Chapter 12 - A VISITOR FROM THE PAST
Daniel did not speak for several seconds.
He simply stared at his sister.
"That's impossible," he finally said.
"I know nearly every executive."
Hannah shook her head weakly.
"He wasn't an executive."
"He was visiting."
"When?"
"About six months ago."
Daniel frowned.
"You were never inside headquarters."
"I wasn't."
Hannah managed a faint smile.
"You forgot."
Daniel looked confused.
"The charity gala."
Realization spread across Daniel's face.
Every year, Marlowe Global hosted a fundraising event supporting children's hospitals. Hannah had attended as a guest after receiving recognition for years of volunteer work.
"You remember him from that night?"
"Yes."
"He wasn't wearing a suit."
"He wore the same smile."
Alex listened carefully.
"What was he doing?"
"I don't know."
"But people treated him differently."
Daniel leaned forward.
"Differently how?"
"They recognized him."
"But..."
"They acted like they weren't supposed to."
The room fell silent again.
Daniel turned toward Alex.
"Our guest list."
Alex frowned.
"What about it?"
"If he attended officially, his name should be recorded."
Daniel pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling corporate archives."
Within minutes, an encrypted copy of the gala attendance list arrived.
Daniel searched patiently.
One hundred guests.
Two hundred.
Three hundred.
Nothing.
"No record."
Alex looked over his shoulder.
"Maybe he wasn't invited."
Daniel shook his head.
"Our security policy doesn't allow anonymous visitors."
Hannah slowly lifted her hand.
"There was something else."
Daniel immediately looked back.
"What?"
"He spoke to someone."
"Who?"
"I couldn't hear."
"But I remember one word."
Daniel waited.
Hannah whispered,
"'Project Orion.'"
The name meant nothing to Alex.
But Daniel's face lost all color.
Martin, who had just entered the room, stopped in place.
"You've heard of it?" Alex asked.
Neither man answered immediately.
Finally, Daniel spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Project Orion doesn't officially exist."
Alex stared at him.
"What is it?"
Daniel looked toward the closed hospital door before answering.
"According to company policy..."
"...it never existed."
"But years ago..."
"...I overheard my father arguing with the former CEO."
"They mentioned Orion only once."
"And then every document related to it disappeared."
Alex felt the pieces shifting again.
The surveillance.
The photographs.
The missed flight.
The smiling stranger.
Now a forgotten project buried inside one of the world's largest corporations.
Before anyone could speak again, Daniel's phone vibrated with a priority notification.
His assistant had sent only one sentence.
Someone has entered Alex Carter's apartment.
May you like
And according to the building manager...
...they used a key.
