Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN WHO NEVER DIEDThe paper burned to ash.

Evelyn smiled.

“You'll never know.”

Willow stared.

“Who was Mia's real mother?”

Evelyn said nothing.

Josiah lowered his gun.

“Tell me.”

“No.”

“I'll kill you.”

“You already lost.”

Evelyn pulled a lever.

A steel door slammed down between them.

Gas began filling the tunnel.

Willow grabbed Mia.

“Run!”

They sprinted.

Josiah kicked open another passage.

Adrian pulled Willow forward.

Behind them, Evelyn's laughter echoed.

Then stopped.

A massive explosion shook the tunnel.

The building trembled.

Stone collapsed.

They barely escaped.

Outside, sirens filled the streets.

But Evelyn was gone.

So was the final page.

For hours, nobody spoke.

Then Willow noticed something in Mia's hand.

“What is that?”

Mia opened her fingers.

A small piece of burned paper.

She had taken it from the floor.

Willow carefully unfolded it.

Most of the page was gone.

But three words remained.

ELENA IS ALIVE.

Josiah stopped breathing.

“No.”

Adrian looked at him.

“That's impossible.”

Mia whispered:

“Mommy?”

Willow stared at Josiah.

“You said she died.”

“I watched her funeral.”

“You said there was a body.”

“Yes.”

“Did you ever see her face?”

Josiah didn't answer.

Willow understood.

He hadn't.

The coffin had been sealed after the fire.

A horrible possibility surfaced.

Elena had never died.

She had disappeared.

And someone had spent eight years making Josiah believe otherwise.

They returned to the church.

The hidden box was gone.

But a message had been carved into the altar.

COME ALONE, JOSIAH.

Underneath:

SHE HAS BEEN WAITING.

Josiah looked at Willow.

“I have to go.”

“No.”

“It's about Elena.”

“Exactly.”

She grabbed his arm.

“This is another trap.”

Josiah looked at Mia.

The little girl had tears in her eyes.

“Daddy, don't leave.”

Josiah crouched.

“I'll come back.”

Mia hugged him.

But as Josiah walked away, Willow noticed something.

Mia's expression had changed.

“What?”

Mia whispered:

“I remember.”

“Remember what?”

“The woman from my room.”

Willow froze.

“Evelyn?”

Mia shook her head.

“No.”

“Then who?”

Mia looked toward the church doors.

“Mommy.”

Willow's heart stopped.

“What?”

“She wasn't dead.”

“When?”

“Every birthday.”

Mia started crying.

“She came to see me.”

Willow grabbed her shoulders.

“Why didn't you tell anyone?”

“She said Daddy would die if I did.”

Suddenly footsteps echoed behind them.

Willow turned.

A woman stood in the doorway.

Older.

Pale.

Rain dripping from her coat.

Mia screamed.

“Mommy!”

Willow couldn't move.

Josiah's wife.

Elena.

Alive.

Elena looked at Mia.

Then at Willow.

Then whispered:

“I’m sorry.”

Willow stepped forward.

“You let him believe you were dead.”

“I had no choice.”

“Who was after you?”

Elena looked toward the dark street.

“The same people who are after you.”

“Why?”

She looked at Willow.

“Because you were never supposed to survive Project Mirror.”

Willow felt cold.

Elena continued:

“You were the first child.”

“The original.”

“The experiment was built around you.”

Then Elena looked at Mia.

“And Mia was supposed to be the replacement.”

Willow's blood ran cold.

“What?”

Elena stepped closer.

“But I stopped them.”

Josiah suddenly appeared at the doorway.

He stared at Elena.

His face shattered.

“Elena?”

She turned.

For one impossible second, neither moved.

Then Josiah whispered:

“You're alive.”

Elena cried.

“Yes.”

He stepped toward her.

But she backed away.

“Don't.”

“Why?”

“Because they followed me.”

A laser sight appeared on Elena's chest.

Willow screamed.

A gunshot rang out.

Elena collapsed.

Josiah caught her.

Blood spread across his hands.

Mia screamed.

Willow looked toward the shooter.

A familiar man stood across the street.

Caleb.

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He lowered his weapon.

And smiled.