Chapter 6: The Voice in the Tunnel
“Daniel.””
The voice came from the darkness behind us.
My father's voice.
Exactly his voice.
Same low tone.
Same slight rasp.
Same way he said my name when he wanted me to stop running around the house.
But my father was standing directly in front of me.
I could see him.
I could see the fear in his eyes.
He whispered, “Don't turn around.””
I turned anyway.
At the far end of the tunnel, a shadow moved.
Then a figure stepped into the dim light.
I felt my mother's fingers clamp around my wrist.
“That's not him,” she whispered.
The man stopped.
He looked exactly like my father from a distance.
Same height.
Same dark jacket.
Even the same way he stood with one hand tucked into his pocket.
Then he lifted his face.
And I saw a stranger.
My father moved in front of me.
“Who are you?””
The stranger smiled.
“You've spent twelve years asking the wrong question.””
My father stared at him.
“Who sent you?””
The stranger shook his head.
“No one sends me.””
He reached into his coat.
Dad immediately pulled the small flashlight like a weapon.
“Don't.””
The man stopped.
“Relax, Mark.””
My father's face went rigid.
“How do you know my name?””
The stranger smiled.
“Because I've been watching your family since before Daniel was born.””
My mother stepped forward.
“That's impossible.””
He looked at her.
“Is it?””
Then he turned toward me.
“Daniel, do you know why your mother disappeared?””
I swallowed.
“She said she was kidnapped.””
“She was.””
“By you?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
He glanced at my father.
“Your father knows.””
Dad's voice sharpened.
“I don't know anything about you.””
“You know more than you remember.””
Diane suddenly spoke.
“It's him.””
Everyone turned toward her.
She was staring at the stranger.
Her face had gone completely white.
“You know him?”” Dad asked.
Diane shook her head.
“No.””
“Diane.””
“I've never seen him.””
The stranger laughed.
“You saw me the night Elena disappeared.””
Diane's lips parted.
“No.””
“You were there.””
“No.””
“You stood beside the car.””
She backed away.
“Stop.””
“You watched them take her.””
“Stop!””
Her scream echoed through the tunnel.
My father looked at her.
“You were there?””
Diane's shoulders began to shake.
“I didn't know what they were going to do.””
Elena stared at her.
“You watched?””
“I was scared.””
“You watched them take me.””
“I thought they'd bring you back!””
My father stepped toward Diane.
“You knew.””
“I knew something was going to happen.””
“And you did nothing.””
Diane covered her face.
“I was told they'd only scare her.””
Elena's voice broke.
“You let them take me away from my son.””
Diane lowered her hands.
“I was promised he would be safe.””
“Who promised you?””
She looked at the stranger.
He was smiling.
“That's the question you've been avoiding for twelve years.””
My father's eyes narrowed.
“Who is he?””
Diane whispered,
“Ethan.””
The stranger nodded.
“Ethan Vale.””
Dad repeated the name.
“Ethan Vale.””
He stared for a long moment.
Then his expression changed.
“You were Thomas Reed's partner.””
Ethan smiled.
“Now you remember.””
I looked at my father.
“What does that mean?””
Dad rubbed his forehead.
“I thought he was dead.””
Ethan chuckled.
“You all thought that.””
Elena moved closer.
“Where is Thomas?””
Ethan's smile faded.
“Probably dead by now.””
I remembered the gunshot in the house.
My stomach twisted.
“You killed him?””
“No.””
“Who did?””
Ethan didn't answer.
Dad stepped toward him.
“What do you want?””
“The same thing everyone else wants.””
“What?””
“The truth.””
He looked at me.
“Except unlike them, I don't need to hide it anymore.””
He pointed toward the safe.
“You opened it.””
My father glanced at the safe.
“Yes.””
“You found the letter.””
“Yes.””
“Then you saw the problem.””
Dad looked at him.
“What problem?””
Ethan's eyes moved to me.
“Daniel isn't your son.””
The words landed like a hammer.
I stared at my father.
He didn't deny it.
I looked at my mother.
She was crying.
“Mom?””
She shut her eyes.
“Daniel…”
“Is he telling the truth?””
She covered her mouth.
I stepped backward.
“Is he?””
My father finally spoke.
“Your biological father died before you were born.””
I stared at him.
“That isn't what I asked.””
Dad looked down.
“No.””
He couldn't say it.
So my mother did.
“Your father is alive.””
The room went silent.
My heartbeat pounded in my ears.
“Where?””
Elena looked at Ethan.
He answered.
“That's what the bank account was for.””
Dad frowned.
“What bank account?””
Ethan walked toward the safe.
Inside was the bankbook.
He picked it up.
“This account wasn't created for money.””
He turned it over.
“It was created for access.””
“To what?””
“A private trust.””
Dad shook his head.
“Daniel has no access to any trust.””
Ethan smiled.
“Not yet.””
He opened the bankbook.
“There are conditions.””
Dad took it.
His eyes moved across the page.
“What conditions?””
Ethan pointed to the bottom.
“DNA confirmation.””
My father's face tightened.
“Of what?””
“Daniel.””
I stared at the bankbook.
“What happens if I confirm it?””
Ethan looked at me.
“You gain access.””
“To the money?””
“No.””
“To the records.””
My mother stepped forward.
“What records?””
“The names.””
“Whose names?””
“Everyone involved.””
Dad looked at the safe again.
“Five people.””
Ethan nodded.
“Five people who arranged Elena's disappearance.””
I looked at my mother.
“And one of them is my father?””
She didn't answer.
I looked at Dad.
He shook his head.
“No.””
Ethan said quietly,
“No. Mark wasn't one of them.””
Dad looked relieved for half a second.
Then Ethan added,
“But he helped one of them.””
Dad's relief vanished.
My mother's face changed.
“Who?””
Ethan looked at my father.
“The person who ordered the accident.””
Dad went pale.
“You know who it was.””
“Yes.””
“Tell me.””
Ethan reached inside his coat.
He pulled out a folded document.
“This was found inside the original hospital file.””
Dad took it.
His eyes widened.
“What is this?””
“The authorization.””
“For what?””
“To transfer Daniel.””
My father's hands started shaking.
“To transfer him where?””
Ethan's expression became grim.
“Out of the country.””
My mother gasped.
“They wanted to take my son?””
“Yes.””
I stared at the document.
There was a stamped destination.
*London.*
A date.
*October 14.*
My birthday.
I looked at my father.
“My birthday.””
He nodded slowly.
“That was the day.””
“What happened?””
“You were taken to the hospital.””
“Because of the crash?””
“Yes.””
Ethan said,
“The crash was supposed to leave Mark dead.””
My father's face tightened.
“And if I died?””
“Daniel would be transferred.””
“To whom?””
Ethan didn't answer.
My mother stepped closer.
“Tell us.””
He looked at me.
“Your biological father.””
I felt dizzy.
“My father is alive?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
Ethan pulled out another photograph.
He handed it to me.
I looked down.
A man stood beside a lake.
Dark hair.
Gray at the temples.
His face looked strangely familiar.
Not exactly like me.
But something in his eyes made my chest tighten.
There was writing on the back.
*Your father is waiting.*
I turned the photograph over again.
“Who is he?””
Ethan said the name.
“Elena's first husband.””
My mother's face went white.
“He's not my husband.””
Ethan looked at her.
“You were married before Mark.””
Dad stared at Elena.
“What?””
She shook her head.
“It was brief.””
“You never told me.””
“I thought he was dead.””
Ethan said, “He's alive.””
My father looked at me.
“So the man in the photograph…”
Ethan nodded.
“Daniel's biological father.””
My hands were shaking.
I stared at the man's face again.
Then I noticed something.
A small scar above his right eyebrow.
I had one too.
A scar I'd always assumed came from the accident when I was three.
I touched my forehead.
“Dad?””
My father looked at me.
“Did I get this scar in the crash?””
He didn't answer.
Ethan did.
“No.””
My mother stepped toward me.
“You were born with it.””
I stared at her.
“No.””
She nodded through tears.
“I remember.””
My father sat down heavily in the metal chair.
For the first time in my life, I saw him look completely broken.
“You knew,” I said.
He looked up.
“I knew something was wrong.””
“You knew I wasn't yours.””
“I had doubts.””
“But you kept me.””
His voice cracked.
“Because I loved you.””
I looked away.
Ethan interrupted.
“And that's why they couldn't understand him.””
“Who?””
“The people behind all of this.””
He pointed at Dad.
“They expected Mark to abandon Daniel once he found out.””
My father looked at me.
“I never would have.””
Ethan nodded.
“Exactly.””
Then he turned toward the tunnel.
A distant siren began to wail.
“They've found the entrance.””
Dad stood.
“Who?””
“Everyone.””
Ethan looked at me.
“You have maybe five minutes.””
“For what?””
“To decide whether you want the truth.””
I stared at him.
“I already do.””
He reached into his coat again.
This time, he pulled out a small envelope.
He handed it to me.
“Then start with this.””
I looked down.
There was only one sentence written on the front.
*For Daniel, from the father you were never supposed to meet.*
I opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
The man from the lake.
And beside him—
a little girl.
I looked closer.
She had my eyes.
My mother gasped.
“That can't be.””
I turned the photograph over.
May you like
Written on the back were four words:
*Your sister is alive.*
