Chapter 19: The Man Everyone Thought Was Dead
Chapter 19: The Man Everyone Thought Was Dead
The room fell into stunned silence.
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Alexander stared at the classified report as though the words might disappear if he blinked.
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STATUS UPDATED.
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ALIVE.
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Jonathan Cole.
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The investigative journalist who had vanished more than thirty years earlier.
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The man Alexander had believed was his biological father.
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The man whose farewell letter had changed everything.
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Alive.
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It seemed impossible.
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Yet the document lying on the conference table carried the highest level of federal classification.
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It was not the kind of file someone could easily forge.
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Alexander finally looked up.
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"How certain is this?"
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Director Michael Hayes exhaled slowly.
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"We don't know."
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"The intelligence came from one of our most secure sources."
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"But the report contains no photographs."
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"No current location."
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"No explanation."
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"Only the status update."
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Catherine folded her arms.
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"Someone wanted us to know."
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Daniel nodded.
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"Or wanted us to chase another distraction."
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Alexander remained silent.
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Every major revelation so far had led to another hidden truth.
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He no longer knew where certainty ended and deception began.
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Emily studied Jonathan Cole's handwritten letter again.
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Something caught her attention.
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She slowly turned to the final page.
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"Alexander."
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He walked over.
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"What is it?"
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She pointed toward the lower corner of the paper.
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"These weren't pen marks."
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Daniel leaned closer.
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Tiny dots.
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Almost invisible.
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Arranged in neat rows.
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Like a printing error.
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Catherine narrowed her eyes.
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"Microdots."
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Hayes immediately looked at the forensic technician.
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"Can we enlarge them?"
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The technician nodded.
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"Give me five minutes."
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Inside the digital forensics laboratory...
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The technician scanned the letter using a high-resolution microscope.
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The enlarged image slowly appeared on the monitor.
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Everyone stared in disbelief.
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The tiny dots formed a hidden map.
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Not a world map.
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Not a city map.
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A blueprint.
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Daniel frowned.
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"What building is that?"
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The technician enhanced the image again.
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A name appeared beneath the blueprint.
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Cole Observatory.
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Emily looked confused.
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"An observatory?"
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Hayes searched the federal archives.
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Within seconds, an old record appeared.
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"Cole Observatory."
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"Built in 1968."
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"Closed in 1994."
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"Located in northern Montana."
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Alexander looked at the screen.
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"Jonathan owned it?"
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Hayes nodded.
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"It was registered under a charitable foundation."
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Catherine's expression became thoughtful.
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"A perfect place to hide."
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Meanwhile...
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At the isolated mountain estate.
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Victoria sat alone inside a luxurious bedroom.
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The doors had been locked from the outside.
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She walked toward the window.
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Armed guards patrolled every path.
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Searchlights swept across the forest.
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She laughed bitterly.
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For decades she had believed she was one of the most powerful people in America.
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Now she realized the truth.
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She had never been a leader.
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Only a useful servant.
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A knock sounded at the door.
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The silver-haired man entered quietly.
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He carried a crystal glass filled with sparkling water.
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Victoria didn't touch it.
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"You've come to kill me."
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The man smiled politely.
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"If I intended to kill you..."
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"...we wouldn't be having this conversation."
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Victoria looked directly into his eyes.
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"Then why am I here?"
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He placed a thick file on the table.
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"Because you still owe the organization one final service."
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Victoria glanced at the cover.
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It contained only one name.
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Alexander Sterling.
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Back in Boston.
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The forensic technician finished enhancing the blueprint.
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A second hidden image appeared beneath it.
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This time...
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It was a photograph.
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Black and white.
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Slightly faded.
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It showed Jonathan Cole standing beside Edward Sterling.
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Between them stood another man.
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His face had been partially scratched away.
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Daniel enlarged the damaged image.
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The facial reconstruction software slowly filled in the missing details.
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When the process finished...
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Every person in the room froze.
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Alexander whispered,
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"No..."
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Emily covered her mouth.
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Catherine slowly lowered herself into a chair.
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The reconstructed face belonged to none other than...
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Deputy Attorney General Thomas Reynolds.
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The same man whose electronic authorization had supposedly released Victoria from federal custody.
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Director Hayes immediately called Washington.
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"I need Reynolds located."
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The answer came back almost instantly.
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"He never arrived at work this morning."
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Hayes frowned.
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"Check his residence."
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Another pause.
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Then...
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"Sir..."
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"His house is empty."
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"Neighbors say they haven't seen him in two days."
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Hayes slowly ended the call.
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"He disappeared before Victoria escaped."
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Daniel looked toward Alexander.
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"That wasn't his authorization."
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"It was someone using his identity."
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Catherine nodded.
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"And now he's missing."
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Late that evening...
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A secure satellite phone rang inside FBI headquarters.
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Hayes answered cautiously.
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A man's voice spoke.
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Calm.
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Measured.
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"I understand you're looking for Jonathan Cole."
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Hayes straightened.
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"Who is this?"
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The caller ignored the question.
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"Tell Alexander Sterling the truth."
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Hayes remained silent.
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The voice continued.
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"Jonathan Cole isn't his biological father."
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Alexander, standing only a few feet away, felt his heart stop.
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Hayes slowly asked,
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"Then who is?"
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The caller answered with chilling precision.
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"The man you call Jonathan Cole..."
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"...was only protecting the child."
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"The real father..."
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"...has been leading the Black Circle from the very beginning."
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The line went dead.
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The room stood frozen.
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Alexander's greatest hope had just become his darkest nightmare.
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If the anonymous caller was telling the truth...
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May you like
Then the blood running through his veins belonged to the very man responsible for destroying his family.
End of Chapter 19
