Chapter 11 - The Names of the Missing
Ashlynn’s hands shook for the first time.
The three Marines in the photograph were older.
Thinner.
But alive.
Sergeant Marcus Bell.
Corporal Ryan Tate.
Lance Corporal James Holloway.
She had watched their transport disappear from radar.
She had blamed herself every day since.
Gregory opened the account ledger.
Next to each Marine’s name was a location code.
One in Colombia.
One in Cyprus.
One in northern Canada.
William had separated them and held them under false identities.
“They’re insurance,” Ashlynn said.
“Against what?”
“If any one of them speaks, William threatens the others.”
Gregory found a list of children’s names.
Each had a new birth date, passport number, and assigned family.
Some had been sold through illegal adoption networks.
Others had been placed with political allies as leverage.
Gregory sat heavily in William’s chair.
“My family did this.”
“Your father did.”
“My company moved them.”
“You signed documents.”
“I didn’t know.”
Ashlynn looked at him.
“Not knowing because you refuse to ask is still a choice.”
Gregory closed the ledger.
He did not argue.
The ship alarm sounded again.
Eight minutes until interception.
Ashlynn connected the second drive to the satellite transmitter.
The upload accelerated.
Seventy-eight percent.
A speaker inside William’s office activated.
“Ashlynn.”
William had found them.
“You always were predictable,” he said.
She looked toward the ceiling camera.
“Then you know I opened the safe.”
“I know you found people who will die if you continue.”
“Your hostages are the only reason you’re alive.”
“No. They are the reason you signed the confession.”
Gregory stood.
“Dad, stop the signal.”
William ignored him.
“Ashlynn, bring both drives to the bridge. In return, I will release your brother and give you the locations of your men.”
“You expect me to trust you?”
“I expect you to calculate.”
The office door locked automatically.
Gas began hissing through a ceiling vent.
Gregory looked upward.
Ashlynn pulled a tablecloth from a side cabinet and soaked it with water from a decanter.
“Cover your mouth.”
They had less than a minute.
Gregory searched the walls.
“No other exit.”
Ashlynn looked at the large ship model.
Its wooden base was bolted to the floor directly beneath an air return vent.
She smashed the bat through the model.
A narrow maintenance shaft appeared beneath it.
Gregory stared.
“How did you know?”
“Your father likes hidden routes.”
They climbed inside as the room filled with gas.
Gregory entered last.
Before closing the panel, he looked into the camera.
“You should’ve checked her file.”
For the first time, Ashlynn almost smiled.
Then an explosion shook the passage.
The satellite transmitter slipped from her hand.
May you like
Its progress light froze at eighty-nine percent.
👉 The evidence was almost public—but William had just disabled the only device capable of sending it.
