The voice he had tried to remember without allowing memory to change it.
“The eastern access corridor is blocked,” the recording continued. “Emergency power is failing. There are people inside the lower rehearsal rooms.”
A man’s voice responded, but the words were buried beneath interference.
Celeste spoke again.
“The red beacon is active. Do you see it?”
Ana leaned toward the receiver.
“The rescue team reported that no beacon was operating that night.”
The recording cracked.
Celeste’s voice returned.
“The generator batteries have been removed. Someone took them before the impact.”
The audience began whispering.
Marcus walked toward the technician.
“Disconnect it.”
The technician hesitated.
“I said disconnect it.”
Theo struck the railing with his palm.
Everyone turned toward him.
His face had lost all color.
He pointed at the receiver.
His mouth opened.
“Seven.”
The word was rough and barely louder than a breath.
Julian stared at him.
“Theo?”
The boy swallowed painfully.
“Channel seven.”
Julian’s eyes filled with tears.
He reached for his son, but Theo stepped past him and moved toward the receiver.
Ana adjusted the frequency.
A new layer of static filled the hall.
Then came the sound of heavy breathing.
Celeste’s voice returned, clearer than before.
“Theo is with me. He saw the man in the relay room.”
The boy closed his eyes.
The stage disappeared from his mind.
He was eleven years old again.
He remembered the building shaking.
He remembered emergency lights flashing red across the corridor.
Celeste had been holding his hand as they ran toward the lower exit. Snow and stone crashed against the roof. Somewhere in the darkness, people screamed.
They had reached the relay room before the second impact.
The door was open.
A man stood inside.
He was removing two emergency batteries from beneath the communication desk.
Theo had recognized him.
The man who attended every family dinner.
The man who called himself Julian’s oldest friend.
Marcus Vane.
Celeste had demanded an explanation.
Marcus told her there was no time.
She had tried to take the batteries from him.
He pushed her against the desk.
Then he saw Theo standing in the doorway.
Marcus had knelt in front of the boy and placed both hands on his shoulders.
He had spoken very calmly.
If Theo told anyone what he had seen, Julian would be blamed for everything.
The foundation would collapse.
His father would lose his music, his home, and his freedom.
People would say Celeste had caused the disaster by interfering with the emergency system.
Theo had believed him.
For four years, he had carried Marcus’s warning inside him.
He had believed that every word might destroy his father.
On the stage, Julian watched memory return to his son’s face.
“Theo,” he said gently. “You are safe.”
Theo looked at Marcus.
His next words came slowly, but each one was clear.
“You took the batteries.”
The hall became completely still.
Marcus shook his head.
“You were a frightened child.”
“You locked the relay door.”
“That is not true.”
“Mom tried to stop you.”
Marcus looked toward the exits.
Two security officers moved closer, but it was no longer clear whether they were protecting him or preventing him from leaving.
Ana restarted the recording.
Celeste’s voice filled the hall.
“Marcus removed the emergency batteries. He is trying to destroy the financial records stored in the lower archive.”
A loud metallic crash followed.
Then Marcus’s recorded voice could be heard in the background.
“You don’t understand what is at stake.”
Celeste answered.
“I understand perfectly. You stole from the foundation, and now you are willing to let people die to hide it.”
The recording ended in a blast of static.
Marcus stood beneath the lights with hundreds of faces turned toward him.
His public smile was gone.
Julian approached him.
“The missing foundation money.”
Marcus said nothing.
“You told us the accounts were destroyed in the avalanche.”
“They were destroyed.”
“Because you made certain the archive lost power.”
Marcus lowered his voice.
“I protected Winter Hall.”
“You protected yourself.”
“You think donors would have returned if they knew the truth? You think this building would be standing tonight?”
“Seven people died.”
“The avalanche killed them.”
“The emergency system might have saved them.”
Marcus’s eyes flashed with anger.
“You built your career in this hall, Julian. Do not pretend you are innocent. You accepted the official report because it allowed you to survive.”
Julian recoiled as though he had been struck.
Marcus was right about one thing.
Julian had accepted the report.