Chapter 6 - PROJECT MIRRORWillow read the words again.

And again.

Her hands began shaking.

“The original?”

Josiah nodded.

“We need answers before we move.”

“No.”

Willow looked at him.

“We need Mia.”

“You'll die.”

“Then don't let me.”

Josiah stared at her.

He had spent his entire life giving orders.

For once, someone wasn't waiting for permission.

Adrian interrupted.

“They're expecting you.”

Willow turned.

“Then we go.”

The location led to an abandoned theater.

Once magnificent.

Now rotting.

The doors opened by themselves.

Inside, a projector flickered to life.

A video began.

A younger Elena appeared on the screen.

She was holding a baby.

Willow gasped.

The baby wasn't Mia.

It was her.

Her mother appeared beside Elena.

Willow's breath stopped.

Elena's recorded voice played.

“If you are watching this, then Project Mirror failed.”

Willow covered her mouth.

The footage showed hospital rooms.

Two babies.

Two bassinets.

One marked MIA.

One marked WILLOW.

Josiah stared in disbelief.

“What is this?”

Adrian whispered:

“They were experimenting with identity transfer.”

Willow turned.

“Identity transfer?”

“Not science fiction.”

He pointed at the screen.

“Records. Names. Blood types. Family histories. Legal documents. They could erase a child's identity and replace it with another.”

Willow shook her head.

“Why?”

Adrian answered:

“To create heirs.”

The recording continued.

Elena looked directly into the camera.

“Josiah, if you're watching this, I need you to understand. Mia is your daughter. But the reason she survived is because another child was placed in the project.”

Willow stared.

“That child was me.”

The projector showed her father's face.

He was alive.

Older.

Exhausted.

He spoke directly to the camera.

“Willow, I'm sorry.”

She started crying.

“I couldn't save you.”

A door slammed.

Everyone turned.

Mia's voice echoed from backstage.

“Willow!”

She ran.

Josiah followed.

They entered a hidden room.

Mia was chained to a chair.

A man stood behind her.

Caleb.

He smiled.

“Welcome.”

Josiah raised his gun.

Caleb shook his head.

“Shoot me, and she dies.”

Josiah stopped.

Willow stepped forward.

“You wanted me.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Caleb laughed.

“Because your father built the system.”

“My father?”

“He designed Project Mirror.”

Willow froze.

“No.”

“He created the technology.”

Caleb's expression darkened.

“Then he tried to destroy it.”

Willow stared.

“Where is he?”

Caleb smiled.

“Behind you.”

She turned.

A man stood in the doorway.

Older.

Gray-haired.

His face lined with pain.

Willow whispered:

“Dad?”

The man looked at her.

His eyes filled with tears.

“Yes.”

Willow couldn't move.

Twenty-four years.

All the anger.

All the grief.

All the unanswered questions.

She took one step forward.

Then stopped.

“You let me believe you were dead.”

“I had to.”

“Why?”

“Because if they knew you were alive, they'd use you to reach me.”

Willow cried.

“You could have told me.”

“I tried.”

He looked toward Caleb.

“They intercepted every message.”

Caleb laughed.

“Enough family reunion.”

He pulled a gun.

Mia screamed.

Josiah fired first.

Chaos exploded.

Bullets ripped through the walls.

Willow pulled Mia to the floor.

Her father tackled Caleb.

Adrian shot the lights.

Darkness.

Then a terrible silence.

When the emergency lights returned, Caleb was gone.

So was Willow's father.

Only blood remained.

Willow stared at the doorway.

Mia reached for her hand.

“Did he die?”

Willow didn't answer.

Josiah found a piece of paper on the floor.

He unfolded it.

His eyes hardened.

“What?”

Willow asked.

Josiah turned the paper toward her.

A list of names.

At the top:

JOSIAH VALE.

Second:

WILLOW REED.

Third:

MIA VALE.

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Then one final line.

EXECUTION DATE: TOMORROW.