Chapter 9: A Name Erased

The train thundered through the Swiss Alps as Claire Moreau and Adrian Keller raced through the maintenance corridor.

Behind them, the Nightglass operative pursued relentlessly.

His footsteps echoed through the narrow metal passage.

Measured.

Controlled.

Professional.

This was not a man acting out of fear or anger.

He was following orders.

And those orders clearly included recovering the black briefcase.

Claire tightened her grip on it as she ran.

Every document inside suddenly felt heavier.

More valuable.

More dangerous.

The proof they carried could expose an entire operation hidden beneath layers of secrecy.

Passenger transfers.

Classifications.

Nightglass.

Matthias Keller.

Everything pointed toward a conspiracy far larger than a simple kidnapping scheme.

A gunshot echoed behind them.

The bullet struck a pipe near Claire's shoulder.

Steam burst into the corridor.

She stumbled but kept moving.

Adrian grabbed her arm.

Keep going.

I'm trying.

The corridor curved sharply.

Ahead, a service ladder led upward.

Without hesitation, Adrian climbed.

Claire followed.

The operative appeared below them seconds later.

For a brief moment, Claire saw his face beneath the mask.

Not his features.

Only his eyes.

Cold.

Focused.

Emotionless.

Like a machine carrying out a task.

The sight unsettled her more than the weapon.

They reached the upper hatch and emerged into another carriage.

This one looked different.

Cleaner.

More modern.

Almost luxurious.

Private compartments lined both sides.

Soft lighting illuminated polished wooden panels.

The contrast felt absurd.

A nightmare hidden beneath a first-class experience.

Claire caught her breath.

Where are we?

Executive section.

Executive section of what?

That's what I'd like to know.

The train slowed again.

Outside, the floodlights of the extraction site appeared much closer.

They could now see armed personnel moving alongside the tracks.

The operation was preparing for arrival.

Time was running out.

A door opened ahead.

Both froze.

A man stepped into the corridor.

Late fifties.

Gray suit.

Silver hair.

Thin glasses.

He looked more like a university professor than someone connected to a secret operation.

Yet Claire recognized him immediately.

Viktor Weiss.

The same man from the photograph.

The same man linked to Nightglass.

For several seconds nobody moved.

The train continued rattling beneath them.

Weiss looked at the briefcase.

Then at Claire.

Then at Adrian.

Interesting.

His voice was calm.

Almost friendly.

You've progressed further than expected.

Adrian stepped forward.

Where is my brother?

Weiss tilted his head slightly.

Direct.

I respect that.

Where is Matthias?

Alive.

The answer came instantly.

No hesitation.

No uncertainty.

Alive.

Adrian visibly relaxed.

Only slightly.

Claire noticed.

Then where is he?

Safe.

That answer had the opposite effect.

Adrian's jaw tightened.

Safe according to who?

According to the people who saved him.

Claire stared.

Saved him?

Weiss looked toward her.

Miss Moreau.

You have spent months investigating disappearances.

Correct?

Claire said nothing.

You assumed these people were victims.

You assumed they were kidnapped.

You assumed Nightglass was responsible.

His expression remained calm.

What if every one of those assumptions was wrong?

The statement landed heavily.

Claire hated that part of her immediately considered it.

Not because she believed him.

Because good journalists considered every possibility.

Even uncomfortable ones.

Weiss continued.

Do you know what happened to Sofia Brandt before she disappeared?

Claire remained silent.

She was dying.

A neurological condition.

Terminal.

Nightglass gave her a future.

Adrian laughed bitterly.

You're expecting us to believe that?

I don't expect belief.

Only curiosity.

The gunman entered the carriage behind them.

Weapon raised.

Yet he did not fire.

Weiss raised one hand.

The operative immediately stopped.

The display of obedience was unsettling.

Claire noticed Adrian noticing it too.

Weiss wasn't just involved.

He was important.

Very important.

You took hundreds of people.

Claire finally spoke.

Against their will.

Some resist change.

That's not an answer.

No.

It's reality.

The train speakers activated.

Attention.

Arrival in seven minutes.

Arrival procedures beginning.

The extraction site was close.

Very close.

Weiss looked disappointed.

We're running out of time.

For what?

For conversation.

Claire tightened her grip on the briefcase.

This conversation isn't over.

No.

It isn't.

Weiss adjusted his glasses.

Perhaps that's why you were selected.

Selected?

The word immediately stood out.

Adrian heard it too.

Selected for what?

Weiss smiled faintly.

You still think this train is the story.

It isn't.

The train is merely transportation.

Then what is the story?

Weiss looked directly at Claire.

You are.

The statement sent a chill through her body.

Before she could respond, an alarm suddenly sounded.

Not from the train.

From the briefcase.

Everyone looked down.

A small red light flashed beneath the handle.

Adrian swore.

Tracker.

Claire immediately dropped it onto a nearby seat.

Weiss looked genuinely surprised.

Interesting.

The flashing became faster.

Then a small screen activated.

One message appeared.

SUBJECT STATUS UPDATE.

Claire frowned.

What subject?

The next line appeared.

CLAIRE MOREAU.

Her blood turned cold.

Another line followed.

IDENTITY RECORD REMOVED.

A third line appeared.

STATUS: DECEASED.

The carriage went silent.

Claire stared at the screen.

Deceased.

Dead.

Officially.

Digitally.

Administratively.

Gone.

She looked at Weiss.

What is this?

For the first time, his confidence seemed to weaken.

Someone moved your timeline forward.

What does that mean?

It means someone inside Nightglass wants you erased immediately.

Adrian stepped closer.

Erased?

Weiss nodded slowly.

Your records.

Your identity.

Your existence.

Claire felt the floor shift beneath her.

Not physically.

Mentally.

Everything she understood about the situation suddenly changed.

Missing people.

Transfer classifications.

Relocations.

Maybe Nightglass wasn't simply moving people.

Maybe it was replacing them.

Deleting them.

Rebuilding them.

The possibility was horrifying.

Another gunshot echoed from somewhere farther down the train.

Then another.

Chaos erupted outside.

Shouting.

Running footsteps.

The extraction site had changed.

Something unexpected was happening.

Weiss looked toward the window.

Impossible.

What?

Weiss didn't answer.

Instead, he whispered something Claire never expected to hear.

They found us.

Who found us?

Weiss looked genuinely afraid.

The people Nightglass was created to hide from.

Before Claire could ask another question, the train shook violently.

The lights went out.

Darkness swallowed the carriage.

And somewhere inside the blackness, someone screamed.