniel froze.
“Marcus?”
“He wasn't always your friend.”
“He grew up with me.”
“Because your father ordered him to.”
Daniel's stomach turned.
“Then who's the fifth?”
His mother stared at him.
“You.”
Daniel couldn't breathe.
“You were the fifth.”
He shook his head.
“I was twelve.”
“You were seventeen when you wrote the ledger.”
Daniel looked at the journal.
“What did I write?”
His mother whispered:
“The truth.”
A gunshot rang out.
His mother fell.
“Mom!”
Daniel caught her.
Blood spread across her dress.
He looked toward the window.
Nothing.
A sniper.
His mother grabbed his hand.
“Go.”
“No.”
“Go!”
“I'm not leaving you.”
She smiled faintly.
“You already did once.”
Daniel's eyes filled.
“I was a child.”
“I know.”
She touched his face.
“That's why I forgive you.”
Her hand dropped.
Daniel screamed.
Ruiz regained consciousness.
“Daniel!”
Daniel looked at his mother.
Then at the burning mansion.
He stood.
Something inside him had changed.
No fear.
No confusion.
Only rage.
He opened the journal.
The first page now contained a single sentence.
I CREATED THE SECOND LEDGER TO DESTROY THE FIRST.
Daniel stared.
Then another line appeared.
THE PERSON YOU TRUST MOST WILL LEAD YOU TO THE TRUTH.
His phone buzzed.
A message from Chloe.
I KNOW WHO THE FIFTH FAMILY IS.
Daniel typed:
WHO?
The response came immediately.
YOU'RE ASKING THE WRONG QUESTION.
Then:
ASK WHO CREATED YOU.
Daniel looked at Ruiz.
“Take me to the federal archive.”
Ruiz shook his head.
“You can't go there.”
“Why?”
“Because that's where Marcus is headed.”
Daniel smiled coldly.
“Good.”
May you like
He closed the journal.
“Then we'll meet him.”
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