Chapter 4 - Warren Claimed Ruby Was the Key to My Father’s Secret Archive, but Theo’s Brother Revealed the One Thing That Could Destroy the Entire NetworkWarren demanded the key.
I didn't have it.
He thought I did.
I understood then.
The silver key Theo had brought wasn't enough.
There was another piece.
Ruby.
Amelia had designed the archive around her.
I looked at my daughter.
“Ruby.”
She looked at me.
“Daddy.”
“Do you remember Mommy giving you something?”
Ruby thought.
Then nodded.
“A bracelet.”
My heart stopped.
“What bracelet?”
“She said it was for when I was older.”
“Where is it?”
Ruby pointed.
“Inside my teddy.”
Warren laughed.
“Find it.”
I glanced at him.
“Why?”
“Because that's where Amelia hid the second key.”
Ruby looked at her stuffed bear.
Warren's man retrieved it.
Inside was a tiny metal disc.
He handed it to Warren.
Warren smiled.
But Theo's brother suddenly screamed.
“Don't!”
Warren turned.
The boy kicked the chair.
It fell.
Chaos.
I moved.
Ranger lunged despite his wound.
The dog knocked one guard down.
I grabbed Ruby.
Theo's brother rolled behind me.
Gunfire erupted.
Warren ran.
We escaped the building.
Outside, my men surrounded us.
Ruby clung to me.
“Daddy.”
“Yes?”
“Mommy told me never to trust Uncle Warren.”
I froze.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
She cried.
“I forgot.”
“No.”
I held her.
“You were scared.”
She nodded.
Theo's brother revealed the next clue.
His name was Noah.
He told me Amelia had worked with his family.
She had been trying to dismantle the Helix network.
The network was controlled by an anonymous figure called The Architect.
Warren worked for him.
But Warren wasn't the Architect.
We needed to know who was.
Then Noah handed me a photograph.
One person stood beside Amelia.
My uncle.
Richard Cross.
I froze.
Richard had died four years ago.
Or so I believed.
I looked at the photograph.
“No.”
Noah whispered:
“He isn't dead.”
My blood went cold.
May you like
The man who had supposedly died before Ruby was born was alive.
And he was the Architect.
Related Stories
