Episode 21: The Seventh Founder

The photograph should not have existed.

Elena stared at it beneath the harsh red emergency lights.

Her mother.

Richard Vale.

Victor.

And the man Elena had spent her entire life believing was dead.

Her father.

All standing together.

Three days before her birth.

She zoomed in.

The date was unmistakable.

Three days before Elena was born.

Her hands began to shake.

“He was alive.”

Adrian stood beside her.

“Yes.”

“And my mother knew.”

“Yes.”

“And Richard knew.”

“Yes.”

She looked at Daniel.

“And Victor.”

Daniel nodded.

Elena's voice became almost inaudible.

“Then my entire childhood was a lie.”

“No,” Daniel said quietly.

She looked at him.

“Not entirely.”

He pointed at the photograph.

“That's what Victor wants you to believe.”

Elena stared at the image.

“What do you mean?”

“Look at your father.”

She examined the photograph again.

He wasn't smiling.

Neither was Claire.

Richard looked tense.

But Victor—

Victor was staring directly at Elena's father.

Not at the camera.

Not at the others.

At him.

Daniel continued.

“Your father wasn't part of their alliance.”

“Then why was he there?”

“Because he was negotiating.”

“For what?”

Daniel swallowed.

“Your life.”

The Deal

Elena looked at Adrian.

“Why would my father need to negotiate for my life before I was born?”

Adrian's expression hardened.

“Because they knew something about you.”

Daniel nodded.

“Your mother was pregnant when the Covenant discovered your blood compatibility.”

Elena felt that familiar chill.

“The Custodian.”

“Yes.”

“Then why did they need my father's permission?”

“They didn't.”

Daniel opened another file.

“They needed his cooperation.”

The screen displayed an old document.

CUSTODIAN PROJECT — PARENTAL AGREEMENT

Elena stared.

“No.”

She opened it.

Her father's signature appeared at the bottom.

So did Claire's.

And Richard's.

Victor's signature was absent.

Elena looked up.

“He agreed.”

Daniel nodded.

“Initially.”

“What changed?”

“He discovered what the Covenant intended to do.”

Elena scrolled.

The next page was heavily redacted.

She looked at Daniel.

“What were they going to do?”

Daniel's voice was low.

“Turn you into their permanent control mechanism.”

Elena's stomach turned.

“They wanted me to control the Covenant.”

“No.”

He shook his head.

“They wanted the Covenant to control you.”

Silence.

Adrian's expression darkened.

“And Elena's father objected.”

“Yes.”

“What did he do?”

“He tried to take Elena and disappear.”

Elena stared at the photograph.

“And my mother?”

“She stayed.”

“Why?”

Daniel hesitated.

“Because she believed she could change the system from inside.”

Elena closed her eyes.

Her mother had never simply been a victim.

She had been playing a dangerous game.

The Seventh Seat

A metallic sound echoed above them.

Adrian immediately raised his weapon.

“Someone's coming.”

Daniel looked toward the stairs.

“We need to leave.”

Elena didn't move.

“Not yet.”

She pointed at the screen.

“The seventh founder.”

The computer displayed Claire's name.

“There's more.”

She opened the file.

A photograph appeared.

Seven people sat around a circular table.

Richard.

Claire.

Four others.

And one empty chair.

The nameplate read:

MATTHEW CROSS

Elena stared.

“My father.”

Daniel nodded.

“He was the seventh founder.”

Adrian frowned.

“Then why is Claire listed as the seventh founder?”

Daniel looked at him.

“Because Matthew left.”

“And Claire replaced him?”

“Yes.”

Elena's chest tightened.

“When?”

“After your father disappeared.”

She stared at the photograph.

“So my mother took his place.”

“Yes.”

“And became one of the people running the organization.”

“Yes.”

Elena's voice became cold.

“Then she didn't just protect me.”

Daniel shook his head.

“She protected the Covenant too.”

A gunshot exploded above them.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Adrian grabbed Elena and pulled her behind the desk.

Daniel ducked.

Another shot.

Then silence.

Adrian looked toward the staircase.

“Victor's people.”

Daniel shook his head.

“No.”

“What?”

“Victor doesn't use guns.”

Adrian frowned.

“Then who?”

Daniel looked terrified.

“Richard.”

Richard's Warning

A voice echoed down the stairs.

“Adrian.”

Richard.

Adrian's face hardened.

“Stay here.”

Elena caught his arm.

“No.”

He looked at her.

“We're done hiding.”

They climbed the stairs together.

Richard stood in the hallway.

His weapon was lowered.

Two men stood behind him.

Elena stared.

“You followed us.”

Richard nodded.

“I had to.”

“Why?”

“Because Victor isn't the only one searching for you.”

Elena crossed her arms.

“You mean Claire.”

Richard's expression changed.

“You know.”

“She was one of the founders.”

Richard sighed.

“Yes.”

“Why did you hide it?”

“Because your mother asked me to.”

Elena laughed bitterly.

“Of course.”

Richard stepped closer.

“Listen to me.”

“No.”

“Elena—”

“You've all been telling me what I need to know when you think I'm ready.”

Her voice rose.

“I'm done being managed.”

Richard nodded slowly.

“Then you're ready to hear everything.”

He looked at Adrian.

“Even if it destroys you.”

Adrian didn't blink.

“Try me.”

Richard looked at Elena.

“Your mother didn't create the Covenant.”

Elena frowned.

“You just said she was a founder.”

“She was.”

“Then explain.”

Richard's voice dropped.

“The Covenant existed before Claire.”

“Who created it?”

Richard hesitated.

“Your father.”

Elena froze.

“Matthew?”

“Yes.”

Adrian looked confused.

“Why?”

Richard answered:

“Because Matthew believed power should never belong to one person.”

Elena's eyes narrowed.

“That sounds nothing like the Covenant.”

“It didn't begin that way.”

Richard looked toward the dark hallway.

“It began as a protection network.”

“For whom?”

“People being hunted by governments, corporations and criminal organizations.”

Elena's journalist instincts sharpened.

“So it was originally defensive.”

“Yes.”

“Then what happened?”

Richard's expression became bitter.

“Success.”

Elena frowned.

“Success?”

“The network became powerful.”

He looked at Adrian.

“And powerful people began using it for themselves.”

The First Betrayal

Richard continued.

“Matthew wanted to shut it down.”

Elena stared.

“But the others refused.”

“Who?”

“Richard?”

“No.”

Richard shook his head.

“Claire.”

Elena's heart sank.

“My mother?”

“She believed the Covenant could still be used for good.”

“And you?”

“I agreed with her.”

Adrian stared at his father.

“So you were both responsible.”

“Yes.”

“Then why did Matthew leave?”

Richard looked at Elena.

“Because he discovered what Victor was doing.”

“What was Victor doing?”

Richard's face hardened.

“Recruiting children.”

Silence.

Elena felt sick.

“Victor wasn't originally part of the Covenant.”

“No.”

“Then how did he get inside?”

“Through Claire.”

Elena's eyes widened.

“My mother recruited him?”

Richard nodded.

“She believed Victor could be trained to protect the organization.”

Adrian's voice was cold.

“She created him.”

“No.”

Richard looked at Elena.

“Victor was already dangerous.”

A pause.

“Claire simply gave him a place to become worse.”

The Message

Elena's phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

A message.

YOUR MOTHER IS WAITING FOR YOU.

Then a location.

OLD OBSERVATORY — 11:45 P.M.

Elena looked at Richard.

“Is this a trap?”

“Yes.”

“Then why does everyone keep sending me there?”

Richard's expression changed.

“Because your father is there.”

Elena's heart stopped.

“You said he disappeared.”

“He did.”

“You said you didn't know where he was.”

“I didn't.”

“Then how do you know he's there now?”

Richard didn't answer.

Adrian stepped forward.

“Father.”

Richard finally looked at him.

“Because Victor found him.”

Elena's blood ran cold.

“When?”

“Three days ago.”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I wasn't sure whether Victor wanted to save him…”

Richard paused.

“…or use him.”

Elena looked at the clock.

11:21 p.m.

Twenty-four minutes.

She turned to Adrian.

“We're going.”

Richard shook his head.

“No.”

Elena looked at him.

“You don't get to stop me.”

Richard sighed.

“I know.”

Then he handed Adrian a small metal key.

“Take this.”

Adrian examined it.

“What is it?”

“The observatory's emergency access key.”

Elena looked at Richard.

“Why help us?”

Richard's expression was strangely tired.

“Because I've spent twenty-four years trying to correct one mistake.”

“What mistake?”

He looked at Adrian.

“Choosing the Covenant over my family.”

The Observatory

The old observatory stood on a hill overlooking the city.

Rain had begun falling.

Elena and Adrian approached the entrance.

Neither spoke.

The metal key unlocked the door.

Inside, the building was dark.

A single light burned beneath the dome.

Elena stepped forward.

“Dad?”

Nothing.

Then a voice came from behind her.

“Don't move.”

She froze.

Adrian raised his weapon.

A second voice followed.

“Put the gun down.”

Adrian did.

Elena slowly turned.

A man stood in the shadows.

Older.

Thin.

His hair streaked with gray.

But the eyes—

Those were the eyes she remembered from a photograph she'd seen once as a child.

Her father's eyes.

Elena couldn't speak.

The man looked at her.

His face crumpled.

“Elena.”

Her knees nearly gave way.

“Dad?”

He stepped forward.

“Yes.”

She covered her mouth.

Twenty-four years.

Twenty-four years of believing he was dead.

He opened his arms.

Elena ran to him.

He held her tightly.

And for the first time in her life, she felt the embrace she had spent years imagining.

Then her father whispered:

“I'm sorry.”

Elena pulled back.

“Why?”

He looked toward the observatory door.

“Because your mother isn't who you think she is.”

Elena's heart sank.

“What did she do?”

Matthew looked directly into her eyes.

“She didn't just help create the Covenant.”

He swallowed.

“She ordered my disappearance.”

Elena went still.

“No.”

Matthew nodded.

“And she did it because…”

The lights suddenly went out.

A woman's voice echoed from the darkness.

“Because I had discovered the truth about you.”

Elena froze.

Claire stepped into the light.

She was holding a gun.

And she was pointing it at Matthew.