Chapter 8
The Witness Who Looked Away
Ada stood in the aftermath of the shattered winter glasshouse, a place that had once been a refuge of vibrant colors and life, now reduced to a tangle of broken glass and wilted plants. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and splintered wood, a stark contrast to the sterile efficiency of the people bustling around her, clipboards in hand, phones pressed to ears. Each person moved with a determined purpose, but Ada sensed the collective façade forming around them, a comforting lie that settled too quickly. She could feel it in the way they skirted direct questions, their eyes darting away like startled birds.
Beside her, Roman stood firm, close enough that their bodies almost brushed, yet he kept his distance. It was a deliberate choice, a silent agreement that spoke more than words ever could. The tension between them was palpable, an undercurrent of unspoken emotions swirling beneath the surface.
"A professional ally gives a clue that points toward a loved one," Ada muttered, her voice just above a whisper, her gaze fixed on the chaos around them.
“Then we make them show us where it leads,” Roman replied, his tone steady, the weight of his resolve evident in the way he squared his shoulders.
They had zeroed in on a detail that everyone else had overlooked: a time stamp on an email, an access card misplaced at the wrong moment, and a line in a report that didn’t match the handwriting of the person who authored it. Mira had warned Ada that the truth rarely revealed itself as a confession; instead, it emerged as a piece of the mundane desperately seeking to blend in.
As they approached the next door, Ada’s heart raced, an inescapable recognition dawning on her. The proof they sought could save them, but it also threatened to drag their loved ones into the same line of fire. Roman caught the flicker of concern on her face, and she felt his hand settle at the small of her back—a gentle warmth that ignited her resolve. But then, he withdrew his hand, leaving her yearning for the contact.
"Tell me what you need," he urged, his voice low and steady, a lifeline in the chaos.
For the first time since everything had gone wrong, Ada found herself speechless. She looked into his eyes, seeing the control he was relinquishing, and in that moment, she made the only choice that felt honest: to keep moving forward with him, to trust in their shared purpose.
The witness they had tracked down stood waiting, a shadow of uncertainty crossing her face as she met Roman’s gaze. “I was told you would not survive this,” she said, her voice shaky, the weight of her words hanging in the air like the dust motes swirling in the dim light.
Roman’s expression hardened, a flicker of anger flashing across his features. “That’s not a prophecy, it’s a threat. Who told you that?”
Ada stepped closer, her instincts kicking in. She could feel the witness’s fear rippling through the air. “We’re not here to hurt you. We need to know what you’ve seen.”
The woman hesitated, biting her lip, her gaze darting to the door as if considering escape. “I... I can’t get involved. People are watching.”
“People are always watching,” Roman said, his voice firm yet low, trying to coax the truth out of her. “But we’re not the enemy. We’re trying to protect the ones we love.”
Ada shifted her weight, drawing closer to the witness. “Please. Just tell us what you know. It could save lives.”
The witness took a shaky breath, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I saw something—something I wasn’t supposed to. It’s connected to the access card and the time stamp. But if I tell you… they’ll come after me.”
“Let us help you,” Roman pressed, stepping even closer, his sincerity breaking through her fear. “We can protect you.”
The woman hesitated, glancing over her shoulder as if expecting someone to burst through the door at any moment. Finally, she nodded, albeit reluctantly. “It’s not just my life at stake. You have to understand that.”
“I do,” Ada said, her heart pounding. “But right now, we need each other.”
The witness swallowed hard, her resolve crumbling. “Alright. The access card… it belongs to someone high up. Someone who’s been manipulating everything. The truth is buried deep, but if you dig…”
Before she could finish, the door creaked open behind them, a silhouette framed in the doorway. Ada’s stomach dropped.
“Looks like we have company,” Roman murmured, his eyes narrowing as he shifted, instinctively placing himself between Ada and the door.
The tension in the room thickened, a palpable sense of dread settling over them. Just as Roman prepared to confront the new arrival, Ada knew they were at a crossroads—one that could change everything.