Chapter 12 - Rebecca didn't deny it.That was the worst part.
David looked at her.
She simply stood there.
Silent.
Emily was crying.
Mark lowered his weapon.
Thomas stared at Rebecca as if seeing her for the first time.
David finally spoke.
"Is it true?"
Rebecca's lips trembled.
"Yes."
David took a step backward.
"You created Echo?"
"Not alone."
"Then who were you?"
Rebecca closed her eyes.
"My name is Evelyn Cross."
David's heart sank.
"Dr. Cross?"
Nobody moved.
David looked toward the old hospital.
The woman who had helped him find Room 17.
The woman who had claimed to be trying to save him.
She wasn't there.
But now everything made sense.
Rebecca continued.
"I was the architect of the memory program."
David whispered:
"Why?"
"Because we were trying to stop something worse."
"What?"
"The replacement network."
She pointed toward the screens.
"Governments were replacing people."
"With copies?"
"With controlled identities."
David looked disgusted.
"And you?"
"I built the system that could give them new lives."
"Why?"
"To infiltrate them."
David laughed bitterly.
"So you became a monster to fight monsters."
Rebecca nodded.
"But then I realized we had become worse."
David stared.
"What happened to me?"
"You discovered the truth."
"And Daniel?"
"He was your partner."
"Did I kill him?"
"No."
Rebecca looked directly into David's eyes.
"Daniel was the first person who tried to destroy Echo."
"Why?"
"He discovered that the system was being used to erase innocent people."
David's mind flooded with images.
Daniel bleeding.
James shouting.
Rebecca crying.
A machine.
A burning room.
Then David understood.
"I didn't kill Daniel."
"No."
"Someone else did."
Rebecca nodded.
"Mercer."
David's fists clenched.
"Then why did I think I did?"
"Because Mercer altered your memories."
"And you let him."
Rebecca looked down.
"I couldn't stop him."
David's voice became colder.
"You could have told me."
"I tried."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Because Mercer threatened Emily."
Silence.
David understood the sacrifice.
But something still bothered him.
"Then why did you marry me?"
Rebecca smiled sadly.
"Because after everything was over, I wanted one part of your life to be real."
David stared at her.
"And was it?"
She whispered:
"Every second."
The speakers activated again.
The mysterious female voice returned.
"You always were sentimental, Evelyn."
Rebecca stiffened.
"Who are you?"
The voice laughed.
"You know."
A photograph appeared.
A woman.
Older.
Elegant.
Cold eyes.
David looked at Rebecca.
She whispered one word.
"Margaret."
Thomas's face changed.
"She's alive."
David frowned.
"Who is Margaret?"
Rebecca answered:
"The woman who financed Echo."
"Why does she want Emily?"
"Because Emily is the only person who can expose her."
Margaret's voice came through the speakers.
"Bring the girl to me."
No one moved.
"Or I release every memory you ever erased."
David looked at Rebecca.
"What does that mean?"
Rebecca whispered:
"She can destroy millions of identities."
David looked at Emily.
The entire world might be hiding inside his daughter's mind.
Mark stepped forward.
"We need to get out."
Suddenly every screen displayed a map.
One location was highlighted.
A mansion in the mountains.
Margaret's home.
Underneath it:
COME ALONE.
David stared.
"She's inviting us."
Thomas shook his head.
"No."
David looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because Margaret doesn't invite people."
A pause.
"She collects them."
Then the speakers went silent.
A final message appeared.
BRING THE GIRL.
OR THE WORLD LEARNS WHO DAVID WHITMORE REALLY IS.
David slowly took Emily's hand.
"We're going."
Rebecca looked at him.
"You don't have to."
David shook his head.
"They're coming for her anyway."
He looked at the screen.
"So we're going to the mountain."
Thomas asked:
"What's the plan?"
David stared at the mansion.
"I don't know."
Then he smiled faintly.
"But for the first time..."
May you like
He tightened his grip on Emily's hand.
"...neither do they."
