CHAPTER 7 — Vault 17 Was Never About Money
The storm finally pushed the two jets miles apart.
Ethan collapsed to his knees, staring through the shattered cabin window.
His father...
Gone again.
The notebook...
Gone with him.
Only one sentence echoed in his mind.
"Don't let her open Vault 17."
Across the cabin, Evelyn pressed her wounded shoulder, tears running down her face.
"Ethan... please listen to me."
But Ethan slowly stepped backward.
"No."
His voice was cold.
"You lied about your name."
"You lied about your mission."
"And now I discover you were standing beside my father before I was even born."
He looked at her as if she were a complete stranger.
"What else have you lied about?"
Before Evelyn could answer, Victor Black burst into laughter.
"You still don't get it."
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a satellite phone.
"I've already won."
He pressed a single button.
A digital map appeared on the screen.
A flashing red dot marked one location.
VAULT 17.
Victor smiled.
"My team arrived there ten minutes ago."
Ethan's heart stopped.
"If they're already inside..."
Victor interrupted him.
"They'll unlock the vault before sunrise."
Evelyn suddenly shouted,
"No!"
She grabbed the phone and smashed it against the cabin wall.
"You fool!" Victor screamed.
"You have no idea what's inside that vault!"
Evelyn looked directly at Ethan.
"There isn't any gold."
"There aren't any diamonds."
"There isn't even an inheritance."
She took a deep breath.
"There are children."
The entire cabin fell silent.
Ethan blinked.
"What... did you say?"
"Twenty-three children."
She swallowed hard.
"Every one of them was declared dead years ago."
"But they never died."
"They were hidden."
Victor slowly smiled.
"Project Phoenix."
The name alone made Evelyn shiver.
"They're all heirs," she whispered.
"The biological children of billionaires, presidents, scientists, and royal families."
"They were secretly replaced with other babies decades ago."
Ethan felt sick.
"My father knew?"
"He created the program..." Victor answered.
"...then tried to destroy it after realizing what it had become."
Ethan's entire body froze.
"My father... kidnapped children?"
Victor laughed.
"No."
"He rescued them."
"And Vault 17 is the only place proving who they really are."
Suddenly, the co-pilot shouted from the cockpit.
"We've regained one engine!"
The aircraft stabilized just enough to continue flying.
Then the radar operator gasped.
"Incoming aircraft!"
Everyone rushed toward the cockpit display.
One...
Two...
Five...
No.
Twelve black helicopters were racing toward them from every direction.
None of them carried military markings.
Only a silver phoenix painted on each side.
Victor smiled wider than ever.
"They're here."
Ethan stared at the approaching formation.
"Who are they?"
Victor leaned close enough for Ethan to hear every word.
"The people who own presidents."
"The people who create billionaires."
"The people who erased your past..."
"...and they're coming to erase you."
As the helicopters surrounded the jet, every radio suddenly switched on by itself.
A calm female voice echoed through the cabin.
"Mr. Ethan Crawford... surrender peacefully.
Your father escaped us once.
May you like
We won't make that mistake with his son."
END OF CHAPTER 7...
