Chapter 10 - The Hidden Ledger
Adrian's image disappeared.
Instead, security footage began playing.
Not recent footage.
Videos dating back decades.
The first showed Rose's Kitchen when it was still a tiny family diner.
Young Eleanor served customers while Thomas carried boxes into the basement.
Daniel watched in disbelief.
"They were already using these tunnels."
Thomas suddenly looked directly toward the old camera.
"If anyone is watching this after my disappearance," his recorded voice said, "then Adrian has failed to destroy every copy."
Eleanor covered her mouth.
Daniel remained frozen.
Thomas continued speaking.
"The Bellarose Circle doesn't sell food."
"They sell influence."
Images changed rapidly.
Judges entering underground meetings.
Politicians exchanging sealed envelopes.
Luxury developers studying maps beneath the restaurant.
Bank transfers.
Construction contracts.
Secret signatures.
The detective beside Daniel whispered,
"This is enough evidence to destroy half the city's elite."
Daniel opened another archive box.
Inside lay an enormous leather-bound ledger.
Every payment had been recorded by hand.
Every bribe.
Every purchase.
Every hidden partnership.
Samuel carefully turned another page.
One familiar signature appeared repeatedly.
Adrian Vale.
Another signature followed beneath it.
Victor Kane.
Daniel frowned.
"Victor wasn't just security."
"He was collecting people," Eleanor replied quietly.
Near the final pages, Daniel discovered something unexpected.
His own name.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars had supposedly been transferred into accounts under his authority.
"I never approved any of this."
"You weren't supposed to know," Samuel answered.
Suddenly, one detective shouted from across the room.
"The pages are disappearing!"
Everyone rushed over.
The ink on several entries slowly faded before their eyes.
Special chemical paper.
Designed to erase itself.
Daniel quickly photographed every remaining page with his phone.
Not a second too soon.
Within minutes, nearly half the ledger had become blank.
Only one page remained perfectly untouched.
Across the center someone had written in thick black ink:
The Founder Must Choose.
No further explanation appeared.
Only one location.
Warehouse 17.
May you like
Midnight.
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