Chapter 2 - The Room No One Was Supposed to Find
Claire turned on her phone flashlight.
The underground cellar was larger than she expected.
Rows of empty wine racks disappeared into darkness.
Dust coated an old table.
A metal medical box sat beneath it.
Claire opened the box.
“Gauze. Alcohol. Sutures.”
Adrian leaned against the wall.
“You know how to use those?”
“I worked in emergency medicine.”
“You told everyone you were a cook.”
“I am a cook.”
“You were a nurse?”
“Almost.”
Claire cut his trouser leg open.
Adrian watched her.
“What happened?”
“My husband died. I couldn't afford tuition after that.”
Noah sat on an overturned crate.
“Mommy makes the best pancakes.”
Adrian looked at him.
“I believe you.”
Claire cleaned the wound.
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“The bullet is still inside.”
“Can you remove it?”
“Not safely here.”
“Can I walk?”
“Barely.”
“Good enough.”
“No, it isn't.”
A faint clicking sound came from somewhere behind the wine racks.
Noah pointed.
“Red light.”
Claire turned.
A tiny red LED blinked.
Adrian frowned.
“That shouldn't be here.”
They moved the rack aside.
Behind it stood a steel door.
Modern.
Electronic keypad.
Camera.
Claire looked at Adrian.
“Still your grandfather's?”
“No.”
Noah spotted something underneath the old table.
“A lion.”
A brass crest.
Adrian touched it.
“My grandfather's symbol.”
He pressed it.
A compartment opened.
Inside was an iron key.
And a burned envelope.
ADRIAN was written across it.
Adrian stopped.
“I know that handwriting.”
“Whose?”
“My father.”
Claire watched him unfold the paper.
Much of it had burned away.
Only part remained.
Adrian read aloud.
“If anything happens to me... do not trust Victoria.”
Silence.
Noah looked between the adults.
“Who's Victoria?”
Adrian did not answer.
Claire did.
“Someone who may have made a very bad choice.”
Adrian found a slot beside the steel door and inserted the iron key.
The keypad lit up.
ACCESS OVERRIDE.
The steel door opened.
Inside were shelves of documents.
Passports.
Cash.
Hard drives.
And a digital recorder.
Claire stared.
“This isn't a cellar.”
“No.”
“What is it?”
Adrian stepped inside slowly.
“A contingency room.”
“For what?”
“For betrayal.”
He picked up the recorder.
Only one file was stored.
He pressed play.
Static.
Then Victoria’s voice filled the room.
“If Adrian survives the first shot, Marco will finish it.”
Claire looked at Adrian.
His face became motionless.
A male voice answered.
“What about the staff?”
“Witnesses are unfortunate.”
“And the child?”
Claire's body went cold.
Victoria answered.
“If she saw anything, she cannot leave the estate.”
Noah whispered, “She?”
Adrian stopped the recording.
Claire immediately grabbed his arm.
“They're talking about someone else.”
“Maybe.”
“Or they expected another witness.”
Adrian replayed the recording.
Marco’s voice.
Victoria’s voice.
Clear.
Undeniable.
He removed the memory card.
Noah looked up.
“The mean lady lied.”
Adrian crouched slowly despite the pain.
“Yes.”
“So tell everyone.”
Adrian studied him.
Then smiled faintly.
“That is exactly what I'm going to do.”
A bell began ringing above them.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Claire frowned.
“What is that?”
“The family assembly bell.”
“At one in the morning?”
Adrian checked his watch.
12:41.
His eyes hardened.
“They think I'm dead.”
Claire understood immediately.
“They're choosing your replacement.”
Adrian picked up his gun.
Claire put her hand over it.
“No shooting.”
He looked at her.
“You are remarkably comfortable giving orders.”
“My son is standing three feet away.”
Adrian stared at Noah.
The boy held out another glowing star.
“For luck.”
Adrian took it.
Then looked at Claire.
“I need twenty minutes.”
“You need surgery.”
“Twenty minutes.”
“You'll get fifteen.”
“Why fifteen?”
“Because that's how long I think you can remain upright.”
“What happens after fifteen?”
“You fall down.”
May you like
Adrian tucked the memory card into his coat.
“Then we'll make them count.”
