She never came home.
Three days later, Daniel received a call informing him that her car had been found near a river.
The police said the vehicle had gone through a guardrail.
Her body had never been recovered.
But they found enough personal belongings to declare her dead.
Daniel had never believed it.
Not completely.
Now he heard her voice from beneath the warehouse.
“Daniel, please.”
His hands began shaking.
Rebecca stepped in front of him.
“Don't move.”
He stared at her.
“Move.”
“Daniel, it could be a recording.”
“Move.”
“It could be another trap.”
“That's my wife.”
“You don't know that!”
He grabbed her shoulder.
“MOVE!”
Rebecca didn't budge.
Then Sarah spoke quietly.
“Daniel.”
He turned.
“If that's Claire, she might be the reason they kept me alive.”
Daniel looked at her.
Sarah continued.
“When they moved me into this warehouse, I heard another woman crying. She was in a different room. She kept saying that she wanted to see her husband.”
Daniel's throat tightened.
“Did you see her?”
“Only once. Through a narrow opening.”
“What did she look like?”
“Brown hair. Red coat. A small scar near her chin.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
Claire had a small scar near her chin.
A childhood accident.
A detail almost nobody knew.
He looked toward the staircase.
“I'm going down.”
Rebecca grabbed his arm.
“Not alone.”
Agent Reed checked his weapon.
“I'll cover the rear.”
Sarah held Noah's shoulders.
“Emily, take him outside.”
Emily shook her head.
“The doors are locked.”
“Then find another way.”
Noah looked at Daniel.
“Mr. Morgan?”
Daniel turned.
The boy was holding the small toy car from his backpack.
“Will you bring my dad home?”
Daniel looked at him.
For a moment, he couldn't speak.
Then he nodded.
“I'll try.”
Noah stepped forward.
“And my mom?”
Daniel crouched.
“I'll bring her home, too.”
Noah's lower lip trembled.
“Promise?”
Daniel looked at the boy.
“I promise I'll do everything I can.”
He stood.
Then he walked toward the stairs.
7. The Basement
The staircase was narrow and steep.
The air became colder as Daniel descended.
Rebecca followed closely, her weapon raised.
Agent Reed covered the upper landing.
At the bottom, they found a long corridor.
The walls were concrete.
Several doors lined both sides.
Some had numbers.
Others had no markings at all.
A fluorescent light flickered overhead.
Daniel moved slowly.
“Claire?”
No answer.
He reached the first door.
Locked.
The second.
Open.
Inside was a small room containing a metal bed and a plastic chair.
A blanket lay on the floor.
Daniel noticed something on the wall.
A series of scratches.
He moved closer.
They formed letters.
DANIEL — DON'T TRUST THE FILE.
His stomach tightened.
Rebecca inspected the room.
“Someone was held here.”
Daniel moved to the next door.
A woman's voice came from behind it.
“Daniel?”
He stopped.
“Claire?”
A soft sob.
“Please…”
Daniel reached for the handle.
Locked.
Rebecca searched for a key.
“Stand back.”
She forced the lock.
The door opened.
Inside, a woman sat on the floor.
Her hair was tangled.
Her face was pale.
A red coat lay across her knees.
She looked up.
Daniel dropped his weapon.
“Claire?”
The woman stared at him.
For several seconds, she didn't move.
Then she whispered:
“You came.”
Daniel rushed forward.
He dropped to his knees and pulled her into his arms.
She was real.
Warm.
Alive.
He held her as if he were afraid she would disappear.
“I thought you were dead.”
Claire began crying.
“I know.”
“I buried you.”
“I know.”
“I searched for you.”
“I know, Daniel.”
He pulled back and looked at her face.
“Why didn't you contact me?”
Claire's expression changed.
She glanced toward Rebecca.
Then she looked back at Daniel.
“Because I was told you were the one who gave me up.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
“They showed me documents. They said you had signed an agreement to protect yourself.”
“That isn't true.”
“They showed me your signature.”
“I never signed anything.”
Claire began shaking.
“They said you knew where I was.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Who told you that?”
She looked toward the corridor.
“Michael.”
Daniel went still.
“Michael Bennett?”
Claire nodded.
“He came here.”
“When?”
“Three days ago.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Where is he now?”
Claire pointed toward the far end of the corridor.
“Room eleven.”
Rebecca moved immediately.
“Agent Morgan, we need to secure the area.”
Daniel stood.
“Claire, can you walk?”
She nodded weakly.
He helped her up.
Then she caught his wrist.
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“Michael told me that if you came here, you would be looking for the wrong person.”
Daniel frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Claire looked directly into his eyes.
“He said the person who ordered his disappearance was never Adrian Cross.”
Daniel's expression changed.
“Who was it?”
Claire swallowed.
Then she whispered:
“Your wife.”
Daniel stared at her.
“That's impossible.”
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
“Daniel, listen to me. The woman who died six years ago wasn't me.”
He stepped backward.
“What?”
“They gave you a body. They gave you a death certificate. They gave you a funeral.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Claire grabbed his hand.
“Someone took my identity. Someone used my name. And the person who helped them was the woman you married.”
Daniel felt his knees weaken.
He looked at her.
“Who did I marry?”
Claire's answer came slowly.
“Rebecca Lawson.”
Daniel turned.
Rebecca was standing at the end of the corridor.
Her weapon was raised.
Her face was expressionless.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then she said:
“I'm sorry, Daniel.”
8. The Second Identity
Daniel stared at Rebecca.
“Tell me she's lying.”
Rebecca lowered her weapon slightly.
“It's complicated.”
“Tell me she's lying!”
“Daniel—”
“WHO DID I MARRY?”
Rebecca's voice softened.
“You married Claire. But you never knew everything about her.”
Claire stepped behind Daniel.
“Don't listen to her.”
Rebecca looked at Claire.
“You don't understand what happened.”
“I understand enough.”
“You were supposed to be dead.”