Chapter 8 Fragments of Truth

Michael walked over, giving me a serious look. "I'll get to the bottom of this and explain everything," he promised.

I shrugged off his hand, my gaze fixed on Mia's lifeless form. I walked out of the cave, the echo of Michael's promises fading into the background noise of the unfolding chaos.

Outside, the world seemed jarringly normal. The sun shone, birds chirped, but a cold weight settled in my chest, a stark contrast to the vibrant life around me.

Back at the police station, I locked myself in my office and plugged the USB drive into my computer.

The screen lit up, and a folder named "Truth" popped up.

I took a deep breath and opened it.

Inside was just one video file. With trembling hands, I clicked on it. The screen showed a rundown warehouse, dimly lit. Aiden stood in the center, holding a gun, pointing it at a man tied to a chair. The guy looked terrified, begging for mercy. "Please, let me go! I was just doing a job for money. I really don't know anything!"

Aiden's face was stone-cold. Without hesitation, he aimed at the man's forehead and pulled the trigger.

A gunshot echoed, and the man dropped, blood splattering everywhere.

The video ended, leaving me staring at the blank screen, my stomach churning. I covered my mouth, fighting back the urge to vomit.

This was Mia's truth? My brother, a cold-blooded killer? It couldn't be. It went against everything I knew about him.

I couldn't accept it, didn't want to believe it!

I replayed the video over and over, looking for a flaw, some evidence to prove Aiden's innocence, but it was all in vain.

The images were so real, so brutal, I couldn't escape or deny them.

Could I really have been wrong?

Have I been living a lie all these years?

I slumped in my chair, my mind in chaos, countless questions swirling with no answers.

"No, something must be wrong," I muttered. "Aiden isn't that kind of person. He couldn't possibly do such a thing!"

I suddenly stood up, grabbed my coat, and rushed out of the office.

I needed to find someone who knew about the events of that year. I needed to uncover the truth and clear Aiden's name!

The first person I thought of was my dad's old colleague, Mia's father, Hayden Wilson.

Hayden had been retired for years and lived alone in an old house in the suburbs.

When I drove to his house, he was hunched over, tending to his garden.

The sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, casting dappled shadows on him, making him look even older.

"Hayden," I called softly as I walked up to him.

Hayden heard my voice and slowly straightened up, turning around.

His wrinkled face first showed surprise, then a complex, indescribable look flashed in his cloudy eyes.

"James, you're here." His deep voice carried a heavy sense of age.

"Hayden, I have some questions about Aiden and Mia," I said directly.

Hayden put down the watering can and sighed deeply, motioning for me to come inside.

The room was dimly lit, and a faint musty smell lingered in the air, as if it hadn't been lived in for a long time.

I told Hayden the whole story in detail, including Mia's death and the video on the USB drive, not leaving out any details.

Hayden sat across from me, listening quietly without uttering a word, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper as if he were engulfed in painful memories.

After a long time, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse and mechanical, as if it was being forced out from deep within his throat. "James, I know it's hard for you to accept, but there are some things I have to tell you."

He paused, seemingly trying to organize his thoughts or calm his emotions.

I held my breath, heart pounding, waiting for him to continue.

"Aiden did kill people, and not just one," he said.

My heart sank, a chill running from my feet to my head, making me feel like I was in an icehouse.

"But Aiden was forced into it," Hayden added, his tone shifting.

His words hit me like a thunderbolt, shattering my already chaotic world. I sat there, feeling drained, left with only shock and disbelief.

"Hayden, what exactly happened?" I asked, my throat so dry I could barely make a sound.

Hayden sighed deeply, his cloudy eyes looking out the window, lost in distant memories. After a long time, he turned back to me.

"James, I know it's hard to accept, but Aiden made some mistakes back then and went down a path of no return."

Hayden launched into a story that painted a picture of a world far darker and more complex than I could have imagined.

Aiden had just graduated from the police academy. With his excellent grades and strong skills, he was selected to join the most secretive and dangerous department—the Overseas Crime Action Team.

This team handled special cases abroad, operating covertly with dangerous missions. The members were elites, and Aiden was one of the best.

He carried out countless dangerous missions, always completing them excellently and earning numerous accolades.

He was a rising star in the police force, with a promising future.

But fate played a cruel joke on him.

During an overseas mission, Aiden's team was ambushed, and everyone was killed except for him, who narrowly escaped.

He brought back shocking news: Their mission target was not heinous criminals but unarmed civilians!

They had been deceived!

Aiden couldn't accept this. He reported the situation to his superiors, demanding an investigation, but was met with cold refusals and warnings.

Unwilling to give up, he started his own investigation, trying to find the truth.

He didn't realize he was stepping into a dangerous abyss.

The deeper he investigated, the more complex things became, involving more people and events. Even his long-held beliefs began to waver.

He discovered the world was much darker and more brutal than he had ever imagined.

Those he once saw as embodiments of justice were secretly engaged in dirty dealings;

The principles he once held as sacred seemed powerless in the face of reality.

He became confused and desperate.

At this time, a mysterious person approached him, offering him a choice: remain silent, pretend to know nothing, and continue living a false life; or stand up and reveal the truth, but be prepared to pay any price.

Aiden chose the latter.

He compiled all the evidence he had gathered into a file and anonymously sent it to the media and relevant departments, hoping to draw attention and bring justice to the innocent.

But he underestimated the power and means of those people.

His actions enraged them, and they retaliated fiercely, not only expelling him from the police force but also hunting him down.

He was forced to go on the run, living a life of anonymity and darkness.

"Aiden was forced into it. He could have avoided death, but he chose to bear everything alone to protect you and your parents."

Hayden's words hit me like a bolt of lightning, leaving my mind blank, filled only with endless sorrow and guilt.

"Hayden, then, what about the video on the USB drive?" I asked, trembling, a glimmer of hope igniting in my heart. Maybe there was still a chance.

Hayden shook his head and sighed deeply, "The video is fake."