The Unknown

27

Dominic Hayes

I stood in the kitchen, mechanically chopping vegetables for lunch, my mind still reeling from the encounter with my dad, a few days before my birthday. It had been 18 years since I last saw him, and the reunion had left me with more questions than answers. Layton's voice broke the silence.

"Hey, need some help?" I turned, forcing a smile.

"Nah, I got this." But Layton knew me too well. She slid onto a stool, her eyes locked on mine.

"You're thinking about your dad, aren't you?" I nodded, the emotions still raw.

"I don't understand why he showed up after all these years. And what he said... it just doesn't add up."

"What do you mean?" She asked as her expression softened. I hesitated, trying to process my thoughts.

"He acted like he cared, like he wanted to make up for lost time. But I saw the way he looked at me like he was sizing me up."

Just then, Michael and Kira walked into the kitchen, chatting quietly. Michael noticed the tension and raised an eyebrow.

"Everything okay?" Layton nodded, but I just shook my head. Kira's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"What's going on?" I said. Michael poured himself a glass of water, his eyes fixed on me.

"You're still thinking about your dad, aren't you?" He asked me.

I nodded, feeling a sense of unease. What did Kyle want from me after all these years? Kira pulled out a dusty old document from behind her back.

"I found something that might interest you, Dominic. It's about your dad." I took the document from Kira.

"What is this?" Kira hesitated.

"I was digging through some old files and this was hidden away. It looks like a confidential agreement between Kyle, and a shell company." Michael's eyes narrowed.

"What kind of agreement?" I scanned the pages.

"It says here that Kyle made a deal with this company to hide assets, money, and properties and in return, they'd provide him with protection and resources." Layton's grip on my hand tightened.

"That sounds like he was hiding his empire from someone." Layton said. I nodded.

"But who? And why?" Kira's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"I think there's more to it. I found a note attached to the document it mentions something about a 'Package' and a specific location." Michael's expression turned grim.

"Let's get to work." Michael said, his eyes scanning the document.

"We need to find out what this Package is and where it's located." Layton nodded, I knew her mind already racing with possibilities.

"I'll start digging into the shell company, and see if I can find any connections." Kira pulled out her laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard.

"I'll try to hack into the company's database, and see if I can find any mentions of whatever this Package is."

I stepped away from the group, my phone buzzing in my pocket. I pulled it out, and I saw an unknown number.

"Meet me at this location at 5 pm. We need to talk business. -K"

I knew that "K" immediately. It was Kyle. I felt a mix of emotions anger, curiosity, and a hint of fear. What did he want to talk about? And why now? I showed the message to the group, my mind racing with possibilities.