Chapter 20: The Shot

“Ethan!”

Ava’s scream echoed through the street.

Ethan collapsed on top of her.

His weight pressed against her chest.

For one horrifying second, she thought he was dead.

Then he groaned.

Relief flooded through her.

“Ethan.”

His hand tightened around her arm.

“I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not.”

Blood spread across his shirt.

Victoria immediately dropped beside them.

“Move.”

Ava looked up.

“What?”

“I said move.”

Victoria ripped open Ethan’s jacket.

Everyone froze.

The bullet had torn through his shoulder.

Painful.

Bloody.

But not fatal.

Victoria exhaled.

“It missed everything important.”

Ethan laughed weakly.

“That’s comforting.”

Another gunshot rang out.

Everyone ducked.

“Sniper!” Damien shouted.

Richard’s guards immediately scattered.

The street exploded into chaos.

Ava looked around frantically.

The second key.

It had fallen when Ethan pushed her down.

She couldn’t see it.

Panic gripped her chest.

The key was gone.

⸻

Across the street…

Hidden on a rooftop.

A figure lowered a rifle.

A small smile appeared on his face.

Through the scope, he watched the confusion below.

Then he reached into his pocket.

And pulled out a small silver key.

The second key.

“Finally.”

⸻

Back on the street…

Ava searched desperately.

“It’s gone.”

Ethan looked at her.

“What?”

“The key.”

His face went pale.

“No.”

She checked the ground again.

Nothing.

Damien joined her.

“Did you see where it fell?”

“No.”

Victoria searched nearby.

Still nothing.

Then Richard started laughing.

The sound sent chills through everyone.

Ava looked at him.

“What is wrong with you?”

Richard’s eyes were fixed on the rooftop across the street.

Too late.

The shooter was already gone.

Richard slowly shook his head.

“We’re finished.”

Ethan looked up sharply.

“What do you mean?”

Richard didn’t answer.

For the first time, genuine fear appeared on his face.

Not fear for himself.

Fear of someone else.

Someone far worse.

Ava noticed immediately.

“Who was that?”

Richard looked at her.

Then toward Adrian.

The twin had gone completely silent.

“Tell her,” Richard said.

Adrian didn’t move.

“Tell her who took the key.”

“No.”

Richard laughed bitterly.

“Still protecting him?”

Ava’s heart pounded.

Protecting who?

Adrian finally looked up.

His face had lost all color.

“Because if I say his name…”

He swallowed.

“…everyone here dies.”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Ava stared at him.

For the first time since meeting Adrian, he looked terrified.

Not angry.

Not manipulative.

Terrified.

Ethan slowly stood despite his injury.

“Adrian.”

His brother looked away.

“Don’t.”

“Tell me.”

“No.”

Ethan stepped closer.

“Tell me.”

Adrian closed his eyes.

Then he whispered a single word.

“The Founder.”

The night suddenly felt colder.

Ava frowned.

“The Founder?”

Nobody answered.

She looked around.

Every face had changed.

Richard.

Damien.

Elena.

Her father.

Even Ethan.

All of them knew the name.

All of them looked afraid.

“What does that mean?”

Richard spoke first.

“The Founder is the person who created everything.”

“The Black Ledger?”

“Yes.”

Ava blinked.

“I thought you created it.”

Richard laughed.

“You really think I was at the top?”

Her stomach dropped.

If Richard wasn’t the most powerful person involved…

Then who was?

“The Founder built the network.”

Richard’s voice became quiet.

“The politicians.”

“The judges.”

“The shell companies.”

“The hidden accounts.”

“The corruption.”

“He built all of it.”

Ava’s fingers trembled.

“And the keys?”

Richard looked at her.

“The keys lead to proof.”

“Proof of what?”

“His identity.”

The words hit like a bomb.

Ava looked at Ethan.

Then Adrian.

Then her parents.

Suddenly the plane crash made more sense.

The attacks.

The murders.

The lies.

Someone had been trying to stop the truth from being exposed.

Not Richard.

Not Adrian.

Someone higher.

Someone hidden.

“The Founder ordered the crash?”

Ethan nodded.

“We think so.”

Ava looked at Adrian.

“You knew.”

His eyes filled with guilt.

“I suspected.”

“You let all of this happen.”

“I was trying to stop him.”

“No.”

Ava shook her head.

“You were trying to get the keys first.”

Adrian didn’t deny it.

That silence told her everything.

Then Ethan’s phone rang again.

Lucas.

Ethan answered immediately.

“Lucas.”

The man’s voice sounded weaker than before.

“Ethan.”

“We lost the second key.”

“I know.”

Everyone froze.

“How?”

Lucas coughed.

“Because he came here.”

Ava’s heart stopped.

“What?”

Lucas’s voice trembled.

“The Founder.”

Silence.

Then Lucas whispered something that made the blood drain from every face in the street.

“He’s been pretending to be someone else this entire time.”

Ava gripped the phone.

“Who is he?”

A long pause followed.

Then Lucas answered.

And the moment he said the name…

Ava felt her entire world shatter.

“Damien.”