Chapter 16: The Man Who Was Also Targeted
The hospital hallway smelled like disinfectant and fear.
Those two things seemed to follow our family everywhere now.
Everywhere we went, there was another secret.
Another accusation.
Another person we thought we understood.
And another reason to question everything.
I stood outside Michael’s hospital room with Claire beside me.
She hadn’t spoken much during the drive.
Not because she didn’t care.
Because she was trying to understand how someone who had once been her closest family could become connected to something so destructive.
“He’s my brother,” she whispered.
I looked at her.
“I know.””
“But I hate what he did.””
I nodded.
“That’s okay.””
She looked at me.
“What?””
“You can love someone and still be hurt by them.””
She looked away.
“I don’t know if I still love him.””
That was the kind of pain nobody prepared you for.
Not anger.
Not hatred.
Just confusion.
A person can hurt you and still be someone you remember loving.
The hospital door opened.
Officer Hill stepped out.
“He’s awake.””
Claire immediately moved forward.
Then stopped.
“What did he say?””
The officer looked serious.
“He asked for you.””
I looked at Claire.
She hesitated.
Then walked inside.
I followed.
Michael looked older than I remembered.
The confident man from family gatherings was gone.
His face was bruised.
His arm was wrapped.
There was fear in his eyes.
When he saw Claire, he looked away.
“I knew you would come.””
Claire stared at him.
“I don’t know why.””
Michael swallowed.
“I deserve that.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Claire asked:
“Why?””
The question was simple.
But it carried years of pain.
“Why did you do this?””
Michael closed his eyes.
“I didn’t.””
I felt anger rise.
“Michael.””
“No.””
His voice became stronger.
“I made mistakes. I was angry. I was bitter. But I didn’t do this.””
Claire stepped closer.
“We found your notebook.””
His face changed.
That was enough.
“You know about that?””
“Yes.””
Michael looked down.
“I wrote those things.””
“Why?””
He didn’t answer.
“Why did you study my children?””
His eyes filled.
“Because I was trying to understand.””
“Understand what?””
“Who was manipulating them.””
The room went quiet.
I looked at him.
“What?””
Michael took a painful breath.
“Three months ago, I found out something was wrong.””
“With what?””
“Daniel Mercer.””
That name again.
Always Daniel.
Michael continued.
“I saw Ethan meeting with him.””
My expression changed.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
“Then why didn’t you tell us?””
Michael looked ashamed.
“Because I didn’t know who to trust.””
The irony almost hurt.
Because that was exactly how we all felt.
“So you made a notebook?””
“Yes.””
“Tracking us?””
“No.””
He looked at Claire.
“I was tracking patterns.””
“That’s not better.””
“I know.””
Michael looked broken.
“I handled it wrong.””
I believed him.
Not because he was innocent.
Because guilt sounded different from manipulation.
“What happened tonight?”” I asked.
Michael looked at me.
“Someone came after me.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“Did you see them?””
He nodded.
“One person.””
“Who?””
Michael hesitated.
Then said:
“Ethan.””
Nobody spoke.
Claire stared.
“Ethan attacked you?””
Michael shook his head.
“No.””
“Then who?””
Michael looked toward the window.
“He told me he was trying to warn me.””
That made no sense.
“Warn you?””
“Yes.””
“About what?””
Michael’s voice dropped.
“About Daniel.””
The pieces shifted again.
A new possibility.
Ethan wasn’t the mastermind.
He wasn’t even the true enemy.
Maybe he was another person trapped inside something bigger.
“What exactly did Ethan say?”” Officer Hill asked.
Michael looked at him.
“He said Daniel had been controlling people for years.””
The room went silent.
“Years?””
Michael nodded.
“He doesn’t just manipulate students.””
“Who else?””
Michael looked at Claire.
And then at me.
“Parents.””
The word landed heavily.
“How?””
“Trust.””
Michael continued.
“Daniel knows what people want to hear.””
I thought about it.
The speeches.
The encouragement.
The advice.
The way he made everyone feel special.
“He creates loyalty.””
“Yes.””
“And then?””
“He uses it.””
A chill ran through me.
Because suddenly, I remembered something.
The night Maya cried.
Daniel had called.
He had asked about Jordan.
He had asked about our family.
He had been collecting information.
Not helping.
Collecting.
“Why did he target Jordan?”” I asked.
Michael looked at me.
“Because Jordan was the one person he couldn’t control.””
My son.
Again.
The person who stood between Daniel and whatever he wanted.
“Where is Daniel now?”” Officer Hill asked.
Michael’s expression changed.
“He’s leaving.””
“What?””
“He knows people are getting close.””
“How do you know?””
Michael looked uncomfortable.
“Because he told me.””
“When?””
“Before I was attacked.””
“What did he say?””
Michael whispered:
“He said the final step was already happening.””
My heart sank.
“Final step?””
Michael nodded.
“He said after tonight, your family would destroy itself.””
Nobody spoke.
Because that was the plan.
Not just to hurt us.
May you like
To make us turn against each other.
And he had almost succeeded.
