CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE EXCHANGE
1788 Words
Sarah stared at the photograph on Daniel’s phone.
Michael.
Alive.
Terrified.
And sitting beneath a single flickering light.
Her husband had spent years keeping secrets from her, but seeing him like that erased every other thought from her mind.
“We’re going after him.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Sarah looked at him sharply.
“Not yet?”
“Victor wants the recording. That’s the only reason Michael is still alive.”
“And you want me to sit here while he has my husband?”
“I want you to think.”
“I’ve spent enough time thinking.”
She reached for the door handle.
Daniel caught her wrist, then immediately released it when she glared at him.
“Sarah, listen to me.”
“I am listening.”
“If you go there alone, Victor gets everything he wants.”
“He told me to come alone.”
“Exactly.”
Sarah frowned.
Daniel looked at the photograph again.
“Victor has been planning this longer than we realized. He knows about the recording. He knows about you. He knows about me.”
“And Michael.”
“Yes.”
Sarah’s voice softened.
“Then what do we do?”
Daniel stared ahead.
“We give him what he thinks he wants.”
⸻
Two hours later, Sarah stood outside an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the city.
The cassette was inside her handbag.
She hadn’t told Daniel where she’d hidden the original.
He was somewhere nearby.
At least, she hoped he was.
Victor had demanded that she come alone.
Sarah stepped inside.
The warehouse smelled of dust and rust.
“Victor?”
Her voice echoed.
A light flickered overhead.
Then footsteps.
Victor appeared from the shadows.
Sarah froze.
It was the same man from the parking garage.
The same face she’d seen in the wedding photograph.
The man who had been watching her long before she knew he existed.
“Sarah.”
She tightened her grip on her handbag.
“Where is Michael?”
Victor smiled.
“Straight to business.”
“Where is he?”
“Safe.”
“You expect me to believe you?”
“I expect you to understand that if I wanted him dead, you wouldn’t be standing here.”
Sarah’s stomach turned.
“Let me see him.”
Victor gestured toward another room.
Sarah followed.
Michael was sitting in a chair, his hands tied.
His face was bruised, but he was conscious.
“Sarah!”
She rushed toward him.
Victor stepped between them.
“Don’t.”
Sarah stopped.
“Untie him.”
“Give me the recording.”
She pulled the cassette from her bag.
Victor’s eyes immediately focused on it.
“You brought it.”
“Yes.”
“Put it on the table.”
Sarah did.
Victor walked toward it.
But before he could pick it up, Michael spoke.
“Sarah, don’t give him anything.”
Victor turned.
“Still trying to be the hero?”
Michael glared at him.
“You’re insane.”
Victor laughed.
“No.”
He looked at Sarah.
“I’m patient.”
Sarah stared at him.
“Why me?”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“Because Michael loves you.”
Sarah’s chest tightened.
“And Daniel?”
Victor looked amused.
“Daniel doesn’t know how to love anyone.”
The words hit differently.
“He only knows how to possess.”
Sarah said nothing.
Victor stepped closer.
“You were supposed to destroy Michael.”
Sarah’s eyes narrowed.
“Supposed to?”
“Daniel’s plan.”
He smiled.
“Beautiful, wasn’t it?”
Sarah’s stomach dropped.
“You knew about Daniel’s plan.”
“I knew everything.”
Michael looked at Sarah.
“That’s why I told you to stay away from him.”
Sarah ignored him.
“You’ve been watching me.”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Since your wedding.”
Her heart sank.
“Why?”
“Because you were the one thing Michael cared about that I could take away.”
Sarah looked at Michael.
He couldn’t meet her eyes.
Victor continued.
“But then Daniel came back.”
His expression darkened.
“And everything became complicated.”
Sarah’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Did you kill Adrian?”
Silence.
Michael looked at Victor.
Victor smiled.
“You’re finally asking the right question.”
Sarah’s pulse raced.
“Did you?”
Victor walked toward her.
“I didn’t kill Adrian.”
Sarah exhaled.
“But I know who did.”
The warehouse seemed to stop breathing.
“Who?”
Victor smiled.
“That’s what your precious recording doesn’t tell you.”
He reached for the cassette.
Suddenly—
CLANG!
The warehouse lights went out.
Sarah screamed.
A crash came from behind Victor.
Michael shouted.
Then someone grabbed Sarah’s arm.
She twisted away—
“It’s me.”
Daniel.
He pulled her behind him.
Victor disappeared into the darkness.
“Daniel!”
“Stay behind me.”
A gunshot cracked through the warehouse.
Sarah screamed.
Daniel pulled her down.
Michael shouted from across the room.
“Daniel!”
Another shot.
Then silence.
Emergency lights flickered on.
Victor was gone.
But Michael was no longer tied to the chair.
His ropes had been cut.
Sarah looked around wildly.
“Where is he?”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“Victor took the recording.”
Sarah froze.
Her handbag was still in her hand.
She opened it.
The cassette was gone.
Then she saw something inside the bag.
A folded piece of paper.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
Four words.
DAY 19 HAS BEGUN.
Sarah looked at Daniel.
He stared at the note.
Michael’s face had gone pale.
And somewhere outside the warehouse, Victor’s laughter disappeared into the night.
The warehouse fell silent.
Sarah stared at the empty space where Victor had disappeared.
Then she turned toward Michael.
“You knew.”
Michael looked at her.
“Knew what?”
“That Victor was going to take the recording.”
“I didn’t.”
“You recognized him the moment he walked in.”
Michael said nothing.
Sarah stepped closer.
“You knew something.”
“I knew Victor was dangerous.”
“No.” Her voice sharpened. “You knew he was going to be here.”
Michael shook his head.
“I didn’t.”
Daniel moved between them.
“Enough.”
Sarah looked at him.
“No. I’m done with both of you telling me what I can and cannot know.”
Daniel’s expression softened.
“Sarah—”
“Don’t.”
She turned toward Michael.
“You said Victor threatened you years ago.”
“Yes.”
“You said you didn’t know where the recording was.”
“Yes.”
“But you knew Victor would want it.”
“I suspected.”
“And you knew about him being at my wedding.”
Michael lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
Sarah laughed bitterly.
“How many more things are there?”
Michael didn’t answer.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Sarah, we need to leave.”
She looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because Victor wanted us here.”
Sarah frowned.
“He wanted the recording.”
“No.”
Daniel glanced toward the warehouse entrance.
“He wanted to see who would come for Michael.”
A chill ran through her.
“And?”
“He got his answer.”
Sarah’s phone vibrated.
All three of them looked at it.
Unknown number.
Sarah opened the message.
You brought Daniel.
Her blood ran cold.
Another message followed.
You still don’t understand the rules.
Then a photograph appeared.
Sarah opened it.
Her breath caught.
It was Daniel.
Taken minutes earlier.
Inside the warehouse.
Someone had photographed him while he was standing beside her.
Michael saw the image.
“He’s still here.”
Daniel’s eyes scanned the darkness.
“Not necessarily.”
Sarah looked at him.
“What do you mean?”
“He could have cameras.”
Daniel walked toward the wall.
He examined the ceiling.
Then stopped.
“There.”
A tiny red light blinked above them.
Sarah’s stomach dropped.
“He was watching us the entire time.”
Daniel nodded.
Michael looked terrified.
“Then he heard everything.”
Daniel turned toward him.
“Everything.”
Sarah looked between them.
“What exactly are you two afraid he’ll hear?”
Michael went silent.
Daniel’s expression hardened.
Sarah stepped forward.
“Michael.”
Nothing.
“Daniel.”
Still nothing.
Her patience snapped.
“Tell me!”
Michael finally whispered:
“Adrian wasn’t alone when he died.”
Sarah froze.
Daniel turned sharply.
“What did you say?”
Michael looked at him.
“There were three people at the warehouse that night.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“Three?”
Michael nodded.
“You.”
“Adrian.”
“And Victor.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Then why did you say you weren’t there?”
“I was.”
Sarah’s heart stopped.
Daniel stepped toward Michael.
“You lied.”
“I was afraid.”
“You let me take the blame.”
“I know.”
“You let them lock me away!”
“I know!”
Michael’s voice broke.
“I thought if I stayed silent, Victor would leave my family alone.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“And Adrian?”
Michael looked down.
“I couldn’t save him.”
Sarah watched them.
Something wasn’t right.
“Michael.”
He looked at her.
“What happened after Adrian fell?”
Michael’s face went pale.
“I ran.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor told me if I stayed, he’d make sure you would never exist.”
Sarah frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Michael looked at her.
“I didn’t know you yet.”
Daniel stared at him.
“Then who was he threatening?”
Michael hesitated.
“My future.”
Silence.
Sarah felt a chill.
Then Daniel’s phone vibrated.
He looked down.
A message.
You finally remembered.
Daniel’s face drained of color.
Sarah stepped closer.
“What?”
He turned the screen toward her.
Another message appeared.
But Michael still hasn’t told her what happened to Adrian before the fall.
Sarah looked at Michael.
“Before the fall?”
Michael closed his eyes.
Daniel whispered:
“What did you do?”
Michael didn’t answer.
Then—
A loud crash came from the far end of the warehouse.
All three turned.
A projector suddenly flickered on.
The wall illuminated.
A grainy video appeared.
Sarah stared.
It showed the warehouse.
The night Adrian died.
Daniel stopped breathing.
Michael stepped backward.
And Sarah realized with horror—
the missing recording wasn’t the only evidence Victor had kept.
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