Chapter 17 - THE CHILDREN WHO WERE NEVER ON THE LISTThe three missing children were found two days later.
But they were not found together.
They were discovered in different cities.
Each one had been transported hundreds of miles away.
Each child claimed the same thing.
A woman had told them they were being taken to a special school.
A school for gifted children.
A school that did not officially exist.
Emma examined their belongings.
One of the children had a small wooden chess piece.
A black knight.
Another had a black notebook.
The third had a strange scar on his wrist.
Emma stared at the scar.
It was shaped like the letter M.
Martha immediately contacted the police.
But before they could investigate further, the three children vanished again.
This time, from a secure hospital.
The security cameras showed nothing.
No intruders.
No alarms.
No open doors.
The only thing left behind was a message written on the wall.
THE CHILDREN WERE NEVER MISSING.
Jonathan read the message.
“What does that mean?”
Emma slowly answered:
“They were never the target.”
Martha stared at her.
“Then who was?”
Emma looked at the Foundation.
“Me.”
That night, Emma received another message.
This time, it was not a letter.
It was a chess move.
A photograph of a chessboard.
One white pawn had been moved forward.
Underneath it was a sentence:
YOUR MOVE.
Emma stared at the board for several seconds.
Then she smiled.
Martha immediately became alarmed.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because they made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“They think I’m playing against them.”
May you like
Emma picked up a white knight.
“But I’m not.”
