Chapter 56 - The Man Without a Name
The room fell completely silent.
Daniel studied the elderly man carefully.
His face carried the weight of countless years, yet his posture remained straight, his hands steady, and his eyes remarkably alert.
"You aren't Edward Langford," Daniel said quietly.
"No."
"Then who are you?"
The man smiled faintly.
"I've answered that question many times over the years."
"And every answer became another lie."
Samuel switched on his recorder.
"You've used a dead man's identity for decades."
"I borrowed it."
"You stole it."
The old man didn't argue.
"There is a difference."
Daniel took another step forward.
"My daughter lost fifteen years of her life."
"My sister stole everything I worked for."
"My family has been manipulated for decades."
"I don't care about riddles anymore."
"I want your name."
The man slowly stood.
"My real name no longer matters."
"The organization erased it long ago."
He walked toward one of the shelves and removed a faded personnel file.
Across the front someone had written only a number.
Employee 07
He handed it to Daniel.
"I was never one of the leaders."
"I was one of the caretakers."
"Caretaker of what?"
"The Archive."
Daniel frowned.
"You mean these records?"
The old man shook his head.
"No."
"The Archive isn't this room."
"This room only protects the map."
"The real Archive has never been found."
Samuel looked around.
"So all of this..."
"...was preparation?"
The old man nodded.
"For the day someone from your family finally asked the right questions."
He looked directly at Lily.
May you like
"And for the day she survived long enough to stand here."
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