Chapter 5: Archive Seventeen
By dawn, the headquarters was surrounded by smoke.
Fire crews moved between shattered windows while soldiers carried equipment away from the damaged building.
General Harris stood behind the security line with Ruby beside him.
He hadn't slept.
He hadn't blinked enough.
He hadn't stopped thinking about the key.
Archive 17.
Someone had known Ruby possessed it.
Someone had known Amelia found the records.
Someone had known Harris would eventually come looking.
Major Reed approached.
“Sir.””
Harris turned.
“Casualties?””
“Three injured. No deaths.””
Harris exhaled.
“Good.””
“There's more.””
Reed lowered his voice.
“The fire didn't reach the archive.””
Harris stared at him.
“What?””
“Someone triggered the explosion in another wing.””
“Why?””
“To force us to evacuate the building.””
Harris's eyes narrowed.
“They wanted access to the archive.””
“Yes.””
“Did they get it?””
Reed hesitated.
“The door was opened.””
Harris looked toward the burning headquarters.
“By whom?””
“We don't know.””
Harris turned to Ruby.
“Stay here.””
Ruby grabbed his sleeve.
“No.””
He looked down.
“I need to go inside.””
“You promised you wouldn't leave me.””
“I promised I'd keep you safe.””
“That means I go too.””
“Ruby—”
“I know where the key goes.””
Harris crouched.
“That's exactly why you're staying here.””
She shook her head.
“My mom said the same thing.””
“What?””
“About keeping me away from the truth.””
Harris stared at her.
Ruby reached into her backpack.
She pulled out a small photograph.
It showed Amelia sitting beside a man.
Harris recognized him.
His own former commanding officer.
General William Crowe.
Harris's face hardened.
“Where did you get this?””
“Mom.””
“When?””
“Yesterday.””
“Ruby, that's impossible.””
She looked confused.
“Why?””
“Crowe died nineteen years ago.””
Ruby looked at the photograph.
Then back at Harris.
“He wasn't dead.””
Harris felt the air leave his lungs.
He stood.
“Reed.””
“Yes?””
“Get me everything on William Crowe.””
“We already checked his records.””
“Then check again.””
They entered the headquarters through a side corridor.
The building smelled of smoke and burned insulation.
The deeper they went, the colder it became.
The archive wing looked untouched.
Except for the door.
Someone had opened it.
Harris inserted the key.
It turned.
Inside were rows of old military files.
Most were labeled by operation number.
Reed followed him.
“Archive 17 was sealed after the Black River mission.””
Harris looked at him.
“What Black River mission?””
Reed's face went pale.
“You don't remember?””
“No.””
“Sir…”
Reed hesitated.
“You led it.””
Harris stared at him.
“I led what?””
Reed pulled a folder from the shelf.
The cover read:
*OPERATION BLACK RIVER — CLASSIFIED*
Harris opened it.
The first photograph made his stomach turn.
There he was.
Standing beside Crowe.
Beside them was Vale.
And behind them—
Amelia.
She was seventeen.
Harris's daughter had been there.
He turned the page.
A handwritten note appeared.
*Civilian witness: Amelia Harris.*
Harris's hands started shaking.
“Why was my daughter at a classified operation?””
Reed looked confused.
“She wasn't supposed to be.””
Harris read the next line.
*Witness removed from official record by order of G. Harris.*
He stared.
“My signature.””
Reed nodded.
“But you don't remember signing it.””
“No.””
Harris turned the page.
The next photograph showed a warehouse beside a river.
Several military vehicles were parked outside.
Then another photograph.
A body covered by a sheet.
Harris's breathing became shallow.
“Who died?””
Reed read the file.
“Captain Daniel Harris.””
Harris looked up.
“That’s me.””
Reed frowned.
“No, sir.””
“What?””
“The report says the captain died.””
Harris stared at the photograph.
The man beneath the sheet had his name.
But he had never died.
He was standing there.
Alive.
Serving as general.
Someone had fabricated his death.
Then Reed found something else.
A small audio recorder.
He pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then a man's voice.
Harris recognized it instantly.
Crowe.
“Daniel will remember eventually.””
Another voice answered.
Vale.
“What if he doesn't?””
“Then Amelia will.””
Harris went completely still.
A third voice entered the recording.
Female.
Young.
Terrified.
Amelia.
“Why are you doing this?””
Crowe answered calmly.
“Because your father knows where the money went.””
“I don't know anything.””
“You will.””
The recording ended.
Ruby stood in the doorway.
She had followed them.
Harris turned sharply.
“Ruby, I told you to stay outside.””
She wasn't listening.
Her eyes were fixed on the recorder.
“That voice…”
“What?””
“I've heard him before.””
Harris's heart pounded.
“Who?””
Ruby pointed at the speaker.
“General Crowe.””
“But you said your mother showed you the photograph.””
Ruby nodded.
“I saw him last week.””
Reed stared at her.
“Where?””
Ruby looked toward the archive entrance.
“At our apartment.””
Harris rushed toward her.
“What did he do?””
Ruby's eyes filled with tears.
“He talked to Mom.””
“What did he say?””
She wiped her face.
“He said you were coming.””
Harris's jaw tightened.
“Then what?””
“He told Mom she had one day to give him the records.””
“Did she?””
Ruby shook her head.
“No.””
“Where are the records?””
Ruby looked at the floor.
“I don't know.””
Harris crouched.
“Ruby, think carefully.””
She hesitated.
Then slowly opened her backpack.
“Mom gave me something else.””
She pulled out a tiny flash drive.
Harris stared.
“Where did you get that?””
“She put it in my backpack this morning.””
Reed reached for it.
Harris stopped him.
“Wait.””
A small label was attached.
*DAD'S MEMORY.*
Harris looked at Ruby.
“What did your mother tell you?””
Ruby whispered:
“She said if you ever found me…”
She swallowed.
“…give this to you.””
Harris took the drive.
His phone buzzed.
A message.
*COME ALONE.*
Then another.
*BRING THE GIRL.*
Harris stared at the screen.
May you like
A third message appeared.
*OR AMELIA DIES.*
