Chapter 14: The Clocktower Confession
Midnight. The old clocktower at St. Jude's stood over the city like a skeletal finger. The gears groaned with every passing minute—a mechanical heartbeat for a dying town.
Elias climbed the spiral stairs. At the top, Kaelen was waiting, his rifle leaned against a gargoyle.
"You're late," Kaelen said, his mask off. His face was a map of tragedy—burn scars from the 2006 fire had turned his jawline into a jagged ridge of skin.
"The Senator mentioned a 'Vault Keeper,'" Elias said, ignoring the greeting. "He said my father didn't just take the money. He kept the records."
Kaelen nodded, lighting a cigarette. The smoke swirled in the damp air. "Your father was smart, Elias. He knew the Syndicate would kill him once the job was done. So he hid the original Ledger—not the copy we found in the tunnels. The Real one."
"Where?"
"In the only place no one would look. Inside the case file of the man who 'died' in the fire. Me."
Elias's mind raced. File 06-882. The Vance Case. He had read it a thousand times. There was nothing but photos and dental records.
"The dental records aren't mine, Elias," Kaelen whispered. "They're the Senator's first victim's. Your father switched them to make me 'dead.' He saved my life that night, even if he did it to keep a witness in his pocket."
"Then why is Julianna killing people? If our fathers were in on it, why is she targeting the Senator's children?"
Kaelen stepped closer, his grey eyes cold. "Because she doesn't know I'm alive. She thinks the Senator killed me. She's not seeking justice, Elias. She's seeking extinction. She wants to wipe out every bloodline involved in 2006. Including yours."