Chapter 5 - The House at Midnight
Daniel knew the instruction was a trap.
He also knew Vale expected him to know.
That was the point.
Vale wanted Daniel angry enough to become predictable.
Daniel refused.
At 11:58 p.m., he walked into Sarah's mansion alone.
At least, he appeared alone.
Grant coordinated federal tactical teams from three blocks away.
Cross monitored Vale's known communications.
The evidence had already been duplicated.
Destroying Daniel's copy would accomplish nothing.
Vale didn't know that.
Sarah sat in the living room.
Her hands were bound.
Her face was bruised.
The yellow birthday decorations still hung behind her.
Daniel stopped.
The image felt obscene.
"Where's Vale?"
Sarah looked at him.
"I'm sorry."
"Where is he?"
"He knows."
"Knows what?"
"That the drive has been copied."
Daniel's stomach tightened.
A light switched on upstairs.
Vale appeared behind the balcony railing.
The same place Sarah had stood when she dumped the water.
"Colonel."
Daniel looked up.
Vale smiled.
"Appropriate, isn't it?"
"Let her go."
"Sarah made choices."
"So did you."
Vale descended slowly.
He carried no visible weapon.
"You always believed intelligence was about information," Vale said.
"It isn't."
Daniel waited.
"It's about leverage."
Vale gestured toward Sarah.
"Money gave me leverage over her."
Then toward Daniel.
"Love gives me leverage over you."
"No."
Vale smiled.
"No?"
"Love gives me a reason not to become you."
For the first time, Vale's expression shifted.
Daniel continued.
"Rachel understood that before I did."
Vale's jaw tightened.
"Rachel was naive."
"Rachel beat you."
"She's dead."
"And you're standing in a house surrounded by evidence she preserved."
Vale moved toward Daniel.
"Where is Lily?"
"Somewhere you'll never reach her."
"Cross?"
Daniel said nothing.
Vale laughed.
"You still trust him."
"More than you."
"That isn't saying much."
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Vale looked toward the windows.
Daniel watched the realization arrive.
"You copied everything."
"Hours ago."
Vale lunged toward Sarah.
Daniel moved.
He intercepted him before he reached her.
The struggle lasted seconds.
Vale was older.
Daniel was trained.
He pinned Vale against the floor as federal agents entered.
Vale screamed threats.
Daniel didn't answer.
Handcuffs closed around Vale's wrists.
Sarah sobbed.
It should have been over.
It wasn't.
Cross called.
Daniel answered.
"Where's Lily?"
Silence.
"Cross?"
"Daniel."
Something in his voice was wrong.
"What happened?"
"Someone found the cabin."
Daniel stood.
"Is Lily safe?"
"I don't know."
The room seemed to disappear.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I was outside checking the perimeter. When I came back, the door was open."
Daniel couldn't breathe.
"Lily?"
"Gone."
Daniel looked at Vale.
Vale was smiling.
"You said you had no leverage," Vale whispered.
Daniel grabbed him.
"Who took her?"
Vale laughed.
"I didn't."
Daniel stopped.
The smile faded from Vale's face.
"That's the problem, Colonel."
Daniel released him.
"What problem?"
Vale leaned closer.
"If my people didn't take Lily..."
His eyes shifted toward Daniel's phone.
"...then Rachel wasn't investigating only me."
Daniel heard Cross moving through the cabin.
Then Cross suddenly stopped.
"Daniel."
"What?"
"I found something."
"What?"
"A photograph."
Daniel waited.
Cross sent it.
Daniel opened the image.
Lily stood beside an unfamiliar woman.
The photograph was recent.
On the back was a handwritten message.
Daniel recognized Rachel's handwriting.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS, TRUST MY SISTER.
Daniel stared at the words.
Rachel had only one sister.
Sarah.
Daniel slowly looked across the room.
The chair where Sarah had been sitting was empty.
May you like
The back door was open.
Sarah was gone.
