THE SEVENTH CHILD WAS NEVER REPORTED MISSING
Chapter 10
They escaped through a maintenance tunnel.
Ward remained behind.
Noah refused to leave her.
“She saved us.”
Ethan pulled him forward.
“If we stay, she died for nothing.”
They reached a hidden office beneath the plant.
Sarah found a map.
Six locations marked in red.
Six states.
Six children.
All alive.
Ethan stared at the map.
“Why scatter them?”
“To make them impossible to find.”
Noah spoke quietly.
“They wanted to erase us.”
“Who?”
Noah looked at the hard drive.
“People who are afraid of witnesses.”
Suddenly Sarah realized something.
“The seven children weren’t the only ones.”
Noah shook his head.
“There were more.”
“How many?”
“Thirty-two.”
Ethan’s face hardened.
“What happened to them?”
Noah didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
The files on the hard drive showed it.
Twenty-five children had vanished from the program.
Only seven remained alive.
The seven who had been considered the strongest witnesses.
Sarah looked at Ethan.
“We have to expose this.”
Ethan nodded.
“But first we get the others.”
Then his phone rang.
Sheriff Dalton.
Ethan answered.
“Where are you?”
“Busy.”
“Are you with Sarah?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“Listen carefully.”
“What?”
“Do not trust anyone in Red Creek.”
Ethan frowned.
“Why?”
The sheriff’s voice dropped.
“Because half the department is involved.”
The call ended.
Sarah looked at him.
“Who was that?”
Ethan stared at the phone.
“Someone who just became a target.”
