The Voice from the Past
544 Words
The countdown clock glowed red against the steel walls.
29:58
29:57
Hope and Alexander stood frozen before the enormous vault door.
The mysterious voice echoed through the tunnel once again.
«"If you are hearing this, then you have already proven one thing..."»
«"You chose courage over comfort."»
Hope looked around.
"Where are you?"
A gentle laugh echoed through hidden speakers.
«"Not where..."»
«"When."»
Alexander immediately understood.
"It's a recording."
The voice continued.
«"My name is Gabriel Ashford."»
Hope frowned.
"I've never heard that name."
Alexander's expression turned pale.
"But I have."
He looked at Hope.
"My father once told me that if the world ever spoke the name Gabriel Ashford again..."
"...it would mean Project Raven had failed."
---
Hope stepped closer to the speaker.
"Are you the fifth founder?"
The recording answered without hesitation.
«"Yes."»
«"Although history was rewritten to erase me."»
Hope's heart raced.
"So Grandpa didn't betray you."
The voice replied softly.
«"No."»
«"Adrian Kingsley saved my life."»
Alexander closed his eyes.
"So it was true."
Hope looked at him.
"You believed Damien."
Alexander nodded.
"I believed Adrian had destroyed the fifth founder."
"It was another one of Raven's lies."
---
The recording continued.
«"Jonathan Blackwood wanted power."»
«"Richard Knight wanted justice."»
«"Michael Sterling wanted peace."»
«"Adrian Kingsley wanted hope."»
The voice paused.
«"And I..."»
«"...wanted the truth."»
Hope listened carefully.
«"When Jonathan turned Raven into a weapon, Adrian made an impossible decision."»
«"He erased me from history."»
Hope whispered,
"To protect you."
«"Yes."»
---
Suddenly, another alarm sounded.
The countdown accelerated.
24:15
24:14
Alexander frowned.
"That's impossible."
"It just skipped five minutes."
Hope examined the wall.
"The system has changed."
Gabriel's recording continued calmly.
«"Someone is attempting to force the vault open from outside."»
Hope's eyes widened.
"Damien."
Alexander nodded.
"He's found the chamber."
---
Meanwhile...
Back in Adrian's hidden study, Damien watched as his engineers finished drilling through the concealed entrance.
One of them smiled.
"We're through."
The wall cracked.
A narrow opening appeared.
Damien stepped inside Adrian's secret chamber for the first time.
He looked around slowly.
The old books.
The journals.
The fireplace.
Adrian's desk.
"So..."
"This is where you hid your greatest secret."
His eyes landed on the empty tape recorder.
He smiled.
"Too late."
He noticed something else.
Fresh footprints in the dust.
Hope had escaped.
Damien walked to the hidden fireplace passage.
"They're heading to the Founders' Vault."
He looked at his men.
"We're going after them."
---
Back inside the tunnel...
Hope examined the massive vault door.
Five empty keyholes surrounded a circular emblem.
She already possessed three Founder Keys.
The Pocket Watch.
The Silver Raven Key.
The Crystal Key.
Two were still missing.
Gabriel's voice became more urgent.
«"Listen carefully."»
«"The Founders' Vault cannot be opened by force."»
«"It can only be opened..."»
«"...when all five founders are represented."»
Hope frowned.
"But you're gone."
The recording answered with one final revelation.
«"No, Hope."»
«"One founder..."»
«"...is still alive."»
The speaker fell silent.
Hope's heart nearly stopped.
Alexander stared at the vault in disbelief.
"If Gabriel Ashford is alive..."
He slowly turned toward Hope.
"...then everything Damien believes is wrong."
At that exact moment, loud footsteps echoed through the tunnel behind them.
Damien's men had found the passage.
And they were closing in.
- Writer
