THE SEVENTH CHILD WAS NEVER REPORTED MISSING
Chapter 13
Sarah couldn’t speak.
Her father had always been a hero to her.
A respected judge.
A man who spent his life talking about justice.
Now she discovered he had helped create a system designed to silence children.
Ethan put a hand on her shoulder.
“We can still expose it.”
Sarah shook her head.
“He’s dead.”
“Others aren’t.”
They copied everything.
Names.
Records.
Financial transfers.
Photographs.
Video.
Enough evidence to destroy everyone involved.
Then they heard footsteps.
Reed appeared.
But this time he wasn’t alone.
Sheriff Dalton stood beside him.
Dalton aimed his weapon at Noah.
“Give us the drive.”
Ethan stepped in front of the boy.
“No.”
Dalton sighed.
“You don’t understand what happens if this gets out.”
Sarah stared at him.
“Children disappear?”
Dalton lowered his weapon slightly.
“You think this was about power?”
“What was it about?”
“Control.”
Silence.
Dalton continued.
“The government, corporations, judges, police… everyone has secrets.”
Sarah’s voice hardened.
“And children were your witnesses.”
“Yes.”
“You destroyed their lives.”
“We protected the country.”
Sarah laughed bitterly.
“That’s what you tell yourself?”
Dalton raised his weapon.
Before he could fire, Reed shot him.
Dalton collapsed.
Everyone froze.
Reed looked at Sarah.
“I was never trying to protect them.”
He dropped his weapon.
“I was trying to destroy the program.”
Sarah stared at him.
“Then why help them?”
“Because you don’t destroy a machine from outside.”
He looked toward the hidden cameras.
“You destroy it from within.”
Then the building alarms began screaming.
