Chapter 2 - The Ghost Protocol
Adrien stared at the laptop speakers in absolute disbelief.
The humming was unmistakable.
It was the lullaby Claire used to sing, an obscure Italian folk song her grandmother had taught her.
And the mechanical click was exactly the sound of her gold locket snapping shut.
“Where did this recording come from?” Adrien demanded, his voice barely a whisper.
Elias typed furiously, his face pale in the glow of the screen.
“The audio file is embedded in the transmitter’s hardware,” Elias explained.
“It’s designed to play on a microscopic loop, probably intended to create a steady, rhythmic background noise to disguise the bug’s actual transmission frequency.”
“But how did they get a recording of my dead wife?” Adrien roared, slamming his fist on the mahogany desk.
Elias flinched but didn't look up from his screen.
“I’m running a deep scan on the file’s metadata,” Elias said.
“Wait. The creation date on this audio file...”
“What is it?” Adrien asked impatiently.
Elias looked up, his eyes wide behind his glasses.
“The file was created three days ago, Boss.”
Adrien froze.
Claire had been dead for eight months.
“That’s impossible,” Adrien stated flatly.
“Someone synthesized her voice using old recordings,” Elias suggested, though he didn't sound convinced.
“It’s highly advanced, but not impossible with the right AI software.”
Adrien shook his head.
“No AI can replicate the exact acoustic signature of that locket. It was a custom piece, one of a kind.”
He paced the length of his office, his mind racing through terrifying possibilities.
If the recording wasn't synthesized, that meant someone had recorded Claire recently.
Which meant Claire might not be dead.
The thought was like a physical blow to his chest.
He had identified her body at the morgue.
He had buried her.
He had watched the casket lowered into the ground.
But the crash had been horrific. The fire had been intense. The identification had been based primarily on dental records and a partially melted wedding ring.
Adrien stopped pacing and looked at Elias.
“I want the transmission source traced. Now,” Adrien ordered.
Elias nodded, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
“I’m trying, Boss, but the encryption is bouncing the signal off multiple proxy servers. It’s a ghost protocol.”
“I don't care if it’s bouncing off the moon, find it!” Adrien yelled.
The door to the office suddenly opened, and Marco stepped inside, looking grim.
“Boss, we have a problem,” Marco said.
“Elena and the girl are secure in the guest suite, but I just checked the exterior security footage.”
“And?” Adrien asked.
Marco pulled out a tablet and handed it to Adrien.
“Watch the footage from the service entrance, about an hour ago.”
Adrien took the tablet and watched the grainy black-and-white video.
A delivery van was parked near the kitchen entrance. A man in a uniform was unloading boxes.
But that wasn't what Marco wanted him to see.
In the background, standing near the edge of the woods that bordered the estate, was a figure dressed in a dark raincoat.
The figure was standing perfectly still, looking up at the second-floor windows.
Looking directly at the nursery.
The figure raised a hand and slowly waved.
Adrien zoomed in on the image, his heart pounding in his chest.
The resolution was poor, and the face was obscured by the hood of the raincoat.
But Adrien recognized the posture.
He recognized the way the figure stood, slightly favoring the left leg.
It was the exact same way Claire used to stand after she broke her ankle skiing five years ago.
The figure turned and disappeared into the trees.
Adrien handed the tablet back to Marco, his face unreadable.
“Lock down the estate. Nobody enters or leaves without my personal authorization,” Adrien commanded.
He turned back to Elias.
“Have you traced the signal yet?”
Elias looked up, his expression a mixture of triumph and sheer terror.
“Yes, Boss. I’ve pinpointed the receiver.”
“Where is it?” Adrien asked, grabbing his suit jacket.
May you like
Elias swallowed hard.
“It’s coming from inside the Moretti family mausoleum.”
