Chapter 14 - Daniel stared at his future self.“What does that mean?”
The duplicate descended the stairs.
“Anna cannot leave.”
Daniel kept his weapon raised.
“Leave what?”
“The bloodline.”
Lily gripped Daniel’s hand.
“She needs a vessel.”
The duplicate nodded.
“And Lily is the strongest vessel ever created.”
Emma whispered:
“She doesn’t want Lily.”
“She wants everyone.”
Daniel looked at Lily.
“How do we stop her?”
The duplicate smiled.
“You don’t.”
Daniel fired.
The bullet missed.
The duplicate disappeared into the smoke.
Emma shouted:
“Daniel!”
A wall collapsed between them.
Lily was separated.
Daniel screamed.
“Lily!”
He dug through the rubble.
Nothing.
Then he heard her voice.
“Daddy.”
A small hand emerged.
Daniel grabbed it.
He pulled her free.
She hugged him tightly.
“I was scared.”
Daniel kissed her forehead.
“I’ve got you.”
Lily looked up.
“No, Daddy.”
“What?”
“You don’t.”
Daniel frowned.
She pointed behind him.
The duplicate stood there.
Holding Emma at gunpoint.
Daniel froze.
“Drop the weapon.”
The duplicate shook his head.
“You still don’t understand.”
“Let her go.”
“I tried.”
“Tried what?”
“To save you.”
The duplicate looked at Lily.
“She remembers everything.”
Lily stared at him.
“You killed me.”
Daniel’s eyes widened.
“What?”
The duplicate looked ashamed.
“I did.”
“When?”
“In every future.”
Silence.
Lily continued.
“You always choose the house.”
Daniel stared.
“What house?”
“The mansion.”
The duplicate lowered his gun.
“Every time the program activates, the mansion burns.”
“What happens to Lily?”
“She dies.”
Daniel’s voice broke.
“How?”
“I kill her.”
Emma whispered:
“That’s why he keeps coming back.”
Daniel looked at the duplicate.
“You’re trying to stop the cycle.”
“Yes.”
“By killing my daughter?”
“I thought that was the only way.”
Lily stepped forward.
“It isn’t.”
Everyone turned.
She walked toward the center of the hall.
Her wrist glowed.
Daniel shouted:
“Lily, stop!”
She turned.
“Daddy, you have to trust me.”
“I do.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You trust the little girl.”
Daniel froze.
She continued.
“But I’m not only her anymore.”
The duplicate lowered his gun.
“What are you doing?”
“Ending it.”
Lily closed her eyes.
Every light in the mansion exploded.
Daniel heard thousands of voices.
Then silence.
The duplicate screamed.
His body began fading.
“No!”
He reached toward Lily.
“You can’t erase us!”
Lily whispered:
“I’m not erasing you.”
She opened her eyes.
“I’m returning you.”
The duplicate vanished.
Emma collapsed.
Daniel caught her.
“What happened?”
She whispered:
“The memories.”
The underground facility below them began exploding.
Daniel carried Lily.
“Move!”
They ran toward the front doors.
Behind them, the mansion shook violently.
The old clock shattered.
The fire disappeared.
The walls stopped collapsing.
For a moment, everything was still.
Then a single scream came from underground.
Daniel stopped.
“Anna.”
Emma nodded.
“She’s trapped.”
Daniel looked at Lily.
“Is it over?”
Lily shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“She found another way.”
“What way?”
Lily pointed toward the front door.
A man stood outside.
Daniel froze.
It was his father.
Impossible.
His father had been dead for twelve years.
The man smiled.
“You have done well, Daniel.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
“You’re not my father.”
The man’s expression changed.
“Correct.”
Lily began crying.
Daniel looked at her.
“What is it?”
She whispered:
“That’s the first body.”
The man took one step forward.
And spoke in Anna’s voice.
“You should have stayed downstairs.”
Daniel lifted the gun.
May you like
Then the man smiled.
“Because now I am free.”
