Chapter 6 - THE CHILD BENEATH THE HOUSE
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
A baby was crying somewhere beneath us.
Not a recording.
Not an echo.
A real baby.
The sound came from deeper inside the tunnel.
Emily grabbed my wrist.
"Keep moving."
"Who is that?"
"I'll explain later."
"No."
I pulled my hand away.
"Not anymore."
She stared at me.
"Someone is keeping a baby under this house, and you want me to keep moving?"
"I want you to survive."
Behind us, something crashed against the trapdoor.
Daniel Voss shouted from above.
"Mr. Reed!"
Emily's face went pale.
"He's coming."
The crying grew louder.
I turned toward the sound.
"There."
A weak light flickered at the end of the tunnel.
We ran.
The tunnel opened into a small underground room.
There was a crib.
A heater.
Several boxes.
Medical supplies.
And a baby.
The child was wrapped in a white blanket.
I rushed toward the crib.
The baby stopped crying when I picked him up.
Emily covered her mouth.
"Oh God."
"What?"
She stared at the child's face.
"It's him."
"Who?"
"The reason your mother never wanted the truth exposed."
I looked down.
The baby had dark hair.
A tiny birthmark near his left ear.
And around his wrist was a hospital bracelet.
I read it.
NOAH REED.
My stomach dropped.
"Reed?"
Emily nodded.
"Your mother's last name."
"That's impossible."
"Not impossible."
She pointed toward the boxes.
"Look."
I opened the first box.
Medical records.
The second.
Birth certificates.
The third contained photographs.
I saw my mother holding a newborn.
My father stood beside her.
Both were smiling.
The date was six months after my grandfather's death.
I stared.
"That's my mother."
"Yes."
"And that's my father."
"Yes."
I looked at the baby.
"Then who is Noah?"
Emily took a breath.
"Your half-brother."
My head spun.
"My mother had another child."
"Yes."
"Why hide him?"
"Because she didn't want anyone to know who his father was."
I looked at the photograph again.
My father was holding the baby.
Something didn't make sense.
"He's my father's son."
Emily shook her head.
"No."
She pointed to the birth certificate.
The father was listed as:
UNKNOWN.
I stared.
"Then who?"
Emily whispered:
"Daniel Voss."
I looked toward the tunnel.
The footsteps were getting closer.
Daniel.
The man who had been following Emily.
The man who worked for my mother.
The man who had just demanded her daughter.
I looked at the baby.
"No."
Emily nodded.
"Your mother had an affair with him."
I felt sick.
"Then why would she hide her own grandson?"
"Because Daniel isn't supposed to exist."
A loud bang echoed through the tunnel.
Emily grabbed my shoulder.
"We have to go."
I placed the baby in her arms.
"Where?"
"There's another exit."
We ran.
Behind us, Daniel entered the underground room.
I heard him shout.
"Where are they?"
We reached another door.
Emily opened it.
Cold air rushed inside.
We emerged behind an abandoned warehouse.
My phone rang.
My father.
I answered.
"Graham."
"Dad."
His voice was shaking.
"Where are you?"
"Why?"
"Because Daniel Voss just called me."
I froze.
"What did he say?"
"He said he has Noah."
I looked at the baby in Emily's arms.
"No."
My father continued:
"He said if I don't tell him where you are, he'll kill the child."
I stared at Emily.
She understood immediately.
"Your father knows."
I whispered:
"Dad, what did you do?"
He started crying.
"I tried to protect you."
I closed my eyes.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Then I heard another voice behind him.
My mother's.
"Give me the phone."
My father screamed.
The call ended.
I looked at Emily.
"We need to go."
She nodded.
But before we could move, a black SUV stopped beside us.
The rear door opened.
A woman stepped out.
My mother.
She looked directly at me.
Then at the baby.
And finally at Emily.
Her expression changed.
"You should have stayed dead."
Emily stepped in front of the child.
My mother smiled.
"You really don't understand, do you?"
I moved forward.
"Stay away from my family."
My mother looked at me.
"Your family?"
May you like
She laughed.
"Graham, you still don't know which child is actually yours."
