Chapter 8: The Person Inside the Family
The words followed us home.
Someone much closer.
I barely slept that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Emily standing outside that restaurant.
A decorated officer.
A hero.
And somehow still the daughter my parents made feel invisible.
By morning, the family group chat had exploded.
Messages.
Questions.
Arguments.
But Emily didn’t respond to any of them.
She was sitting in my living room, drinking coffee and staring out the window.
“You haven’t slept,” I said.
She looked at me.
“Neither have you.””
I sat across from her.
“Who do you think it is?””
She didn’t answer immediately.
That was Emily’s way.
She never guessed.
She analyzed.
“I don’t know.””
“But you have an idea.””
She looked down.
“I have possibilities.””
Before I could ask, my phone rang.
It was Dad.
I answered immediately.
“Dad?””
His voice sounded different.
Worried.
“Is Emily with you?””
I looked at her.
“Yes.””
There was silence.
Then Dad said:
“Good.””
Emily stood.
“What happened?””
Dad took a breath.
“Someone broke into my office.””
My heart dropped.
“Was anything stolen?””
“No.””
That made it worse.
“Then what did they do?””
Dad was quiet.
“They searched one folder.””
Emily’s face hardened.
“Which folder?””
Dad answered.
“The one about your mission.””
Nobody spoke.
Emily grabbed her jacket.
“We’re going there.””
Twenty minutes later, we arrived at Dad’s law office.
The place looked normal from outside.
Too normal.
That was what bothered me.
Inside, Dad led us to his office.
A few papers were scattered across his desk.
A drawer was open.
But nothing looked damaged.
Emily walked around slowly.
She wasn’t looking at the mess.
She was looking for what wasn’t there.
“What’s missing?”” she asked.
Dad looked surprised.
“How did you know something was missing?””
“Because whoever did this wasn’t looking for information.””
She pointed at the desk.
“They knew exactly what they wanted.””
Dad swallowed.
“The original investigation notes.””
Emily looked at him.
“You had those?””
“I kept copies.””
“Why?””
Dad looked ashamed.
“Because I never stopped trying to find out what happened.””
Emily softened slightly.
Then she noticed something.
A small piece of paper on the floor.
She picked it up.
Her eyes narrowed.
“What is it?””
She handed it to Commander Hayes.
His expression changed.
“What?””
I looked at him.
He turned the paper around.
A handwritten symbol.
Just three letters.
A.V.C.
Ryan, who had followed us into the office, stepped forward.
“Adrian Vale Carter?””
Everyone looked at him.
He immediately raised his hands.
“I’m just saying.””
But Emily stared at the letters.
“Carter?””
Dad’s face changed.
“No.””
“What?””
He looked frightened.
“That’s not Adrian Vale.””
Commander Hayes examined the paper.
“Then what is it?””
Dad slowly sat down.
“Adrian Vale was my father’s friend.””
Nobody understood.
Emily looked at him.
“Explain.””
Dad rubbed his forehead.
“Before I became a lawyer, before this firm, I worked with military contractors.””
The room went silent.
“You never told me that,” Emily said.
Dad nodded.
“I know.””
“And?””
Dad looked at the symbol.
“That mark belonged to a private security group.””
Commander Hayes’ expression became serious.
“Which one?””
Dad whispered:
“Atlas Vanguard Corporation.””
Emily frowned.
“Never heard of it.””
Commander Hayes looked at her.
“You should have.””
That sentence made everyone uncomfortable.
“Why?””
The commander took a breath.
“Because Atlas Vanguard was investigated for influencing military contracts.””
Dad looked at him.
“Are you saying they were involved?””
Commander Hayes shook his head.
“We don’t know.””
Emily stared at the symbol.
“But someone wants us to think they were.””
Suddenly, Dad’s office phone rang.
Everyone froze.
Nobody wanted to answer.
Finally, Emily picked it up.
“Hello?””
At first, there was only silence.
Then a distorted voice spoke.
“Captain Carter.””
Emily’s face changed.
The voice continued.
“You should have stayed a disappointment.””
Her grip tightened.
“Who is this?””
The person laughed quietly.
“You’re closer than you think.””
Then the call ended.
Emily looked at the phone.
May you like
And whispered:
“He knows me.””
