CHAPTER 24 : THE RUNWAY
Police vehicles surrounded the private airport.
The plane remained on the runway with its engines running.
Senator Adrian Vale stood beside it, speaking calmly to federal agents.
He claimed he was traveling to Washington.
He denied knowing Helena Ward.
He denied knowing Sophie.
He welcomed the search.
The plane was empty.
No children.
No Helena.
Only luggage and official documents.
Vale smiled at Reyes.
“You have allowed a traumatized child to manipulate a federal investigation.”
Ethan stepped toward him.
Vale’s security officers blocked the path.
“Where is my daughter?”
“I hope you find her.”
“You know exactly where she is.”
Vale adjusted his cuff links.
“You have spent too much time listening to frightened children, Mr. Bennett. Eventually, you begin believing every story they invent.”
Reyes recognized the language.
Margaret.
Helena.
Vanessa.
They all used the same method.
Discredit the child.
Protect the adult.
An airport worker quietly approached Reyes.
He reported that a medical transport helicopter had departed seven minutes before the police arrived.
Its registered destination was a hospital in San Francisco.
But the helicopter had turned west over the ocean.
The Coast Guard tracked it toward a privately owned island twenty miles offshore.
The island belonged to a shell company found in Claire’s archive.
File 521 did not identify an airport route.
It identified Harbor’s final facility.
Reyes arrested Vale for obstruction.
He laughed as officers placed him in handcuffs.
“You think Helena is the danger?”
Ethan stopped.
Vale leaned closer.
“Helena follows orders.”
“Whose orders?”
Vale looked toward the dark ocean.
“The children’s.”
At first, Ethan believed it was another manipulation.
Then federal agents opened a hidden compartment inside the plane.
They discovered photographs of former Harbor participants.
All were adults now.
Some were doctors.
Some were attorneys.
Several worked in intelligence and law enforcement.
At the center of the photographs was a woman Ethan recognized.
Anna Mercer.
The witness who had entered protection after Margaret’s trial.
On the back of Anna’s photograph was written:
HARBOR DIRECTOR — ACTIVE.
Ethan remembered Anna’s letter describing Claire’s courage.
She had never asked for forgiveness.
She had also never explained why she knew so much.
Reyes received a call from the Coast Guard.
The helicopter had landed on the island.
Thermal imaging showed more than twenty people inside the main building.
May you like
At least six appeared to be children.
Then every light on the island went dark.
