CHAPTER 5: The Man Everyone Buried Came Home
The voice echoed through the darkness.
"Emily..."
"You've grown into your mother."
The emergency lights flickered on.
Standing in the doorway was a tall man in a tailored black suit.
His silver hair was neatly combed.
His expression was calm.
Cold.
Controlled.
Emily felt every ounce of strength leave her body.
"D... Dad?"
Richard Collins smiled.
"I was wondering how long it would take before you found me."
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
"No..."
"They buried you."
Richard chuckled.
"They buried a body."
"They never buried me."
Behind him, the armed men lowered their weapons.
No one spoke.
Even Sarah remained silent.
Richard slowly walked inside, glancing around the cabin.
"You've caused quite a mess."
Sarah stepped forward.
"You murdered innocent people."
Richard laughed.
"No."
"I invested in people."
"When they became liabilities... I replaced them."
Emily stared at him in disbelief.
"So Daniel..."
Richard nodded.
"My best investment."
"He was ambitious."
"Easy to control."
"He thought he was building an empire."
"He never realized he was only protecting mine."
Emily clenched her fists.
"You destroyed our family."
Richard looked at Noah.
"No."
"I built it."
"But children have a terrible habit..."
"...of remembering things adults forget."
Noah instinctively hid behind his mother.
Richard's smile disappeared.
"I can't leave witnesses."
One of the armed men raised his weapon.
Sarah suddenly lunged forward, knocking Emily and Noah to the floor.
A barrage of bullets ripped through the cabin.
Wood splintered.
Windows exploded.
Smoke filled the room.
Emily grabbed Noah's hand.
"Run!"
They sprinted through the back door into the forest.
Branches slashed their faces as they ran through the darkness.
Behind them, flashlights swept across the trees.
The hunters were closing in.
Suddenly...
A helicopter roared overhead.
Powerful searchlights illuminated the forest.
Emily's heart sank.
There was nowhere left to hide.
Richard's voice thundered from a loudspeaker.
"You have ten seconds."
"Give me the boy..."
"...and you can live."
Emily pulled Noah close.
"I'll never let you touch him."
Noah looked up at her with tears in his eyes.
Then he whispered something that stopped her cold.
"Mom..."
"I remember where Grandpa hid the second drive."
Emily stared at him.
"What second drive?"
Noah reached into the lining of his old teddy bear.
He carefully tore a small seam open.
Hidden inside...
...was a tiny black memory card.
The same one Daniel had desperately searched for.
The same one Sarah never knew existed.
Noah looked at his mother and whispered,
"This one shows who really killed Grandma..."
Before Emily could answer...
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A red laser sight appeared on Noah's forehead.
Someone had already found them.
