Chapter 9: The Man Behind the Fire

I stared at the screen, unable to move.

Daniel Hart.

My supervisor.

The man who had welcomed me into Portland and told me I was finally worth more than I believed.

The same man standing outside Lab 02 on the night everything burned.

There had to be an explanation.

I replayed the footage until my eyes hurt.

Every time, the same result.

Daniel entered the lab.

The lights went out.

The fire began.

My phone rang again.

This time, it was Callan.

I almost ignored him.

Then I remembered his warning.

You don't know what you're getting involved in.

I answered.

What do you know about Daniel Hart?

Silence.

Sage, why are you asking me that?

Because I saw him in the security footage.

Another silence.

Where did you get that footage?

Someone sent it to me.

Who?

I don't know.

Callan exhaled slowly.

Listen to me carefully. Delete it.

No.

Sage.

I'm not deleting anything.

You don't understand.

Then explain it to me.

He didn't answer immediately.

Finally, he said, Daniel was at the institute that night because he was investigating the missing equipment.

So you knew?

Yes.

And you never told me.

I didn't want you involved.

You never wanted me involved in anything.

His voice became strained.

That's not fair.

Fair?

I laughed bitterly.

You blamed me for a fire I didn't start.

You humiliated me in front of everyone.

You never once asked whether I was okay.

And now you're telling me you were hiding evidence from me to protect me?

I was trying to keep you alive.

The words stopped me.

What?

Callan lowered his voice.

The person behind the missing equipment knew someone was looking into the accounts. People started disappearing from the investigation.

I swallowed.

What people?

Two researchers. One accountant. And a security officer.

My fingers tightened around the phone.

What happened to them?

They resigned. Then vanished.

That wasn't possible.

People didn't just disappear from a major research institute.

Unless someone had made sure nobody looked for them.

Callan continued.

Daniel wasn't investigating the fire. He was investigating the money.

Then why was he there?

I don't know.

You're lying again.

I heard him inhale sharply.

I know more than I'm telling you.

Then tell me everything.

I can't.

Why?

Because if I'm right, the fire wasn't meant to destroy the research.

It was meant to destroy the financial records.

My heart pounded.

And Elara?

Callan went quiet.

She was involved somehow.

I knew it.

But before I could ask anything else, there was a loud crash on his end.

Callan?

Someone had broken into my apartment.

My blood turned cold.

What?

I heard glass shatter again.

Callan, get out of there!

I grabbed my keys.

But he suddenly whispered.

Sage, listen to me.

Do not trust anyone.

The call ended.

I stood frozen in my apartment.

Then I heard footsteps outside my own door.

Slow.

Heavy.

Someone was walking down the hallway.

I grabbed the flash drive from my desk and slipped it into my pocket.

The footsteps stopped outside my door.

Three knocks.

I didn't breathe.

Another knock.

Then a man's voice came through the door.

Sage? It's Daniel.

My blood ran cold.

I stared at the door.

Daniel couldn't possibly know I had the footage.

Unless he had been watching me.

Unless he'd known from the beginning.

I stepped backward silently.

The doorknob began to turn.

I reached for my phone.

Then Daniel spoke again.

I know what you found.

I stopped breathing.

And if you want to understand why Callan lied to you, you need to open this door.