[INT. ABANDONED HOUSE – BASEMENT – NIGHT]
The cold of the stone floor creeps into Harriet's bare feet as she kneels beside Fred, who's slumped against the wall. Blood pools beneath his leg, the bullet wound raw and angry. His face is pale, but his grip on her trembling hand is still strong.
Mr. Vance stands in the center of the room like a conductor commanding chaos. Behind him, Liora leans against the cracked vault wall — the once-hidden chamber where all their pain seems to converge.
Fred grits his teeth, staring Vance down.
FRED
(low, bitter)
"You think you can scare me with your ghost stories?"
MR. VANCE
(calm, smirking)
"No. But maybe the truth will break her."
He steps closer to Harriet, crouching in front of her, fingers grazing her chin with cruel familiarity.
MR. VANCE
"You really don't remember, do you?"
Harriet glares at him, heart pounding. Behind her, Rufei struggles against the two men holding him, blood on his lips, but fire in his eyes.
HARRIET
"I remember this house… the piano... the fire in winter. But the vault? The secrets? No."
MR. VANCE
(quietly, venomous)
"Your father stole from us. From all of us. He was a government man… and a liar."
Liora tosses a manila folder to the ground. Photos spill out — grainy surveillance stills, confidential documents, a blueprint of the house.
LIORA
(smiling darkly)
"They think your father hid the truth here. A list of corrupt officials, a ledger of bribes, maybe even evidence that could destroy everything."
Harriet's eyes flicker over the papers, mind spinning.
MR. VANCE
"Your mother begged. Said it wasn't worth it. But your father locked it all away — behind a biometric vault that only recognizes two bloodlines."
His eyes gleam.
MR. VANCE
"Yours… and his."
He points to Fred.
Harriet turns sharply to Fred, disbelief widening her eyes.
HARRIET
"You…? How?"
Fred breathes raggedly, staring up at the cracked ceiling — like the memories are leaking through every crevice.
FRED
"I was here… once. Years ago. My mother worked for your family — I didn't know the details, I was just a kid."
(beat)
FRED
"I remember the girl hiding in the garden... you gave me a red candy and said you were scared of the dark."
His voice softens, pain glinting through.
FRED
"I never forgot your face."
A tear slips from Harriet's lashes, silent, salty.
HARRIET
"Why didn't you tell me?"
FRED
(bitterly)
"Because every time I tried… I saw you with Rufei. I saw the kiss. I thought… maybe fate already made her choice."
Rufei flinches, but his voice is calm when he speaks.
RUFEI
(quiet)
"And you still followed her. Every day. Like a shadow."
Fred doesn't deny it.
MR. VANCE
(amused)
"How poetic. The girl caught between two men — one her past, the other her undoing."
He cocks the gun again and steps toward Fred.
HARRIET
(screaming)
"NO! Please — I'll do it. I'll open it."
MR. VANCE
"Smart girl."
---
[INT. VAULT ROOM – MOMENTS LATER]
Harriet's fingers tremble as she places them on the rusted biometric pad embedded into the vault wall. Fred drags himself to his feet beside her, leaning on the wall, breathing heavily.
The panel scans.
SYSTEM VOICE:
"PARTIAL DNA MATCH CONFIRMED. SECOND KEY REQUIRED."
Fred steps forward.
Harriet grabs his arm.
HARRIET
(soft, terrified)
"If we open this... everything changes."
Fred meets her gaze — his hand over hers.
FRED
"It already has."
He presses his palm to the scanner.
SYSTEM VOICE:
"MATCH CONFIRMED. ACCESS GRANTED."
The vault hisses open.
A wall shifts. Dust swirls like ghosts rising from graves.
Inside the chamber: rows of sealed boxes, a large metal trunk, and in the center — an old painting. Torn at the edges. Of a young woman holding a red umbrella.
Harriet steps forward, eyes wide.
HARRIET
"My mother painted that..."
Fred kneels beside the metal trunk, cracking it open. Inside: stacks of ledgers, photographs, USB drives, letters… one with a seal marked Confidential – Internal Affairs.
Liora's smirk fades.
LIORA
"What is that?"
Fred flips through the documents, eyes widening.
FRED
"This... this could ruin half the political underworld in the country."
MR. VANCE
(gritting his teeth)
"That's why we need it. Give it to me."
Fred slowly stands, pulling a lighter from his pocket.
FRED
"You want it? Come take it."
Vance raises the gun — but Fred doesn't flinch.
FRED
"I'd rather burn it all... than let you destroy her too."
---
[To Be Continued...]