Chapter 5 - Gideon Offered Me Back the Children in Exchange for One Thing—Dante’s LifeGideon appeared on the screen.
“Bring me Dante.”
“Where are the children?”
“Safe.”
“You expect me to believe you?”
“No.”
He smiled.
“That's why I brought proof.”
The screen changed.
Six rooms.
Six children.
Each alive.
Each watched by guards.
Lily.
Marcus.
Jonah.
Isabelle.
Sophie.
And another child I didn't recognize.
Dante stared.
“Who is that?”
Gideon laughed.
“The seventh.”
I felt cold.
“There are seven?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Her name is Clara.”
He looked at Dante.
“Her father was your brother.”
Dante went silent.
He had another family secret.
Another child.
Gideon continued:
“Bring yourself to the old warehouse.”
“You want me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Program Nine needs a successor.”
“You.”
“No.”
Gideon smiled.
“Your son.”
Dante's expression became dangerous.
“Never.”
“Then the children disappear.”
The screen went black.
Dante turned toward me.
“I'm going.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You'll die.”
“I have to.”
I grabbed his arm.
“Think.”
He looked at me.
“That's my son.”
“I know.”
“And those other children.”
“I know.”
“So what would you do?”
I took a breath.
“Outsmart him.”
We developed a plan.
We would send a decoy.
We would track the warehouse.
We would record everything.
But Gideon wasn't stupid.
He knew we were planning.
He sent another message.
3:17.
My heart stopped.
The same time I always left Dante's office.
The same time I visited the children.
He had been watching me.
He knew everything.
Gideon had known from the beginning.
I looked at Dante.
“The job.”
“Yes?”
“It was never your idea.”
“No.”
“My schedule.”
He frowned.
“What's wrong?”
“I've been predictable.”
I had left every afternoon at 3:17 for six months.
Anyone monitoring me could trace my movements.
Gideon had known where the children were.
He had used me to find them.
Dante stared.
Then said:
“You didn't lead them to the children.”
“What?”
“You led me to them.”
He was right.
Gideon expected me to betray the children.
Instead, my secret forced Dante to discover his son.
The plan had backfired.
Now Gideon wanted to destroy us both.
May you like
We went to the warehouse.
And the first thing we saw was six empty beds.
Related Stories
