Chapter 9 - The lake split apart.Frank had seen explosions.
He had seen tornadoes.
He had survived hurricanes.
But he had never seen water behave like this.
A massive crack opened across the lake surface.
Water rushed downward.
The tiny boat dropped several feet.
Frank grabbed Emily.
Joseph grabbed the railing.
Mina disappeared into the darkness.
The giant creature screamed.
Then the floor of the lake began to rise.
A structure emerged.
Not a laboratory.
Not a building.
A tower.
A massive steel tower climbed from beneath the water.
Its walls were covered in rust.
Its surface was covered in symbols.
And at the top was a circular platform.
Frank stared.
“What is that?”
Joseph looked horrified.
“The original facility.”
Frank swallowed.
“You said the laboratory was original.”
“I was wrong.”
The tower continued rising.
Around it were hundreds of sealed doors.
Some were marked with dates.
Others had names.
Frank recognized one.
MILLER.
His stomach twisted.
He moved closer.
Joseph grabbed him.
“Don't.”
Frank stared at the door.
“What's behind it?”
Joseph looked at Emily.
“She deserves to know.”
Frank turned.
“Know what?”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
Frank looked at her.
Emily whispered:
“I've already seen it.”
Frank opened the door.
Inside was a room.
A small room.
A chair.
A machine.
And a photograph.
Frank picked it up.
He nearly dropped it.
It showed him.
Joseph.
And a third person.
Their mother.
Frank stared.
“That can't be right.”
Joseph looked away.
Frank turned.
“You knew?”
Joseph nodded.
“Our mother was involved.”
“How?”
“She worked for Vale.”
Frank felt dizzy.
“What?”
“She helped design the neural system.”
Frank sat down.
His entire family had been involved.
Father.
Mother.
Brother.
Himself.
A legacy built on something monstrous.
Emily stepped closer.
“There is more.”
Frank looked up.
“What?”
Emily pointed toward another photograph.
A child stood beside Mina.
A little girl.
Frank recognized her.
Emily.
But the photograph was dated thirty-one years ago.
Frank stared.
“My daughter.”
Emily nodded.
“I was here.”
Frank couldn't breathe.
“You were what?”
“They experimented on me.”
Joseph stepped forward.
“They weren't testing the fish.”
Frank looked at him.
“What were they testing?”
Joseph whispered:
“Whether human memory could be transferred into another organism.”
Frank looked at Mina.
The fish stared back.
Emily continued.
“That is why Mina knows your name.”
Frank felt cold.
“She has memories?”
“Some.”
“Whose?”
Emily didn't answer.
A sound came from behind them.
Footsteps.
Frank turned.
Dr. Vale stepped onto the platform.
His coat was wet.
His smile was gone.
He looked older.
Tired.
Almost human.
“You finally remembered.”
Frank raised the oar.
Vale smiled.
“You still carry that ridiculous weapon.”
Frank said:
“It works.”
Vale looked at Mina.
“It shouldn't.”
Mina growled.
Vale continued.
“She was never designed to remember.”
Frank stepped forward.
“She remembers me.”
Vale looked at him.
“She remembers what you did.”
Frank stopped.
“What?”
Vale smiled.
“You think you were the hero?”
Frank's stomach dropped.
Vale pressed a button.
A projector appeared.
Images flashed across the wall.
Frank saw himself.
He was younger.
He was standing beside Mina's tank.
He was smiling.
He was holding a syringe.
Frank stepped backward.
“No.”
The image continued.
Young Frank injected Mina.
The creature screamed.
Frank covered his ears.
“I didn't…”
Vale spoke.
“You created her.”
Frank stared at Mina.
Her eyes were fixed on him.
Frank whispered:
“I'm sorry.”
Mina slowly approached.
Emily held her breath.
The fish touched Frank's hand with its nose.
Frank closed his eyes.
Vale laughed.
“She forgives you.”
Frank opened his eyes.
“But I don't.”
Vale pointed toward the tower.
“You built the monster.”
Frank looked at him.
“No.”
He tightened his grip on the oar.
“I built a cage.”
Vale smiled.
“And now you understand.”
The tower began to shake.
A siren started.
Vale looked toward the lake.
“The real problem is no longer Mina.”
Frank frowned.
“What is?”
Vale looked up.
“The thing that taught her to dream.”
The floor cracked.
Something moved beneath them.
A voice came from the tower.
Not mechanical.
Not human.
A deep whisper.
“Frank.”
Frank froze.
It was his own voice.
Echoing from below.
May you like
The tower doors opened.
And the entire lake went black.
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