Chapter 14 - The OriginalThe hospital looked abandoned.
It sat outside the city, hidden behind a wall of trees.
No signs.
No guards.
No lights.
Yet the moment Alexander entered, every fluorescent lamp activated.
A voice announced:
“Welcome home, Alexander.”
He stopped.
Eva stood behind him.
Mia followed.
The real Elena walked ahead.
“You've been here before.”
“I don't remember.”
“I know.”
They entered the basement.
A glass chamber stood at the center.
Inside lay a man.
Alexander.
The original.
His eyes were open.
He was awake.
He looked exactly like the man standing outside the chamber.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then the original smiled.
“So they finally sent you.”
Alexander stared.
“Who are you?”
The man laughed softly.
“You.”
“I'm Alexander.”
“So am I.”
The original stepped toward the glass.
“You were given my memories.”
Alexander felt cold.
“Then why don't I remember this place?”
“Because they removed this memory.”
“Who?”
“My mother.”
Alexander stared.
“Evelyn?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I refused to become her weapon.”
Alexander's throat tightened.
“You knew?”
“I knew everything.”
The original placed his hand against the glass.
“I remember killing the people who built Echo.”
Alexander looked at Eva.
She looked away.
“I remember Elena.”
The real Elena stepped forward.
“I remember you too.”
The two exchanged a painful look.
The original continued:
“She was my wife.”
Alexander's eyes widened.
Eva whispered:
“Then what am I?”
The original looked at her.
“You were the replacement.”
Alexander suddenly understood.
His marriage wasn't entirely false.
It had happened once.
Between the original Alexander and Elena.
Then the original had been imprisoned.
His memories copied.
His identity transplanted into another body.
And Eva had been created to impersonate Elena.
Alexander stared at the original.
“What happened to you?”
“My mother put me here.”
“For fifteen years?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you escape?”
The original smiled.
“Because I was waiting for you.”
“Why?”
“To see whether my memories survived.”
He touched the glass.
“You are not my copy.”
Alexander froze.
“You are my son.”
Silence.
Alexander looked toward Elena.
Her face was pale.
“I thought you died,” she whispered.
The original nodded.
“I wanted you to think that.”
Alexander shook his head.
“I'm your son?”
“Yes.”
“But the records say my father was Richard.”
“He was.”
“And you?”
The original looked at him.
“Your brother.”
Alexander stared.
The room seemed to vanish.
“You're not me.”
“No.”
“You're my uncle?”
“No.”
The original smiled sadly.
“You are what comes after me.”
He turned toward Mia.
“And she is what comes before us.”
Mia suddenly grabbed her head.
She screamed.
Every monitor in the hospital activated.
A message appeared:
ECHO CORE ONLINE
The original looked horrified.
“They found us.”
Alexander asked:
“Who?”
The doors opened.
Evelyn Vale entered.
She held a gun.
Behind her stood dozens of people.
Some Alexander recognized from television.
Politicians.
Business leaders.
Judges.
Military commanders.
All of them stood expressionless.
Evelyn looked at Alexander.
“Welcome to the family.”
Then the original whispered:
“Don't let her touch the child.”
May you like
Evelyn smiled.
“It's too late.”
