Chapter 8: The Betrayal Inside the Walls
The video shook slightly.
Emily sat in the command room at headquarters.
Marcus Reed stood behind her.
His face was calm.
Too calm.
Nathaniel stared at the screen.
“Marcus.””
The colonel looked directly into the camera.
“Hello, Nathaniel.””
The sound of his voice felt worse than the weapon in his hand.
Twenty years.
Twenty years standing beside him.
Twenty years of trust.
Gone in seconds.
“You betrayed me.””
Marcus didn’t deny it.
“I made difficult choices.””
Nathaniel laughed once.
A cold, empty sound.
“You helped destroy my career.””
“I protected something bigger.””
“By ruining my life?””
Marcus looked away.
“Your life was never the priority.””
The words cut deeper than Nathaniel expected.
Daniel watched from across the room.
“See?””
Nathaniel ignored him.
“Marcus, where is Ruby?””
Marcus looked at the screen.
A small smile appeared.
“She’s not with you?””
Nathaniel’s heart dropped.
Daniel noticed.
“What?””
Nathaniel turned.
“You don’t have her?””
Daniel’s expression changed.
For the first time, he looked surprised.
A second later, everyone heard a sound from the video.
A door opening.
Emily looked up.
Then her face changed.
“Ruby?””
Nathaniel froze.
The camera moved.
And there she was.
Ruby.
Standing in the command room doorway.
Confused.
Afraid.
But alive.
Nathaniel felt relief for half a second.
Then fear returned.
Because Marcus looked toward her.
“Bring her here.””
Emily stood immediately.
“No.””
Marcus raised the weapon slightly.
Emily stopped.
Ruby looked at the gun.
Then at her mother.
“Mom?””
Emily’s voice shook.
“Don’t move, baby.””
Nathaniel felt something inside him break.
He turned to Daniel.
“You planned this.””
Daniel shook his head slowly.
“No.””
For once, he sounded honest.
“Marcus moved without me.””
Nathaniel stared.
“You’re lying.””
“I’m many things.””
Daniel looked at the screen.
“But even I know Marcus is more dangerous than me.””
That sentence bothered Nathaniel.
Because Daniel sounded afraid.
A soldier’s instincts noticed fear.
Even from an enemy.
Nathaniel looked back at Marcus.
“Why?””
Marcus looked at him.
“Because you were never supposed to find Emily.””
“Why?””
“Because she knew too much.””
Emily shouted:
“Don’t listen to him!””
Marcus smiled.
“You always were difficult, Emily.””
Nathaniel’s expression changed.
“You knew Emily?””
Marcus looked amused.
“Of course.””
A terrible silence followed.
Nathaniel realized something.
Marcus wasn’t just connected to Daniel.
He was connected to Emily.
“How?””
Marcus answered:
“I was there the night Ruby was born.””
Nathaniel stopped breathing.
Emily closed her eyes.
Ruby looked confused.
“What does that mean?””
Nathaniel looked at Emily.
“Tell me.””
Emily didn’t answer.
“Emily.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I wanted to.””
Nathaniel’s voice broke.
“You had twenty years.””
“I know.””
“Twenty years.””
The pain in his voice was impossible to hide.
Marcus interrupted.
“This is why I never understood you two.””
Everyone looked at him.
“You were both so focused on protecting Ruby that you never noticed the truth.””
Nathaniel stepped closer to the screen.
“What truth?””
Marcus smiled.
“The operation Daniel was accused of.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Marcus.””
A warning.
But Marcus ignored him.
“The operation Nathaniel was blamed for.””
Nathaniel’s face changed.
“You were involved.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Marcus looked at Emily.
“Because she found the original files.””
Emily whispered:
“The children.””
Nathaniel turned.
“What children?””
Marcus smiled.
“Now you’re asking the right questions.””
The room became silent.
Then Marcus said:
“The military program wasn’t collecting information on enemies.””
A pause.
“It was collecting information on families.””
Nathaniel felt sick.
“What?””
Marcus looked at Ruby.
“And Ruby Carter was the first child connected to the project.””
Emily’s face went pale.
“No.””
Marcus continued.
“Her birth was recorded before she was born.””
Nathaniel stared.
“That’s impossible.””
Emily whispered:
“I found the records.””
Nathaniel looked at her.
“You knew?””
“I was trying to destroy them.””
Marcus laughed.
“And that’s why you disappeared.””
The video flickered.
Then Marcus leaned closer.
“Nathaniel, you think Daniel is your enemy.””
A pause.
“You’re wrong.””
The screen went black.
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And for the first time in twenty years…
Nathaniel wondered if the enemy had been wearing a uniform all along.
