Chapter 2 - Into the Shadows
The catacombs were damp, smelling of centuries of earth and forgotten prayers. They moved in silence, the only sound the rhythmic drip of water against stone. Damian led, his eyes constantly scanning the dark corners, his hand never leaving the pistol at his hip.
"Why the file?" Eliza asked, her voice echoing strangely in the tunnel. "Why go through the trouble of creating a fake paternity report if there’s a deeper secret?"
Arthur, limping behind them, coughed. "Because a fake paternity test makes you question your love. A missing twin makes you question your sanity. Marcus is a predator, Eliza. He doesn't just want your resources or your defeat—he wants your total psychological surrender."
Damian stopped abruptly, holding up a hand. The tunnel ahead was illuminated by a faint, rhythmic blue light. It was a digital terminal, embedded directly into the ancient wall. Someone—or something—was waiting.
A hologram flickered to life. It was Marcus Vale. He looked younger, relaxed, sitting in a leather chair that Eliza recognized from the penthouse office. "You always were predictable, Damian," the projection said. "Running into the dark, looking for ghosts. But tell me, do you really think you can protect a boy who doesn't even know if he belongs to you?"
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"Shut it off," Damian snarled, raising his weapon.
"Oh, you can shoot the projector, but you can't shoot the truth," Marcus continued. "Eliza, the 'other baby' wasn't a death. It was an extraction. And I have him."
