Chapter 24 - Harold's Confession
Back in Room 307, Harold slowly opened his eyes.
The room felt strangely empty.
The mysterious gray-gloved guard was gone.
Only Lily remained.
She had locked the door from the inside using a chair wedged beneath the handle.
"You came back," Harold whispered.
"I wasn't leaving."
Lily sat beside him.
"I rang the bell."
Harold smiled weakly.
"I heard."
"But I still don't understand."
Harold looked toward the dark window.
"The bell wasn't a signal."
"No?"
"It was permission."
"For what?"
"For the truth to come home."
Lily carefully removed the birthday card from her pocket.
"I found this."
Harold nodded.
"I wrote it years ago."
"You knew someone would find it?"
"I hoped."
His breathing became slower.
"There were seven soldiers."
"I've heard that name before."
"We were ordered to destroy every record... every photograph... every child connected to the laboratory."
Lily remained silent.
"What did you do?"
Harold closed his eyes.
"We burned the official files."
"But not all of them."
"No."
He smiled faintly.
"We made copies."
Lily suddenly understood.
"The archive."
Harold nodded.
"And every copy was hidden in a different place."
He looked toward the empty chair where Richard usually slept.
"If one hiding place failed..."
"...another would survive."
A soft knock interrupted them.
Three slow taps.
Harold's expression immediately changed.
"Don't answer."
Another three knocks.
Then a familiar voice.
"Mr. Bennett..."
It was Samuel Vale.
Weak.
May you like
But unmistakably alive.
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