Chapter 6: The Man Who Knew My Father
The room went silent after I said his name.
Staff Sergeant Lowell looked at the screen again.
“Daniel Cross.””
He repeated it carefully.
Like he was searching through his memory.
“You’re certain?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
I looked at the image.
Even with the poor quality, I knew.
Some people you remembered because of their face.
Others because of what they left behind.
Daniel Cross was the second kind.
“He trained with my father.””
Lowell folded his arms.
“When?””
“Before everything happened.””
“Everything?””
I looked away.
I hated that word.
Because it was too simple.
Everything.
As if years of my life could fit into one sentence.
“He was my father’s closest student.””
Lowell studied me.
“And now he’s breaking into your records.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
I didn’t answer.
Because I had been asking myself the same question since the message arrived.
Why now?
Why Fort Grafton?
Why me?
The door opened.
Captain Reynolds walked in.
“I heard.””
Lowell nodded.
“We identified the person who accessed the files.””
Reynolds looked at the screen.
The second he saw the image, his expression changed.
“You know him?””
I looked between them.
“You do?””
Reynolds didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
My chest tightened.
“Captain?””
He sighed.
“Daniel Cross was removed from service three years ago.””
“Removed?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Reynolds looked at Lowell.
Then back at me.
“Because he was connected to the investigation involving your father.””
The words hit harder than I expected.
I knew there had been an investigation.
I knew people had asked questions.
But hearing someone say it out loud made it real again.
“He was never convicted,” Reynolds continued.
“Then why was he removed?””
“Because there was enough evidence to end his career.””
I looked at the screen.
Daniel had always been different.
When I was younger, I thought he was impressive.
Confident.
Disciplined.
My father trusted him.
That was the part I could never understand.
My father was careful with everyone.
Except him.
“What does he want?”” Lowell asked.
I shook my head.
“I don’t know.””
But even as I said it, I remembered the message.
*Your father wanted you hidden.*
Someone knew something.
Someone knew why my father disappeared.
And now they knew where I was.
Training continued that morning.
But everything felt different.
Vance was there.
He didn’t speak to me.
Not once.
That was almost stranger than his insults.
During drills, I noticed him watching.
Not with anger.
With confusion.
Like he was trying to understand what had happened yesterday.
After training, he approached.
“Specialist Lee.””
I stopped.
“Yes, Sergeant?””
For a moment, he looked uncomfortable.
That was new.
“I owe you an apology.””
I didn’t expect that.
“For what?””
“For crossing the line.””
The words sounded difficult for him to say.
I waited.
He continued.
“I thought you were afraid.””
“I was.””
He looked surprised.
“You were?””
“Yes.””
“Then how did you—”
“Fear and ability aren’t opposites.””
That made him quiet.
For the first time, I saw something different in Vance.
Not arrogance.
Not pride.
Just a soldier realizing he had judged someone too quickly.
“I was wrong about you,” he said.
I nodded.
“Thank you.””
He started to leave.
Then stopped.
“One question.””
I looked at him.
“Your father…”
My expression changed.
Vance noticed.
He immediately raised a hand.
“Forget it.””
“No.””
He looked at me.
“What?””
I took a breath.
“My father was a good man.””
Vance nodded.
“I figured.””
“Why?””
“Because people who train others don’t leave behind discipline like yours unless they cared.””
For some reason, that answer stayed with me.
Maybe because it was the first time someone mentioned my father without wanting something from me.
That evening, I returned to my room.
The door was locked.
Exactly how I left it.
But something felt wrong.
I stepped inside slowly.
Nothing was missing.
Nothing was damaged.
Then I saw it.
A small envelope on my desk.
No name.
No markings.
Just my initials.
I picked it up.
Inside was a single photograph.
My hands went cold.
It was a picture of my father.
Alive.
Standing outside a building I recognized.
A place I hadn’t seen in three years.
On the back of the photo were five words.
*He never disappeared by accident.*
I stared at the picture.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Nobody spoke at first.
Only breathing.
Then a familiar voice whispered:
“Your father trusted the wrong person.””
I froze.
Because I knew that voice.
And I knew exactly why.
Daniel Cross wasn’t calling to threaten me.
May you like
He was calling because he wanted me to know one thing.
He had been waiting for me to find him.
