Chapter 14
No Safe Way Home
Nora had learned that a crisis became most dangerous after everyone decided they understood it. The cathedral and Ashcroft hotel boardroom buzzed with a frenetic energy, a cacophony of clipped voices and rustling papers. People moved with purpose, clutching clipboards and phones, each carrying their version of the same lie. The official story had settled around them too quickly, like a heavy fog that dulled the edges of reality. Nora felt its suffocating weight every time someone avoided a direct question, their eyes darting away as if the truth was a live wire they dared not touch.
Julian stood beside her, close enough for their proximity to suggest unity, but he didn’t touch her. His restraint mattered. It gave Nora the power to decide the distance between them, a choice she felt acutely in the tension crackling in the air. She could sense the unspoken currents of their relationship swirling beneath the surface, each moment charged with possibility.
"A loved one is taken, harmed, or coerced; the protagonist chooses action over escape," Nora murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, laced with urgency.
"Then we make them show us where it leads," Julian replied, his gaze sharp and focused.
They honed in on the details everyone else had overlooked: a time stamp that didn’t align, a misplaced access card, a line in a chart that contradicted the person who had written it. Ivy had warned her that the truth would not arrive as a confession; it would emerge as something someone had tried too hard to make ordinary, like a cracked reflection in a polished surface.
When the next door swung open, the harsh fluorescent light spilled into the room, illuminating the anxious faces of their colleagues. Nora’s stomach turned at the realization of what being right might cost. The proof they sought could save them, but it also had the potential to pull everyone they loved into the crosshairs of danger. Julian caught the flicker of dread in her eyes, his expression shifting from determination to concern. His hand settled at the small of her back, warm through the fabric of her blouse. The reassuring touch was brief, but it sent a jolt through her, grounding her in the moment before it went still.
"Tell me what you need," he urged, his voice low yet firm, as if he were extending a lifeline.
For the first time since the chaos began, Nora found herself at a loss for a concrete plan. She looked into Julian’s dark eyes, searching for clarity in the midst of turmoil. The control he was willingly giving away created a rush of emotion in her chest. Instead of formulating a strategy, she made the only honest choice available: to keep moving forward with him.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself against the uncertainty. "We need to find out who accessed the security logs last. If they know we’re onto them, they’ll cover their tracks."
He nodded, understanding. "Let’s head to the IT department. They might still have a record of it."
As they navigated through the labyrinthine hallways of the hotel, Nora’s heart raced with every step. The walls felt like they were closing in, and the polished wood of the floors echoed her anxiety. The scent of fresh paint mingled with the stale air, a reminder of the facade they were all trapped in. They reached the IT department, the door slightly ajar, and paused to collect themselves.
Nora glanced at Julian, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if they’re already onto us?"
"We’ll have to act fast," he replied, his resolve unwavering. "We can't show any signs of weakness."
With a nod, she pushed the door open. The room was dimly lit, filled with the hum of computers and the faint glow of screens. A technician hunched over a monitor, his fingers flying over the keyboard. He looked up, startled, and then recognition dawned on his face.
"Nora, Julian, what are you doing here?" he asked, concern etching lines on his forehead.
"We need your help," Nora said, urgency lacing her words. "We’re looking for access logs. It’s about the recent incident."
The technician hesitated, glancing around as if the walls had ears. "You know that’s sensitive information, right? I can’t just—"
"Please," Julian interjected, his tone sharp. "This is bigger than you realize. Lives are at stake."
The technician’s eyes widened, and for a moment, Nora thought he might refuse. But then something shifted in his expression, a flicker of understanding. "Okay, but you didn’t hear this from me."
As he began typing, the air thickened with anticipation. Nora held her breath, the weight of the moment pressing down on her. The screen lit up with data, lines of code whirling by, and she felt a sense of impending revelation.
But just as the technician was about to click on the relevant file, a loud crash echoed from the hallway, followed by shouts. Nora and Julian exchanged a glance, the realization dawning on them both. The danger was no longer a distant threat; it had arrived at their doorstep.
Before she could speak, the technician’s face drained of color. “You need to get out of here—now!”
The voice on the line gave Nora one choice and waited for an answer.