The morning sky was already fully bright, but the atmosphere inside the safe house still felt heavy.
Marcus Sterling's call had left an undeniable mark.
Ethan stood by the cracked window, staring at the empty street outside. Sunlight streamed through the broken glass, falling in thin lines across the floor.
But his thoughts were far from that morning light.
Daniel finally broke the silence.
"I don't like this."
Leonard Graves raised an eyebrow.
"Which part?"
"All of it."
Daniel walked closer to the table where his laptop was still open.
"Marcus says the attack wasn't his doing. Victor says Ethan's father was involved. Then suddenly Marcus calls to warn us."
He looked at Leonard.
"All of this feels like a bigger game."
Leonard smiled slightly.
"Because it is."
Victor Hale was still sitting on the couch with a tense face.
"If Marcus isn't lying… then someone else ordered the attack."
Ethan finally spoke up.
"And that person probably knows we're investigating."
Daniel turned quickly.
"That means we're being watched."
Leonard nodded slowly.
"Definitely."
He walked to another window, casually checking the street outside.
"Helix never works alone."
Victor murmured,
"If Ethan's father really is part of them…"
He didn't finish his sentence.
But everyone knew what he meant.
Daniel looked at Ethan.
"Did you ever suspect anything before?"
Ethan was silent for a few moments.
"My father was always mysterious."
He continued in a flat voice.
"Lots of business trips he never explained. Lots of influential people coming to our house."
Daniel asked,
"But nothing ever felt off?"
Ethan shook his head slightly.
"To me, it was just part of the business world."
Leonard said,
"Sometimes the truth is hidden in the closest places."
Ethan didn't reply.
But his jaw was tight.
Daniel turned his focus back to his laptop.
"We still have one move left."
Leonard turned around.
"What's that?"
Daniel pointed at the screen.
"Marcus Sterling's financial data."
Victor looked confused.
"We're still going after him?"
Daniel nodded.
"Now more than ever."
Ethan turned away from the window.
"Why?"
Daniel explained,
"If Marcus is pushed, he'll be forced to make a move."
Leonard smiled.
"And when the big players move, we can see who's standing behind them."
Victor looked increasingly anxious.
"If Ethan's father really is involved… he'll react too."
Daniel nodded.
"Exactly."
Ethan walked back to the table.
He stared at the numbers on the screen.
Marcus Sterling's company had an extensive investment network. If some of this information leaked to the public, the market would react immediately.
Daniel said,
"I can send this data to a few investigative journalists."
Leonard raised an eyebrow.
"You know journalists like that?"
Daniel smiled slightly.
"A few."
Victor swallowed.
"This will really start a war."
Ethan said quietly,
"The war started when they tried to kill us."
Daniel began typing quickly on the keyboard.
File by file was prepared.
Transaction documents.
Offshore accounts.
And money trails leading to various shell companies.
Leonard watched from behind.
"Marcus will be furious."
Daniel replied without stopping his typing,
"That's the point."
A few moments later he pressed the final key.
Encrypted emails were sent to three different addresses.
Daniel leaned back in his chair.
"Now we wait."
Victor looked pale.
"How long until the news breaks?"
Daniel answered,
"If those journalists are brave enough… a few hours."
Leonard smiled.
"Interesting."
But just as he said that—
Victor's phone suddenly rang.
Everyone turned immediately.
Victor stared at the screen with a confused look.
"I don't recognize this number."
Daniel said,
"Just answer it."
Victor hesitated for a moment before finally picking up.
"Hello?"
For a few seconds he only listened.
Then his face turned pale.
"What?"
Daniel stood up.
"What's wrong?"
Victor covered the microphone with his hand.
"It's from Marcus's company headquarters."
Leonard looked interested.
"That was fast."
Victor went back to the call.
"Yes… I understand."
He listened for a few more seconds before finally ending the call.
The room was silent.
Daniel asked,
"What did they say?"
Victor swallowed.
"Marcus Sterling just held an emergency press conference."
Leonard smiled.
"Faster than I thought."
Daniel opened several news sites on his laptop.
Within seconds a live broadcast video appeared on the screen.
Marcus Sterling stood at the podium, surrounded by reporters.
He looked as calm as ever.
Daniel turned up the volume.
Marcus's voice was clear in the room.
"I have just learned of serious allegations against my company."
He paused for a moment, looking confidently at the camera.
"I want to state clearly that these allegations are unfounded."
Leonard crossed his arms.
"He's good at this."
Marcus continued,
"But more importantly… I also want to reveal something I've been keeping hidden."
Daniel frowned.
"What does he mean?"
On the screen, Marcus opened a thin folder in his hand.
"I have evidence that the Ward family and the Blackwood family are involved in dangerous illegal projects."
The room fell silent immediately.
Victor whispered,
"That's impossible…"
Daniel stared at the screen with a tense face.
Marcus held up several documents.
"These documents show that Elena Ward's research was actually illegal biological experimentation in violation of international law."
Ethan stared at the screen without blinking.
Marcus spoke again,
"And this project was funded by the Blackwood family."
Daniel turned to Ethan in shock.
"That's your family name."
Leonard looked more serious now.
Marcus continued in a calm voice,
"Sadly, Elena Ward died before this project could be stopped."
He slowly closed the folder.
"But the truth will finally come to light."
The live broadcast ended.
Silence returned to the room.
Victor looked like he couldn't believe it.
"He turned everything around…"
Daniel said quietly,
"Marcus just declared war."
Leonard nodded.
"A smart move."
Ethan was still staring at the laptop screen.
But this time his eyes held something different.
Not just confusion.
But anger.
Daniel said,
"If this news spreads, your family's reputation will be destroyed."
Victor added,
"And people will start believing your mother was a criminal."
Ethan finally spoke.
His voice was very calm.
Too calm.
"Then we need to find the truth before they do."
Leonard smiled slightly.
"Now you're thinking like a main player."
Daniel said,
"We need stronger evidence than just Victor's story."
Ethan nodded.
"There's one place that might still hold the answers."
Victor looked at him.
"Where?"
Ethan looked at each of them before speaking,
"My family's old house."
Daniel frowned.
"Your childhood home?"
Ethan nodded slowly.
"My father kept a lot of old documents there."
Leonard smiled.
"And you think we'll find something that connects everything?"
Ethan stared at the broken window.
The morning light now streamed in brighter.
But the shadows of the past felt closer than ever.
"I don't know what we'll find," he said quietly.
"But if my father really is involved in all of this…"
he paused for a moment.
"…then the answers must be there."