Chapter 9: The Call
1958 Words
Nobody moved.
The phone continued ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Elena stared at the screen.
Daniel Vale.
Her father's name.
The name that had belonged to a dead man for sixteen years.
Her hand trembled.
"That's impossible."
Adrian looked at the phone.
His expression had gone completely cold.
"Don't answer it."
Elena looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because whoever is calling wants you to."
"Maybe it's my father."
"Your father is dead."
The phone stopped ringing.
Silence.
Then it rang again.
Elena swallowed.
"What if you're wrong?"
"I'm not."
"You said that before."
Adrian's eyes hardened.
"And I was."
She looked down at the screen.
The call continued.
"Let me answer."
"No."
"Adrian—"
"I said no."
Elena stepped away from him.
"You don't get to control me anymore."
His jaw tightened.
"Elena."
She pressed the answer button.
"Hello?"
For several seconds, there was nothing.
Then—
"Elena?"
Her entire body froze.
That voice.
She knew it.
She had heard it in childhood.
Every night.
Every morning.
A voice that had once made her feel safe.
Her father's voice.
"Dad?"
Adrian immediately moved toward her.
Elena held up a hand.
"Don't."
The voice on the phone breathed shakily.
"My little girl."
Tears filled Elena's eyes.
"Where are you?"
"Don't trust the Blackwoods."
Elena looked at Adrian.
"Which one?"
A pause.
"All of them."
The call suddenly crackled.
"Dad, wait!"
"Find the red door."
"I already saw it."
Silence.
Then the voice changed.
It became urgent.
"Then remember what happened behind it."
"What happened?"
"Your mother—"
The line went dead.
Elena stared at the phone.
"No."
She tried calling back.
The number didn't exist.
She looked at Adrian.
"That was him."
Adrian said nothing.
"It was my father."
"I know."
"You know?"
"I recognized the voice."
Elena's eyes widened.
"You've spoken to him."
"No."
"Then how did you recognize him?"
Adrian didn't answer.
She stepped closer.
"You've been lying to me again."
"Elena—"
"Where is my father?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I swear to you, I don't."
"Then explain the call."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know whether that was really him."
Elena stared at him.
"How could it not be?"
"Voice recordings can be manipulated."
"That wasn't a recording."
"You don't know that."
"I heard him."
"You heard someone who sounded like him."
She shook her head.
"No."
Adrian stepped closer.
"I want you to believe me."
"Why should I?"
His expression softened.
"Because I haven't lied about one thing."
"What?"
"You are in danger."
Before Elena could answer, a gunshot sounded from outside.
Adrian immediately pulled her behind him.
"Stay here."
The guards rushed into the room.
"Sir!"
"What?"
"The perimeter has been breached."
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"How many?"
"We don't know."
"Find Isabel."
"We already did."
Adrian turned.
"Where?"
The guard hesitated.
"She's gone."
Elena's heart dropped.
"What?"
"She disappeared during the shooting."
Adrian swore under his breath.
"Lock the entire building."
"We tried."
"Then try harder."
The guard left.
Elena looked at Adrian.
"My mother is gone."
"We'll find her."
"You said that before."
"And I meant it."
He reached for her hand.
She hesitated.
Then let him take it.
For a moment, neither spoke.
A distant explosion shook the mansion.
Adrian released her.
"Stay here."
"I'm coming."
"No."
"Adrian."
He looked at her.
"You've been telling me to stay behind you since I met you."
"Because you're not trained for this."
"I'm tired of being protected."
His expression changed.
"You think protection is weakness?"
"I think being kept ignorant is."
He stared at her.
Then slowly nodded.
"Fine."
He reached into his jacket and handed her a small firearm.
Elena stared at it.
"I've never used one."
"I know."
"Then why are you giving me this?"
"Because tonight, you may have to."
She looked at him.
"How do I—"
"Don't pull the trigger unless you have to."
His fingers closed around hers.
"And if you do?"
"Don't hesitate."
The words were cold.
But his eyes weren't.
"Stay close to me."
They moved through the mansion.
The lights flickered.
Emergency lamps cast long shadows across the walls.
Elena followed Adrian down a narrow corridor.
"Where are we going?"
"The old archive."
"Why?"
"Your father left something there."
"Another secret?"
"Probably."
They reached a locked door.
Adrian entered a code.
The door opened.
Inside were shelves filled with files.
Photographs.
Documents.
Boxes.
Elena walked toward one wall.
Her eyes widened.
There were photographs of her.
As a child.
At school.
Walking home.
Standing beside her father.
Playing in a garden.
Dozens of them.
She turned toward Adrian.
"You took these?"
"No."
"Then who?"
"I don't know."
She picked up another photograph.
This one showed her at seventeen.
Someone had written a date on the back.
Three months before the attack.
Elena's heart pounded.
"I was being watched."
"Yes."
"By the Black Rose?"
"Most likely."
She turned another photograph over.
A message was written on it.
She remembers more than she thinks.
Elena's fingers went cold.
"Adrian."
He looked at her.
"What?"
She showed him the photograph.
His expression changed.
"That's my father's handwriting."
Elena stared.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
She picked up another photograph.
Another message.
When the girl remembers, bring her to the red door.
Elena's breath caught.
"What's behind the red door?"
Adrian didn't answer.
She looked at him.
"You're going to tell me."
"I will."
"When?"
"Now."
He walked to the back of the archive.
There was a wall.
Nothing else.
Then he pressed his hand against a section of wood.
A hidden mechanism clicked.
A panel slid open.
Behind it was a narrow staircase leading underground.
Elena stared.
"You've got to be kidding."
Adrian looked at her.
"The red door is beneath the mansion."
They descended.
The stairs seemed endless.
At the bottom was a long corridor.
At the end stood a single door.
Red.
Elena stopped.
Her breathing became shallow.
She remembered this.
The hallway.
Her father's hand.
Adrian's younger voice.
Someone crying.
She stepped forward.
"Elena."
She touched the door.
A memory hit her.
Her father kneeling in front of her.
He was holding the music box.
His eyes were full of fear.
"Listen to me, Elena."
A young Adrian stood behind him.
Thirteen years old.
Terrified.
Her father pressed something into her hand.
"Whatever happens, never tell them where it is."
Young Elena nodded.
Then a gunshot sounded.
Her father fell.
Her mother screamed.
Adrian grabbed Elena.
"Run!"
But Elena didn't run.
She looked through the crack in the door.
And saw the person holding the gun.
Her mother.
But behind her mother stood another man.
A man Elena recognized.
Gabriel.
And he was smiling.
The memory shattered.
Elena stumbled backward.
Adrian caught her.
"What did you see?"
She looked at him, horrified.
"My mother didn't kill my father."
Adrian went still.
"What?"
"She was holding the gun..."
Her voice shook.
"But Gabriel was behind her."
Adrian's eyes darkened.
"And?"
"He was the one who fired."
Silence.
Then Elena looked toward the red door.
"There was someone else."
"Who?"
She swallowed.
"The man my father was afraid of."
Adrian's face became pale.
"Who?"
Elena slowly shook her head.
"I couldn't see his face."
Then the red door unlocked itself.
Click.
Adrian immediately raised his weapon.
Elena stepped backward.
The door opened slowly.
A man stood on the other side.
Older.
Wounded.
But alive.
Elena stopped breathing.
The man looked at her.
Then smiled.
"Hello, Elena."
Her knees nearly gave out.
Adrian raised his gun.
The man looked at him.
"Put it down, Adrian."
Adrian's face was frozen.
Elena whispered:
"Dad?"
Daniel Vale smiled sadly.
"You're finally remembering."
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