Chapter 30: The One Who Betrayed Us

Nobody moved.

Elias's words hung in the air.

Someone in this group is still working for them.

I looked at Samuel.

Then my mother.

Then Daniel.

I hated myself for even considering him.

Daniel noticed.

"Maya..."

"I don't know who to trust anymore."

He stepped closer.

"You can trust me."

I almost laughed.

"That's what everyone says."

Before he could answer, Elias suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Don't look at them. Watch their hands."

"What?"

"People who are afraid show it in their faces. People who are lying control their faces."

His eyes moved around the room.

"But their hands..."

He stopped.

"They forget to control those."

A loud crash came from outside.

The warehouse doors began to shake.

"They're here," Michael whispered.

Samuel raised his gun.

"Back exit."

We started moving.

Then I noticed something.

Daniel wasn't following us.

He was standing beside the laptop.

"Daniel?"

He looked up.

"I'll get the files."

"Leave them!"

"I'll be right behind you."

Something about his voice felt wrong.

I stopped.

Daniel opened the laptop.

His fingers moved quickly across the keyboard.

Too quickly.

I remembered what Elias had said.

Watch their hands.

Daniel's hands weren't shaking.

Everyone else was terrified.

But Daniel looked calm.

Too calm.

I stepped backwards.

"What are you doing?"

He froze.

"Nothing."

"Then why are you deleting the files?"

His face changed.

Elias turned sharply.

"Daniel."

Daniel closed the laptop.

"I can explain."

Samuel raised his gun.

"Don't move."

Daniel slowly lifted his hands.

"I'm not working for them."

"Then what were you doing?"

"I was trying to protect Maya."

"By deleting evidence?"

"I had to."

"Why?"

Daniel looked at me.

"Because the files contain something they can use against you."

I stared at him.

"What?"

He swallowed.

"Your birth records."

Silence.

"My what?"

Daniel looked at Elias.

"Tell her."

Elias's expression became serious.

"Maya, there's something you don't know about your birth."

My heart began pounding.

"What?"

Elias took a breath.

"You weren't supposed to be part of Project Echo."

"Then why are they after me?"

"Because your father discovered something before you were born."

"What?"

He looked at my mother.

"Your mother wasn't pregnant with you when she joined Echo."

My mother's face went pale.

Elias continued.

"You were born because of the project."

I felt the room spin.

"What does that mean?"

Before anyone could answer, the warehouse lights went out.

A gunshot exploded in the darkness.

Someone screamed.

Then another shot.

When the emergency lights flickered back on...

Daniel was gone.

And so was the laptop.

I looked at the open doorway.

My heart sank.

"He took it."

Samuel shook his head.

"No."

He pointed towards the floor.

A trail of blood led from the laptop...

to the exit.

Elias stared at it.

"He's been shot."

I couldn't breathe.

Daniel had disappeared.

And for the first time...

I was terrified that I might never see him again.