The child’s voice echoed through Sanctuary long after the steel door began to close. “Father.” Daniel just stood there, frozen. The notebook in his hands shifted a bit as memories he’d fought to bury for years flooded back. A little girl, no older than eight, stepped out of the shadows. Her dark blue coat was covered in dust, and a few brown strands framed a pale face that looked more tired than scared. She clutched a small stuffed rabbit so tightly that its worn fabric was starting to tear. Daniel’s voice cracked. “Emma.” She looked at him, her eyes uncertain. “I knew you’d come.”
On the security monitor, Amelia felt every muscle in her body tense up. The room around her vanished. She couldn't see the archive or the frightened people anymore. All she saw was Daniel. And the little girl c
