Chapter 16 - The Man Who Never DiedThree days later, the world knew the Mercer name.
News channels called it the largest corporate conspiracy in American history.
Senators denied everything.
Executives disappeared.
Federal investigators opened hundreds of cases.
But Daniel knew the truth.
The organization wasn't destroyed.
It had simply lost its public face.
Daniel sat alone in his father's office.
The black journal lay on the desk.
Every page had been scanned.
Every secret had been released.
Yet one thing remained.
The first ledger.
Missing.
Chloe entered.
“You haven't slept.”
Daniel looked up.
“Neither have you.”
She smiled.
“I brought coffee.”
He accepted it.
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Then the office television turned on by itself.
A video appeared.
Charles Mercer.
Daniel dropped the coffee.
His father looked directly into the camera.
“My son.”
Daniel stood.
“I know you think you destroyed everything.”
Charles smiled.
“But you destroyed only the shell.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“The first ledger contains the original agreements.”
He lifted a black book.
“The names of everyone who built this.”
Daniel's heart raced.
Charles continued.
“Your mother wanted to expose them.”
“She failed.”
“Your father wanted to control them.”
“He failed.”
“And you?”
Charles smiled.
“You will decide.”
The screen went black.
Chloe whispered:
“Where is he?”
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“Somewhere they can't find him.”
“Then how do we?”
Daniel picked up the black journal.
“My father always believed every secret had a physical location.”
He opened it.
A map appeared.
A red circle.
Alaska.
Chloe stared.
“Alaska?”
Daniel nodded.
“The original Mercer property.”
She looked at him.
“Then that's where we go.”
Daniel smiled.
“For the first time, I'm ahead of them.”
His phone buzzed.
One message.
YOU'RE NOT.
Then another.
LOOK BEHIND YOU.
Daniel turned.
The office door was open.
Nobody stood there.
Except a single red coat hanging from the hallway railing.
Vanessa's coat.
Daniel walked toward it.
Inside the pocket was a photograph.
Five children.
Daniel.
Marcus.
Vanessa.
Evelyn.
And another child.
A girl.
Someone had scratched out her face.
On the back:
SUBJECT ZERO.
Daniel stared.
“Who is she?”
Chloe whispered:
“I think we know.”
Daniel looked at her.
She was pale.
“I remember her.”
“Who?”
May you like
Chloe swallowed.
“Me.”
Related Stories
