Chapter 6 - THE BROTHER IN THE DARK
The east wing had been sealed for twenty-three years.
Matteo led Clara there before sunrise, accompanied by Daniel, two guards, and Bruno.
At the end of the corridor stood a black wooden door.
Bruno pressed his nose against it.
A faint sound came from the other side.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Clara looked at Matteo.
“There is someone in there.”
Matteo’s face was hard.
“When I was ten, Luca and I followed my father into this wing. We heard someone crying.”
“A baby?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“My father was arguing with Evelyn. There was a baby in her arms. She told us to run.”
“Did you?”
“Luca did. I stayed.”
Matteo’s eyes remained fixed on the door.
“My father injected me with something. When I woke up, Luca was gone. Everyone said he had fallen from the west balcony.”
“But you never saw him fall.”
“No.”
“Who told you?”
“Mrs. Vale.”
Daniel began examining the lock.
“It is electronic. Connected to the old fire system.”
The lights suddenly changed from white to red.
A voice came through hidden speakers.
“Good morning, Matteo.”
Matteo looked up.
“Anton.”
“You should have stayed away from the past.”
“What do you want?”
“The girl.”
Clara felt Bruno stiffen.
“Give her to me,” Anton continued, “and the dog lives.”
A digital timer appeared above the door.
09:59.
Gas began hissing through the vents.
Daniel shouted, “I can shut it down, but the master control is in the basement!”
Matteo grabbed Clara’s arm.
“Get out.”
“No.”
“You will die here.”
“Someone is trapped inside.”
“I will get him out.”
“You cannot do this alone.”
The timer fell to seven minutes.
Bruno began coughing.
Clara pressed her towel over his nose. Matteo removed his coat and wrapped it around the dog.
Then he ran toward the basement with Daniel.
Clara stayed beside Bruno.
At four minutes, the locked door opened.
A young man stood inside.
He was tall and pale, with a scar running from his temple to his jaw.
His eyes looked exactly like Matteo’s.
“Clara Hayes?” he asked.
She held Bruno’s collar.
“Who are you?”
The man lowered his knife.
“Luca Moretti.”
Bruno began whining.
Luca looked at the dog.
“Does he still remember me?”
Bruno pulled toward him.
Luca stepped closer.
“He was a puppy when they took me.”
“What happened to you?”
“Anton kept me alive because I knew where the family records were hidden.”
“Why did you call Matteo?”
“Because he was the only person who could open this door.”
The timer reached two minutes.
Luca lifted Bruno beneath the chest while Clara supported his injured legs.
They hurried toward the stairs.
Matteo appeared through the smoke below them.
He stopped when he saw Luca.
For several seconds, neither brother moved.
Then Matteo said, “You’re alive.”
Luca answered, “You took long enough.”
The alarm became deafening.
Clara pushed between them.
“Argue later. Run now.”
They escaped seconds before the east wing filled with smoke.
Outside, Matteo and Luca stood beneath the rain.
“You let them believe I was dead,” Luca said.
“I was ten.”
“You became a man.”
“I searched for you.”
“Badly.”
Matteo’s jaw tightened.
Clara watched them, realizing that both men were still trapped inside the same terrible night.
A guard rushed toward them.
“Sir, the clinic was attacked.”
Matteo turned.
“Bruno?”
“The dog was taken.”
May you like
Anton’s voice came through the guard’s radio.
“You keep rescuing each other. That is why you will lose.”
