Chapter17
344 Words
CHAPTER 17— ARTHUR’S OFFER
Arthur entered slowly.
“I can tell you where Richard Vale is.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“You have been working for him.”
Arthur smiled.
“Not exactly.”
Clara stared at him.
“Then who are you working for?”
Arthur’s expression changed.
“The person above him.”
Silence.
Alexander’s hand moved toward his weapon.
Arthur raised both hands.
“I am not here to fight.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because Richard has decided to eliminate everyone who knows about Nightfall.”
Clara froze.
“Nightfall?”
Arthur nodded.
“Eclipse was only one branch.”
“Of what?”
Arthur looked at Marcus.
“Something much larger.”
Before he could continue, a gunshot shattered the window.
Arthur dropped.
Clara screamed.
Alexander rushed toward him.
But Arthur was already dead.
In his hand was a small flash drive.
Alexander removed it.
Written across the drive were two words:
FINAL ACCOUNT.
The flash drive contained thousands of
Political payments.
Corporate bribes.
Blackmail files.
Secret acquisitions.
And hundreds of names.
At the center of the network was a single organization.
NIGHTFALL.
But one name appeared repeatedly.
THE ARCHITECT.
Clara stared at it.
“Who is the Architect?”
Alexander shook his head.
“There is no identity.”
Marcus pointed to the financial records.
“Look.”
Every major transfer eventually ended at one account.
The account belonged to a private foundation.
VALE INTERNATIONAL TRUST.
Clara looked at him.
“Richard.”
Marcus nodded.
“He is the Architect.”
Alexander shook his head.
“No.”
They looked at him.
“The Architect is whoever controls Richard.”
Clara’s heart sank.
“Then Richard is not at the top.”
Alexander closed the file.
“No.”
A photograph appeared on the screen.
Three men.
Richard Vale.
Clara’s father.
And another man.
Clara recognized him immediately.
Her face went pale.
“That is impossible.”
Alexander stared at the photograph.
“Who is he?”
Clara whispered:
“My uncle.”
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