Chapter 6 - I Opened the Blue Room and Found the Evidence My Father Died Protecting—But One File Had My Name on It
The warehouse had been abandoned for twenty years.
Or so the city records claimed.
The basement told a different story.
There were fresh footprints.
New wiring.
Security cameras.
Someone was still using it.
The blue door opened with the card.
Inside were shelves of files.
Hundreds.
Maybe thousands.
Everything.
Police cases.
Judicial orders.
Payments.
Photographs.
Recordings.
The history of New York's secret network.
Adrien stared.
“This is bigger than I thought.”
My mother walked behind us.
“It always was.”
We found Giovanni's archive.
At the center was a locked cabinet.
My birthmark triggered the lock.
I hated how much that frightened me.
Inside were three files.
One for Giovanni.
One for Evelyn.
One for me.
I opened mine.
My entire childhood had been documented.
School.
Doctors.
Friends.
Addresses.
Photographs.
People had followed me for years.
The final page contained one line:
Subject remains unaware.
I felt sick.
“They watched me.”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Since you were seven.”
I turned to Adrien.
“Why?”
He looked at the files.
“Because they were waiting for you to lead them to something.”
“What?”
He opened the final folder.
A list of hidden accounts.
One account was linked to my mother's name.
Another to Giovanni.
And another under a name I didn't recognize.
Lucien Viscari.
Adrien froze.
“My uncle wasn't dead.”
“What?”
“There are active transactions.”
My mother went pale.
“No.”
Adrien looked at her.
“You thought he died.”
“He did.”
“No.”
The transactions were recent.
Very recent.
Someone had been using Lucien's identity.
Then a screen turned on.
A video.
Lucien appeared.
Older.
Alive.
He looked at the camera.
“If this is playing, they've found Lena.”
I stepped closer.
“Uncle?”
Lucien continued.
The Vane family isn't alone.
Someone inside the Viscari family has been helping them.
Adrien's face hardened.
Lucien named the person.
Marco.
Silence.
I looked at Adrien's right-hand man.
Marco stood frozen.
“You?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
Lucien continued.
I know Marco will deny it.
Because he doesn't know the whole truth.
The video ended.
Everyone stared at Marco.
He looked at Adrien.
“Boss.”
Adrien's voice was low.
“Explain.”
“I can't.”
“Then why did Lucien mention you?”
“I don't know.”
Adrien drew his weapon.
Marco didn't move.
“You have one chance.”
Marco reached into his coat.
I expected a gun.
Instead, he pulled out a small photograph.
It showed him as a child.
Standing beside Lucien.
“You think I betrayed you?”
“I don't know.”
Marco looked at me.
“I've been protecting Lena.”
“Why?”
“Because Lucien asked me to.”
The room fell silent.
Marco explained.
He had been inserted inside Adrien's organization years ago.
Not for the Vane family.
For Lucien.
He had been monitoring the network.
The files he had leaked had been designed to misdirect enemies.
He had helped protect me without my knowing.
Adrien lowered his weapon.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because you were being watched too.”
I stared.
“Who was watching Adrien?”
Marco answered:
“The man who controls the police.”
Silas Vane.
But Silas wasn't the highest power.
There was another name.
The Chancellor.
A secret financier who controlled the Blue Room from behind the scenes.
No one knew who he was.
Except Lucien.
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire.
Smoke.
My mother screamed.
Adrien grabbed my hand.
“Stay with me.”
We moved through the dark.
A gunshot struck the wall.
Then a voice whispered from the speakers.
“Lena.”
I froze.
Silas.
“You've found the room.”
Adrien shouted:
“Come out.”
Silas laughed.
“Why would I?”
The speakers crackled.
“Lena, you have something I need.”
“What?”
“Your father's last memory.”
I didn't understand.
Then I remembered.
A melody.
A lullaby.
My father used to hum it when I was little.
I suddenly realized the lyrics were coded.
The Blue Room wasn't opened by my birthmark alone.
It needed my mother's voice.
And my father's melody.
Silas had been unable to access the final archive because he was missing me.
Adrien looked at me.
“Don't sing.”
Silas shouted:
“She's the key!”
Men rushed in.
Adrien fought them.
My mother grabbed me.
“Run!”
We found a hidden staircase.
At the bottom was a second room.
A computer.
One message appeared:
WELCOME HOME, LENA VISCARI.
Then another:
FINAL ACCOUNT LOCKED.
May you like
And underneath:
TRUST NO ONE.
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