The Last Thing I Never Said

THE LAST THING I NEVER SAID EPISODE 2 — WHERE IT STARTED

THE LAST THING I NEVER SAID

EPISODE 2 — WHERE IT STARTED

Adrian drove through the city without turning on the radio.

He didn't need music.

His mind was already too loud.

The photograph sat on the passenger seat.

Daniel.

Adrian.

And the third person.

A face he had buried seven years ago.

Marcus Vale.

Adrian had watched Marcus die.

At least, he thought he had.

Seven years earlier, Marcus had been the security director at a private construction company owned by Adrian's family.

He had been more than an employee.

He had been Adrian's closest friend.

Until the night Daniel died.

That night had destroyed everything.

Adrian stopped the car outside an abandoned building on the edge of the city.

The place had once been a warehouse.

Now its windows were broken and its walls were covered with faded advertisements.

This was where it started.

Seven years ago.

Adrian stepped out of the car.

The night was cold.

He walked toward the entrance.

The door was already open.

He entered.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

He walked deeper inside.

Dust covered the floor.

Old machines stood against the walls.

Then he heard footsteps.

Adrian turned.

A voice came from the darkness.

"You actually came."

Adrian's fists tightened.

"Where is my sister?"

A man stepped into the light.

Adrian stopped breathing.

Marcus Vale.

Alive.

Older.

Thinner.

But unmistakable.

For several seconds, neither man spoke.

Then Adrian walked toward him.

"You died."

Marcus smiled.

"That's what I wanted everyone to believe."

Adrian grabbed him by the collar.

"You let me bury you."

Marcus didn't fight back.

"You were never supposed to find out."

"Where is my sister?"

"Safe."

"Where?"

"Somewhere nobody can reach her."

Adrian pushed him against the wall.

"If you touch her—"

"I didn't take her."

Adrian stopped.

"What?"

Marcus looked directly into his eyes.

"Your sister came to me."

Adrian released him.

"Why?"

"Because she knows."

There it was again.

Those words.

Adrian stepped back.

"Knows what?"

Marcus looked toward the old warehouse floor.

"Ask yourself why Daniel was there that night."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"Daniel was working."

"No."

"He was helping me."

"No, Adrian."

Marcus's voice became quieter.

"Daniel wasn't helping you."

"He was investigating you."

Silence.

Adrian stared at him.

"What are you talking about?"

Marcus reached into his coat and pulled out a small metal key.

He placed it in Adrian's hand.

"Your brother found something."

"What?"

"A list."

"A list of what?"

"Names."

Adrian looked at the key.

"Whose names?"

Marcus didn't answer.

Instead, he said:

"Your name was on it."

Adrian's face hardened.

"That's impossible."

"That's what Daniel said."

Adrian remembered that night.

Daniel had called him three times.

Adrian hadn't answered.

He had been angry with his brother.

They had argued earlier that evening.

Daniel wanted Adrian to stop working with certain people.

Adrian thought he was being paranoid.

Hours later, Daniel was dead.

Adrian had never forgiven himself.

"What did Daniel know?" Adrian asked.

Marcus looked away.

"Enough to get himself killed."

Adrian stepped closer.

"Who killed him?"

Marcus remained silent.

"WHO?"

The warehouse echoed with Adrian's voice.

Finally, Marcus whispered:

"I don't know."

Adrian laughed bitterly.

"Seven years, and that's all you have?"

"I know who ordered it."

Adrian froze.

"Who?"

Marcus looked at him.

"That's the problem."

"What?"

"The person who ordered Daniel's death is the same person who has been protecting you for seven years."

Adrian's mind went blank.

"Protecting me?"

"Yes."

"Why would someone protect the man whose brother they killed?"

Marcus looked toward the exit.

"Because Daniel wasn't the real target."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"Then who was?"

Marcus looked directly at him.

"You."

Before Adrian could respond, the warehouse lights suddenly switched off.

Darkness.

A gunshot exploded through the building.

BANG!

Marcus fell.

Adrian dropped behind a concrete pillar.

"Marcus!"

No answer.

Another shot.

BANG!

Adrian waited.

Silence.

He crawled toward Marcus.

Blood covered his shirt.

Adrian pressed his hand against the wound.

"Stay with me."

Marcus opened his eyes.

His breathing was weak.

"Listen..."

Adrian leaned closer.

"Your sister..."

"What about her?"

Marcus grabbed Adrian's wrist.

"Don't trust..."

His eyes closed.

"Don't trust who?"

Marcus didn't answer.

Adrian heard a vehicle outside.

He ran toward the broken window.

A black car disappeared down the road.

He returned to Marcus.

The warehouse was silent again.

But something had changed.

Adrian reached into Marcus's pocket.

He found a small phone.

One unread message.

Adrian opened it.

The message contained only one sentence:

HE KNOWS ABOUT ELENA.

Adrian stared at the screen.

Elena.

The woman from the hotel.

The woman who knew nothing about his past.

Or so he thought.

His phone suddenly rang.

Unknown number.

Adrian answered.

Nobody spoke.

Then a woman's voice whispered:

"Adrian?"

He recognized it immediately.

His sister.

"Where are you?"

She started crying.

"I don't know."

Adrian's heart began pounding.

"Listen to me. Stay where you are. I'm coming."

"Adrian..."

"Yes?"

"You were right."

"About what?"

A long silence.

Then she whispered:

"Daniel didn't die that night."

Adrian froze.

"What?"

"I saw him."

"When?"

"Last week."

Adrian couldn't breathe.

"Where?"

His sister started crying harder.

"He came to my house."

Adrian looked at Marcus lying on the warehouse floor.

"Where is he now?"

She whispered:

"He's coming for you."

The call ended.

Adrian stood alone in the darkness.

For seven years, he had believed his brother was dead.

For seven years, he had punished himself.

For seven years, he had lived as a cleaner because he believed there was nothing left for him.

Now everything he believed was collapsing.

Daniel might be alive.

Marcus was alive.

His sister was hiding.

And someone knew about Elena.

Adrian looked at the metal key in his hand.

He noticed something engraved on it.

Three numbers.

814.

Room 814.

The room Mrs. Collins had told him to clean that morning.

Adrian slowly looked up.

His face became cold.

Someone had planned this from the beginning.

And Room 814 was waiting for him.

TO BE CONTINUED...