UNTIL I FIND YOU AGAIN

Chapter 5 — The Recording

The house exploded into chaos.

Adrian grabbed Amara and pushed her behind the kitchen wall as another bullet shattered the window.

"Stay down!"

"I am down!"

"Then stay there!"

"You always were bossy."

Adrian glanced at her.

For one ridiculous second, despite the bullets flying around them, the corner of his mouth lifted.

"You always were stubborn."

"And you always annoyed me."

"I missed that."

Her expression changed.

So did his.

The moment disappeared when another gunshot struck the wall above them.

Adrian looked toward the hallway.

"We need to get out."

Amara nodded.

"The back door."

They crawled across the floor.

Another bullet tore through the kitchen cabinet.

Adrian reached the back door and pulled it open.

Cold rain rushed inside.

"Go!"

Amara ran.

Adrian followed.

They disappeared into the darkness behind the house.

Neither of them noticed the tiny memory card lying beneath the sofa.

---

Inside the house, Gabriel entered slowly.

He was tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Dressed entirely in black.

His face was partially hidden beneath the hood of his jacket.

He looked around the destroyed room.

Two men followed him.

"Search the house."

One of them nodded.

Gabriel walked toward the broken sofa.

Something caught his eye.

A small piece of black plastic.

He crouched.

His fingers closed around it.

The memory card.

He stared at it.

Then smiled.

"Find them."

---

Adrian and Amara ran through the forest.

Neither spoke.

They didn't need to.

The sound of footsteps behind them was enough.

"They're following us," Amara whispered.

"I know."

"There's a road ahead."

"Can you make it?"

"I can."

"Then keep moving."

They reached the road.

Adrian looked left.

Nothing.

Right.

Nothing.

Then headlights appeared in the distance.

Amara stopped.

"Adrian."

"I see it."

The vehicle came closer.

Adrian stepped in front of her.

The car slowed.

Then stopped.

The driver's window lowered.

Daniel looked at them.

"Get in!"

Adrian didn't hesitate.

He opened the back door.

Amara climbed inside.

Adrian followed.

Daniel accelerated immediately.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Long story," Adrian said.

Daniel glanced at Amara through the mirror.

For the first time since meeting her again, Daniel looked genuinely shocked.

"So..."

He swallowed.

"You're really Amara."

She stared at him.

"Yes."

Daniel's hands tightened around the steering wheel.

"God."

Amara looked away.

Daniel didn't say anything else.

Adrian noticed.

"Daniel."

"What?"

"You said you were asleep."

"I was."

"You weren't at the house."

"No."

"How did you know where we were?"

Daniel looked at him through the mirror.

"Because you left your location on."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"I did?"

Daniel nodded.

"Yes."

Amara looked at Adrian.

Then at Daniel.

Something about the explanation didn't feel right.

She said nothing.

---

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Daniel's apartment.

It was on the seventh floor of an old building downtown.

Daniel locked the door behind them.

Then checked it twice.

"Nobody followed us."

Adrian walked toward the living room.

"We need to figure out what was on that drive."

Amara froze.

"It's gone."

"I know."

"The card was inside."

"I know."

"They destroyed it."

Daniel frowned.

"What card?"

Adrian looked at him.

"The memory card."

Daniel stared back.

"What memory card?"

Amara's eyes narrowed.

"You didn't tell him?"

Adrian shook his head.

"No."

Daniel looked between them.

"What are you talking about?"

Amara stepped closer.

"The flash drive had a memory card hidden inside."

Daniel's expression changed.

"You found it?"

"No."

"It was destroyed."

Daniel exhaled.

"Then we lost everything."

Amara shook her head.

"No."

She reached into her pocket.

Adrian stared.

"What?"

She pulled out a tiny black object.

Daniel's eyes widened.

"The card."

Amara smiled faintly.

"They stepped on the wrong thing."

Adrian laughed.

For the first time that night, genuine relief crossed his face.

"You had it?"

"I picked it up before we left."

Daniel stared at her.

"You're full of surprises."

"You have no idea."

Amara placed the card on the table.

Daniel brought his laptop.

"Let's see what's on it."

He inserted the card.

A single file appeared.

RECORDING_0817.

Daniel clicked it.

Static filled the room.

Then a voice.

A man's voice.

Low.

Calm.

"We have a problem."

Another voice answered.

Female.

Adrian leaned forward.

He knew that voice.

His face went pale.

Victoria.

"We were told the girl would be dead."

The man's voice returned.

"She survived."

Silence.

Then Victoria spoke.

"How?"

"We don't know."

"You were paid to make sure she didn't survive."

"We did our job."

"No."

Victoria's voice became colder.

"You failed."

Amara's breathing stopped.

Adrian stared at the screen.

The recording continued.

"The crash was supposed to look accidental."

"It did."

"Then why is she alive?"

"Because someone interfered."

"Who?"

"We don't know."

A pause.

Then Victoria whispered:

"Adrian?"

Adrian's eyes widened.

"No."

Victoria continued.

"If he finds out, everything falls apart."

The man laughed.

"He won't."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because he believes she died."

Adrian stood abruptly.

Daniel paused the recording.

"No."

Amara looked at him.

"Adrian—"

"No."

He walked backward.

His face was drained of color.

"She knew."

Amara stood.

"Your sister knew."

Adrian looked at her.

"I told you."

He stared at the laptop.

"I defended her."

His voice cracked.

"After you disappeared, she came to me."

Amara's eyes hardened.

"What did she say?"

"She told me there was nothing more I could do."

"Of course."

"I believed her."

"You believed everyone."

Adrian turned toward her.

"I was broken."

"And I was dying."

The room went silent.

Daniel looked uncomfortable.

The recording resumed automatically.

Victoria's voice filled the room.

"There is one thing we still need to deal with."

The man's voice answered.

"What?"

"Adrian."

"What's the problem?"

"He won't stop looking."

"Then give him something else to look for."

Victoria was silent.

Then—

"Daniel."

The room went completely still.

Daniel's face changed.

Amara slowly turned toward him.

Adrian looked at his best friend.

"What did she mean?"

Daniel didn't answer.

"Daniel."

Still nothing.

Adrian stepped closer.

"What did she mean?"

Daniel's jaw tightened.

"I don't know."

Amara stared at him.

"You knew."

"No."

"You knew something about the accident."

"I didn't."

"Then why did Victoria mention your name?"

Daniel looked at Adrian.

"I can't explain."

Adrian's eyes hardened.

"Try."

Daniel took a step backward.

"I was trying to protect you."

"From what?"

"From the truth."

Adrian laughed bitterly.

"Everyone keeps saying that."

He pointed at the laptop.

"Three years. Three years, Daniel."

"I know."

"You watched me destroy myself."

"I know."

"You let me believe she was dead."

Daniel's eyes filled with guilt.

"I didn't know she was alive."

"But you knew something."

Daniel said nothing.

Adrian grabbed his shirt.

"WHAT DID YOU KNOW?"

Amara stepped between them.

"Adrian."

He released him.

Daniel straightened his shirt.

Then looked at Amara.

"I knew there was going to be an accident."

Her eyes widened.

"What?"

"I didn't know the details."

"Who told you?"

Daniel looked at Adrian.

"Your father."

Adrian froze.

"My father died six months before the accident."

"I know."

"Then how could he—"

"He knew something was happening."

Daniel's voice dropped.

"He told me to watch over you."

Adrian stared at him.

"What exactly did he say?"

Daniel swallowed.

"He told me that if anything happened to Amara, I should never trust Victoria."

Silence.

Adrian slowly stepped away.

"My father knew."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because he made me promise."

"You chose a dead man's promise over me?"

"I chose keeping you alive."

Adrian stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

Daniel looked toward the window.

"Because your father wasn't afraid of Victoria."

He paused.

"He was afraid of someone above her."

Amara's expression changed.

"Who?"

Daniel shook his head.

"I don't know."

The laptop suddenly made a sound.

The recording had continued playing.

A new voice emerged.

Older.

Deeper.

Familiar.

Adrian's blood ran cold.

His father.

"If you're hearing this, Adrian, then I'm already gone."

Adrian stopped breathing.

Amara looked at him.

Daniel slowly sat down.

The recording continued.

"I don't know who will find this recording. I only know that the Cole family has been hiding something for years."

Static interrupted the voice.

Then—

"Your sister knows."

Adrian closed his eyes.

"Victoria isn't the person you should fear."

The recording crackled.

"Find the woman named—"

Static.

The screen went black.

Daniel stared at the laptop.

"What happened?"

The file had ended.

Amara looked at Adrian.

"Did you hear the name?"

Adrian nodded slowly.

"No."

"Then we need another copy."

"There isn't one."

Daniel suddenly stood.

"There might be."

He rushed toward a cabinet.

Opened it.

Pulled out an old metal box.

Adrian watched him.

"What is that?"

Daniel placed it on the table.

"Your father's belongings."

He opened the box.

Inside were old documents, photographs, a watch—

and a sealed envelope.

Adrian picked it up.

His name was written on it.

In his father's handwriting.

FOR ADRIAN — ONLY AFTER AMARA RETURNS.

Adrian stared at the words.

Amara's heart began pounding.

"Open it."

He looked at her.

"What if I don't like what's inside?"

She held his gaze.

"We stopped having the luxury of liking the truth three years ago."

Adrian opened the envelope.

Inside was a single photograph.

His father stood beside three people.

Victoria.

Daniel.

And—

Adrian's breath stopped.

A fourth person stood beside them.

A man whose face had been scratched out with a blade.

On the back of the photograph were six words:

HE IS THE REASON SHE HAD TO DIE.

Amara stared at the photograph.

Then whispered:

"That's impossible."

Adrian looked at her.

"You know him?"

She shook her head.

"No."

A tear rolled down her cheek.

"I thought he was dead."

Daniel looked between them.

"Who is he?"

Amara slowly raised her eyes.

Her voice trembled.

"My father."