Chapter 14 - The Unsealed Legacy
By late afternoon, the sun began its slow descent toward the western hills, casting long golden light across the pine trees and ocean waves.
A navy blue sedan pulled up the gravel driveway of the coastal home, stopping near Marcus’s workshop.
Agent David Vance stepped out of the vehicle, wearing a dark wool coat, carrying a sealed leather courier case stamped with a gold federal seal.
Marcus walked out of the workshop, holding a wood plane in his hand, his steel-blue eyes observing his former colleague.
Marcus: "David. You drove a long way from Washington."
Vance walked up the grass, setting the leather courier case down on an outdoor wooden workbench near the pine trees.
Agent Vance: "The grand jury finished reviewing the sub-basement server archives this morning, Marcus. We found something that wasn't included in the original Beaumont indictment manifest."
Marcus set his wood plane down, his brows furrowing slightly as he stepped closer to the workbench.
Marcus: "What did you find?"
Vance unbuckled the brass latches of the leather case, pulling out a thick, faded paper file dated October 14, 1991.
Text on folder: "PROJECT BLACK OWL — CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL DIRECTORY 1991–2005."
Vance opened the file to page twenty-four, pointing his finger at a yellowed photograph stapled to the upper corner.
The photograph showed a thirty-year-old Marcus Reed in a dark dress uniform standing beside a thirty-five-year-old man in an olive flight jacket—a man whose face bore an undeniable, striking resemblance to Claire’s biological mother.
May you like
Agent Vance: "Your wife’s father didn't die in a private plane crash in Germany in 1992, Marcus. He was the chief architect who designed the Black Code protocol sequence for the National Command Authority."
Marcus froze, his steel-blue eyes locking onto the yellowed photograph as the wind rustled through the pine trees above.
