Chapter 9 Buried Secrets

"Fake?" I shot my head up, totally floored. "Hayden, are you saying the video was staged? But it looks so real."

Mia's last words before she died suddenly flashed in my mind. Could she have known the video was fake too?

Did she take her own life because she realized she was being used and saw no way out?

"Aiden was set up, James," Hayden insisted, his voice firm despite the tremor in his hands. "He never betrayed his country, his principles. He took the fall to protect you, your mother… to keep you all safe."

"Protect us from what?" I pressed, my voice raw with frustration and grief. "Who framed him? Who killed Mia and created that video to make Aiden look guilty?"

Hayden's gaze turned inward, his face a mask of conflict. "Some things, James… some things are better left buried. Aiden stumbled onto something big, something that could shatter the world as we know it. Powerful people want it kept secret, no matter the cost."

His words were cryptic, frustrating, but they ignited a fire in my gut. What secret had Aiden uncovered? What had he gotten himself tangled up in?

"Hayden, please," I begged, my voice cracking. "You have to tell me. Aiden is gone… I need to know the truth. I need to clear his name."

Hayden patted my shoulder, trying to comfort me. "James, I know you're hurting, but you have to trust that Aiden would never betray his country or its people. Those responsible will face justice eventually! But now's not the time."

"But..." I wanted to ask more, but Hayden waved me off.

"James, Aiden is a hero. He'll always be your pride!" With that, Hayden turned and walked into the room, leaving me standing there alone.

Hayden's words only made me more sure that Aiden's death was way more complicated than it seemed.

And that video on the USB drive? Definitely not the truth!

I left Hayden's house and headed back to the police station, diving into my office to re-examine the case.

I pored over the case files, scrutinized the crime scene photos, and analyzed the evidence, trying to find any clue.

But the case's clues were like a giant web, trapping me in the center with no way out.

Just as I was sinking into despair, my phone suddenly rang. It was Michael.

"James, where are you?" Michael's voice sounded urgent. "Get to the station right now, there's important news!"

I didn't waste a second and drove straight to the station.

"What happened?" I asked anxiously as I walked into Michael's office.

Michael didn't say a word, just tossed a file in front of me.

"See for yourself." With that, Michael walked out.

I picked up the file and quickly skimmed through it, my face turning grim.

The file contained top-secret info about Aiden's last mission!

And at the end of the file, there was a striking sentence: "The mission target is our nation's highest secret, codename: 'Hive.'"

"Hive"?

What the heck was that?

What was Aiden digging into back then?

"Hive" was seared into my brain like a brand. Before I could wrap my head around it, a loud noise outside the door snapped me back to reality.

Suddenly, the sound of gunfire and screams erupted in the hallway, throwing the whole station into chaos.

My heart clenched, a chill running from my feet to my head.

No way, could it be those people?

Without thinking, I grabbed the ashtray on the desk and rushed to the door, pressing against the wall, holding my breath, and listening intently.

The gunfire got closer, bullets hitting the walls, sending debris flying.

"Don't let him escape! Chase him!" A fierce voice echoed in the hallway, mixed with chaotic footsteps, like a pack of wolves hunting their prey.

My heart sank. They were definitely after me!

I couldn't just sit and wait!

I looked around. The office was on the third floor, escaping through the window was a no-go.

Then my eyes landed on a small ventilation window in the corner.

I grabbed a chair and smashed it against the window, shattering the glass.

Ignoring the broken glass, I leaped through the window into the adjacent room.

The adjacent room was a file room, filled with documents and a musty paper smell.

I crouched and quickly moved between the file cabinets, my heart pounding, sweat soaking my back.

The pursuers had reached the file room door; I could hear their heavy breathing and the sound of guns being cocked.

"He must still be in there, search the place!"

My heart tightened, and I moved faster, like a cornered beast searching for a way out in the narrow space.

Suddenly, my eyes fell on the iron door at the end of the file room, leading to the rooftop!

Clutching onto my final hope, I hurried over, pulled open the heavy door, slipped through, and shut it behind me.

On the rooftop, the sunlight was blinding, and the wind was biting.

I had no time to catch my breath when the deafening roar of an engine below pulled me back to reality.

I looked down to see a black SUV, like a black beast, crashing through the station gates and speeding towards me.

No! They were here to silence me!

Alarm bells rang in my head. I turned to find cover, but it was too late.

The SUV screeched to a halt below, and a group of armed men in black jumped out, their guns trained on me.

"James, the game is over!" The leader of the men in black removed his sunglasses, a cold smile on his lips.