Chapter 3 - The Empty Grave
Damian crushed the plastic bracelet in his fist.
He refused to believe his sister was still alive.
He ordered Doctor Evans to stay in the bunker and protect the child.
Damian grabbed a heavy flashlight and a crowbar from the supply closet.
He told Luca to grab a shovel and follow him outside.
They walked silently toward the private family cemetery on the edge of the estate.
The moon was hidden behind thick, dark clouds.
They reached the massive marble mausoleum holding the Romano family.
Damian inserted his iron key and pushed the heavy iron doors open.
The air inside was stale and smelled of dried roses.
He walked directly to the stone sarcophagus engraved with his father's name.
Damian jammed the crowbar under the heavy marble lid.
Luca helped him push with all his strength.
The stone lid slid off and crashed onto the floor.
Damian shined his flashlight into the coffin.
It was completely empty.
There were no bones, no clothes, and no dust.
His father had never been buried there.
Damian immediately rushed to the smaller sarcophagus belonging to Elena.
They pried the lid off with frantic energy.
Damian looked inside and let out a breathless curse.
Elena's coffin was filled to the brim with heavy red bricks.
The funerals had been a complete lie engineered to fool the entire syndicate.
Suddenly, a strange noise broke the silence of the tomb.
It was a muffled, electronic vibration.
Damian reached his hand into the pile of bricks inside his sister's coffin.
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He dug past the top layer and pulled out a modern burner phone.
The screen illuminated the dark tomb with an incoming call.
