Then a man's voice emerged.
"Daniel, if you're hearing this, it means I failed to protect you."
Daniel froze.
It was his father's voice.
"There's something you need to understand. Black Lantern was never just an investigation. It was a network. A network of people who controlled evidence, manipulated criminal cases, and made witnesses disappear."
A pause.
"If Captain Hayes tells you that I killed Jonathan Bell, don't believe him."
Daniel covered his mouth.
The recording continued.
"Jonathan was already dead when I arrived at the courthouse. Sarah was the only witness. I tried to get her out, but someone inside the department betrayed us."
The tape crackled.
"There's one person you can trust. Her name is Elena."
The detective stopped breathing.
Daniel turned toward her.
The recording continued.
"Elena Cross. If she is still alive, find her. She knows what happened to her mother."
The cassette suddenly stopped.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Elena whispered:
"What did he just say?"
Daniel slowly turned toward her.
"Your mother?"
Elena shook her head.
"My mother died when I was twelve."
"Did you know her name was connected to this case?"
"No."
She stepped away from the recorder.
Her mother had been a nurse.
A quiet woman who had never worked in law enforcement.
At least, that was what Elena had always believed.
Then she noticed something inside the cassette compartment.
A small folded photograph.
She pulled it out.
The photograph showed five people standing outside the old courthouse.
Her mother was one of them.
Captain Hayes was another.
And standing between them was a young woman Elena had never seen before.
On the back, someone had written:
BLACK LANTERN WAS BUILT BY FAMILY.
Suddenly, a noise came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Elena drew her weapon.
"Police!"
The footsteps stopped.
Then a voice answered from the darkness.
"Detective Cross?"
Elena recognized it.
It belonged to someone she had spoken to less than an hour earlier.
The voice of the unknown caller.
"Your mother wanted you to find this."
The woman stepped into the doorway.
She was wearing a dark coat and carrying a small leather bag.
Her hair was tied behind her head, and a thin scar ran from her left eyebrow to her cheek.
Elena kept her weapon raised.
"Hands where I can see them."
The woman obeyed.
"You're making a mistake."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Rachel Shaw."
Daniel immediately looked at the folder.
The crossed-out name.
S...H...A...W.
Elena noticed his reaction.
"You were one of the original Black Lantern officers."
Rachel nodded.
"Unfortunately."
"Why did you call me?"
"Because your mother was right about you."
Elena's grip tightened.
"Don't talk about my mother."
Rachel looked at her sadly.
"She died protecting you."
The words hit Elena harder than she expected.
"My mother died of cancer."
"That's what they told you."
Elena shook her head.
"You're lying."
Rachel slowly reached into her bag.
Elena raised her weapon.
"Don't."
Rachel removed a photograph and placed it on the floor.
It showed a hospital room.
A woman lay in bed, her face pale and exhausted.
Beside her stood a younger Rachel.
And sitting near the window was Elena's mother.
Alive.
The photograph was dated three months after the official date of her mother's death.
Elena lowered her weapon slightly.
"How is this possible?"
Rachel swallowed.
"Because your mother didn't die when you were told she did."
Daniel stepped closer.
"Where was she?"
"Under police protection. At least, that's what she was supposed to have."
"What happened?"
Rachel looked down.
"Black Lantern happened."
She explained that Elena's mother, Margaret Cross, had worked as a confidential source for Detective Michael Reeves.
She had helped uncover evidence that several senior officers were selling information to criminal organizations.
When the investigation began to collapse, Margaret agreed to testify.
But someone leaked her identity.
She was moved between safe houses until one night, the vehicle transporting her was attacked.
Rachel had been driving.
Margaret survived the initial attack.
But she never reached the hospital.
"Who killed her?" Elena asked.
Rachel looked at her.
"William Foster."
Daniel frowned.
"Sergeant Foster?"
Rachel nodded.
"He was the man running the operation."
Elena felt the room tilt.
"Captain Hayes said Black Lantern was over."
"Hayes doesn't control it anymore."
"Then who does?"
Rachel hesitated.
"Someone above him."
Elena stepped forward.
"Give me a name."
Rachel shook her head.
"I don't have one."
"Then why should I believe you?"
Rachel pointed toward the folder.
"Because I have something that proves it."
She removed a small memory card.
"Everything on here was recorded during the final days of Black Lantern. It includes financial transactions, police communications, and a list of witnesses who were eliminated."
Daniel reached for it.
Rachel pulled her hand back.
"There's one condition."
"What?"
"You have to promise that neither of you will trust the department."
Elena frowned.
"You're asking us to work outside the law?"
"I'm asking you to understand that the law is being used against you."
Before Elena could respond, a gunshot exploded somewhere outside the archive.
Rachel dropped to the floor.