Chapter 41 - THE OFFER
Nobody moved.
Voss slowly walked toward them, stopping several yards away from the hidden staircase.
Daniel instinctively stepped between Alex and Voss.
"That's close enough."
Voss smiled.
"I didn't come here to fight."
Bennett kept her weapon raised.
"Then why are you here?"
"To end a misunderstanding."
Arthur laughed bitterly.
"You've spent two decades creating misunderstandings."
Voss ignored him.
Instead, he looked directly at Alex.
"You believe Donovan rescued you."
Alex remained silent.
"You believe your grandfather protected you."
Still silence.
"And now..."
Voss continued.
"...you believe I destroyed your life."
Alex finally answered.
"I don't know what to believe anymore."
For the first time, Voss's expression softened.
"Good."
"Certainty is dangerous."
Daniel interrupted.
"Stop manipulating him."
Voss slowly shook his head.
"Daniel."
"You've spent your career believing your father helped create Orion."
"He didn't."
Daniel froze.
Arthur's expression changed instantly.
"What did you say?"
Voss looked at both men.
"Your father tried to shut Orion down."
Daniel stared.
"You're lying."
"I wish I were."
The words hung in the air.
Voss reached inside his coat.
Bennett immediately aimed higher.
"Hands where I can see them."
Without hesitation, Voss removed a thin leather notebook and tossed it across the courtyard.
It landed at Alex's feet.
"No tricks," Voss said.
"Read the first page."
Alex slowly picked it up.
The cover carried only one name.
Jonathan Reed.
Daniel's father.
Daniel stepped closer.
"That's impossible."
Alex opened the notebook.
The handwriting inside matched none of the documents they had seen before.
The first sentence read:
If you're reading this, then I failed to destroy Orion before my death.
Daniel's breathing became unsteady.
"My father wrote this..."
Voss nodded quietly.
"I kept it because Donovan asked me to."
Arthur stared at him in disbelief.
"You expect us to believe that?"
"No."
May you like
"I expect you to keep reading."
---
