THE ASSASSINATED PRESIDENT

Chapter 5: The Son They Couldn't Kill

The breath caught in Kaelen's throat.

The photograph lay between his sneakers.

An older version of the boy who'd survived, but a boy none the less, stood with Elena in the very image.

Same dark eyes, same stubborn set to his chin.

Adrian.

His son.

His son was alive.

Kaelen knelt, picking up the photograph.

"Where is he?"

The stranger did not respond.

Kaelen looked up.

"I think you know where my son is, so I'm going to ask you again.

Where is he?"

"He's alive."

"I can see that, but I need a little more information than that.

When was he last seen?"

"He was alive when I took this photograph."

"When was that?"

"Three days ago."

Kaelen stood.

Inside, something had shifted.

A few minutes ago, Kaelen would have said he was looking for one thing.

Now, he only had one question.

"Where?"

The stranger glanced at Seraphine.

"Not here."

Kaelen took a step closer.

"You invaded my family's home, didn't you?

You knew where my son was, and you knew I was alive, so don't waste my time."

The stranger studied him.

"You don't remember me, do you?"

"No.

If I did, I'm sure I'd remember the man who tried to kill me."

The stranger sighed heavily.

"That may be the only reason you're still breathing."

Seraphine leveled her weapon at him.

"Name."

"Marcus Thorne," he said.

Kaelen was silent for a long moment.

Marcus smirked.

"You used to call me Mark.

You know, when I wasn't busy trying to kill you."

Kaelen felt a strange sensation wash over him.

A training ground.

Rain.

Younger Kaelen, laughing as a man tackled him in the mud.

Kaelen blinked.

Marcus watched him closely.

"You remember."

"Not enough," Kaelen said.

"You will."

Kaelen grabbed his collar.

"Now you're going to tell me what you know."

Marcus refused to struggle.

"Seven years ago, your son was not supposed to have survived the assassination."

Kaelen's grip tightened.

"And why is that?"

"Because he was the reason they needed you dead in the first place.

Adrian was the real target," Seraphine said.

"You're insane," Kaelen said.

"That's what you think of me?" Seraphine lowered her weapon slightly.

"Actually, I think of you as a very well-informed individual.

What is it you want to know?"

Kaelen turned back to Marcus.

"My father left something behind."

Kaelen looked at him.

"What do you think my father left behind?"

"The same thing the Sovereign Circle has been searching for."

"The vault?"

Marcus nodded.

"Not a vault.

A person."

Kaelen stared at him.

Marcus continued.

"Your father knew the Circle would come for your family, so he created a contingency.

Your son."

Kaelen's face tightened.

"You're saying my father used my son as a contingency plan?"

"No," Marcus said shaking his head.

"He had the key hidden inside him."

Kaelen frowned.

"What?"

"That will make more sense when you remember what your son was born with," Marcus said.

A picture flashed in Kaelen's mind.

Elena, cradling a new born infant.

Doctors murmuring.

A small birthmark on Adrian's wrist.

A symbol.

Kaelen's knees nearly buckled.

He knew that symbol.

He had seen it just a few days ago.

Classified documents in the presidential vault.

The ring his father wore.

"The mark," Kaelen whispered.

Marcus nodded.

"Your son has it."

Seraphine looked back and forth between the two men.

"What does it mean?"

Marcus's expression darkened.

"It means your son can access something none of the rest of us can."

Kaelen narrowed his eyes, his thoughts racing.

"Where is Elena?"

Marcus hesitated.

"Alive."

Kaelen exhaled slowly.

"Where?"

"She was captured two days ago."

Kaelen's breath caught in his throat.

"By who?"

"The government," Marcus said.

Kaelen seethed.

"Darius?"

Marcus shook his head.

"It wasn't officially sanctioned.

The presidential security division took her."

Kaelen let out a hollow laugh.

"So the people who are supposed to protect the president kidnapped my wife?"

"They're not protecting the president," Marcus said.

"They're protecting the Circle.

Something exploded in the distance.

Glass shattered in the house.

Kaelen grabbed Seraphine's hand and pulled her down behind the table.

"Down!"

Another explosion.

Marcus dove behind a cabinet.

Bullets tore through the room.

Kaelen crawled towards the stairs.

"There's no way out," Kaelen said.

Marcus gestured towards the wall.

"There is.

I had this place built.

It was a contingency."

A section of the floor popped open to reveal a stairwell leading downward.

Seraphine looked back and forth, stunned.

"You knew about this, didn't you?"

Marcus looked at Kaelen.

"He built it.

He designed half the safe houses the old presidential security used.

Kaelen looked at the opening in the floor and remembered drawing up blueprints in the president's office with Lucien.

If they were ever to come for your family, this is the way out.

"Go!" Kaelen said.

They descended the staircase into the darkness.

The exit door closed behind them.

For a few moments, the sound of gunshots could be heard.

Then it stopped.

The passageway was cramped, and the air smelled damp.

Seraphine followed Kaelen as Marcus led the way.

"You said Adrian was the reason they wanted me dead," Kaelen said.

"Yes.

Why didn't they kill him?"

"They couldn't find him.

That's when Elena comes into this.

She knew the assassination was going to happen," Marcus said.

Kaelen's eyes narrowed.

"So you're saying my wife knew I was going to be killed?"

"She knew someone was going to kill you," Marcus said.

"And she didn't think it was a good idea to let you live?"

"She tried.

She was the one who drugged you that night,"

Kaelen turned to stare at him.

"What?

“Elena got him out.”I knew you wouldn't listen to me if I told you what I knew, so I drugged you to keep you from coming to that meeting."

Kaelen remembered.

The day after the assassination, Elena stood in their bedroom holding a glass.

Kaelen shouting at her.

You drugged me?

Elena, tears in her eyes.

Because they're going to kill you.

Another memory.

Kaelen's voice, "Get out of my face.

I don't care if you want to die!

I'm leaving.

I'll see you when I get back,"

Then, Elena's voice, "No, Kaelen, no!"

Kaelen gripped the wall separating the tunnel from the outside world.

"She knew," Kaelen muttered.

"Yes.

She always knew they were coming.

That's why she tried to stop you.

Kaelen closed his eyes.

Seven years of living with the pain was finally catching up to him, but the worst part was that this woman, this beautiful woman, was no longer here to accept his apology.

"How did I survive?" Kaelen asked.

"Lucien," Marcus said.

Kaelen opened his eyes.

"He rescued me from the convoy.

But everyone thinks he was the assassin,"

"Why? Who did it?"

"Someone had to take the fall for it,"

"What happened after he took me?"

"Lucien brought you to an underground medical facility.

That's when everything went wrong,"

Kaelen looked at him.

"What happened?"

"Lucien was betrayed,"

"By who?"

"I don't know.

But you should be, too,"

Marcus dug into his coat and pulled out a folded document.

Kaelen opened it, revealing a patient chart.

His name was at the top of the page.

PATIENT: KAELEN VEYR

STATUS: CRITICAL

MEMORY RETENTION: 18%

RECOMMENDATION: INDUCED IDENTITY SUPPRESSION

Kaelen's eyes trailed down the page, stopping when he saw his signature at the bottom of the paper.

His own signature.

He looked up at Marcus.

"I authorized this?

I authorized my memories to be wiped?"

"Yes,"

"Why?"

"You didn't think the Circle had infiltrated the medical facility,"

Kaelen's gut twisted.

So, he was the one who betrayed himself.

"Did I wipe my own memories? Temporarily?" Kaelen asked.

"Yes.

Whoever was responsible for your induction was taken out of the picture,"

"Who was she?" Kaelen asked.

"Lucien,"

Kaelen's heart sank.

"Is he alive?"

"I don't know,"

A metallic clanging echoed through the tunnel.

Marcus turned to the sound.

"We have company,"

Seraphine aimed her weapon.

"How did they find us?

"Your phone," Marcus said, looking at Kaelen.

"What are you talking about?" Kaelen asked.

"They triangulated your position using your phone,"

"Ain't been able to turn that damned thing on since we got here,"

Marcus's expression changed.

Neither had he.

"Then whose phone is this?

A man's voice echoed through the tunnel.

"Mine.

"Kaelen turned around to see a man step out of the shadows.

The stranger was the same man who had called him that morning.

"President Veyr,"

Kaelen leveled his weapon at him.

Who the hell are you?" The man smiled.

"You've been trying to remember who you are for the last seven years.

I think what you don't realize is that you should be more concerned with what you did.

"Kaelen narrowed his eyes.

"What did I do?"

The stranger stared at Marcus.

Then at Seraphine.

Then at Kaelen.

"You ordered the assassination.

Kaelen looked at him, astonished.

"That's impossible.

The stranger smiled.

"Then maybe you should ask yourself why your name is on the order,"

The stranger tossed the document onto the floor of the tunnel.

Kaelen looked down and saw his name, protected under a classified presidential designation.

OPERATION SILENT CROWN --- AUTHORIZED BY PRESIDENT KAELEN VEYR.

Kaelen's blood ran cold.

The stranger's voice rang out in the tunnel.

"You weren't the unfortunate victim of the assassination, Mr. President.

You were the one who ordered it."