Chapter 6 - The Child Who Walked Into the Enemy's House
Lia had not been kidnapped.
She had left.
That distinction terrified Ramon more.
The house had been surrounded by armed men.
Yet the child had walked out unnoticed.
Using the tunnel system.
Using knowledge Elena had taught her.
Ramon followed the route.
It led beneath the property.
Then to an abandoned railway tunnel.
Matteo found a scarf.
Victor found footprints.
Ramon found something else.
A black thorn carved into the wall.
“She wants us to follow,” he said.
Victor looked at him.
“Or they want us to.”
Ramon shook his head.
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because if Clara had Lia, we'd already have a message.”
He looked at the mark.
“Lia left that.”
They followed.
Two miles underground.
Then the tunnel opened into an old station.
Empty.
Except for one train car.
Its door stood open.
Inside was a single recorder.
Ramon pressed play.
Lia's voice.
“Ramon, if you hear this, don't come.”
His heart tightened.
“They took Mommy to the house with the white windows.”
A pause.
“I heard them talking.”
“They said they need her to open something.”
Another pause.
“I think it's the place where your father hid the truth.”
Ramon clenched his fists.
“Please don't come.”
The recording ended.
Matteo looked at him.
“We're going.”
Ramon nodded.
The house with the white windows sat three hours north.
It looked abandoned.
Inside, there were fresh footprints.
Ramon entered alone.
“Hello?”
No answer.
He walked down the hallway.
A woman's voice came from upstairs.
“Ramon.”
Elena.
He ran.
She was tied to a chair.
Lia stood beside her.
And Clara Voss stood behind them.
“You came.”
Ramon raised his gun.
“You're done.”
Clara smiled.
“Always so confident.”
“You're surrounded.”
“No.”
She pointed toward the windows.
Ramon looked.
Every window was filled with men.
His own men.
Victor.
Diego.
Matteo.
All surrounded.
Clara stepped closer.
“I don't want to kill you.”
“Then what?”
“I want the ledger.”
“You already know where it is.”
“I know where the physical book is.”
She smiled.
“I want the digital archive.”
Ramon stared.
He hadn't known there was one.
Clara laughed softly.
“Your father hid it with his son.”
Ramon's expression changed.
“You mean me.”
“Yes.”
“I don't have it.”
“You do.”
She pointed at Lia.
“She remembers the password.”
Ramon looked at the child.
“Lia?”
Lia nodded.
“I heard Grandpa Gabriel say it.”
Ramon closed his eyes.
“What did he say?”
She whispered:
“Home is not where you sleep.”
Ramon looked confused.
Clara smiled.
“Finish it.”
Lia continued.
“Home is who remembers your name.”
Ramon went still.
The phrase had been his father's favorite.
But it wasn't a password.
It was a clue.
He understood.
“The ledger is not digital.”
Clara frowned.
“What?”
“The archive is a person.”
Silence.
Ramon looked at Elena.
She smiled through tears.
“You figured it out.”
“You're the archive.”
Elena nodded.
“I memorized everything.”
Clara's face changed.
“You know all the names?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Every one.”
Ramon saw it now.
The Black Thorn had spent decades hunting files, computers and ledgers.
But Gabriel had trusted a person.
Elena.
And Lia had inherited her memory.
Clara stepped forward.
“Tell me the names.”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
Clara raised a gun.
“Then Lia dies.”
Ramon moved.
The lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
He tackled Clara.
Elena rolled from the chair.
Lia crawled under the table.
Men fought in darkness.
Ramon heard Victor shouting.
Then a crash.
Then silence.
When the lights returned, Clara was gone.
So was the physical ledger.
But Lia was safe.
Ramon grabbed her.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
“You came.”
“Yes.”
“I told you not to.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
Ramon held her close.
“Because I'm your family.”
The child began crying.
For the first time, Ramon realized he had stopped thinking of Lia as Elena's daughter.
He thought of her as his.
Not by blood.
By choice.
Outside, sirens began approaching.
Ramon looked toward Elena.
She had tears in her eyes.
“She said one thing before she left.”
“What?”
Elena whispered:
“Your mother.”
Ramon turned.
“What about her?”
“She knows where Clara is going.”
Ramon's blood cooled.
“My mother?”
May you like
Elena nodded.
“She knows the final location.”
