Chapter 14 - Marcus DisappearsThen Marcus vanished.
No warning.
No explanation.
His phone went dead.
His apartment was empty.
Clara waited.
One day.
Three days.
A week.
Nothing.
She told herself he had simply returned to work.
But something felt wrong.
Then an envelope arrived.
No return address.
Inside was a photograph.
Victor Sterling.
Alive.
Standing outside an airport.
On the back of the photograph were six words:
YOU WERE NEVER THE REAL TARGET.
Clara's hands began shaking.
She immediately called Marcus's secure number.
The line connected.
Silence.
Then his voice.
“Clara.”
She closed her eyes.
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Are you safe?”
A pause.
“No.”
Her heart dropped.
“What happened?”
Another pause.
Then Marcus whispered:
May you like
“They know about you.”
The line went dead.
Related Stories
Chapter 15 - The Second GameClara refused to run.
Chapter 16 - Beneath the MansionClara returned with investigators.
Chapter 17 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be DeadA figure stepped from the shadows.
Chapter 18 - The Last StandMarcus appeared at the end of the corridor.
Chapter 19 - A House of Second ChancesOne year later, the Sterling mansion looked completely different.
Chapter 20 - The Door That Was Still OpenThree years later, Clara stood on the mansion's balcony overlooking the Atlantic.
