Chapter 18 - What Alexander RememberedAlexander sat up.
Eva cried.
Mia stepped backward.
“What happened to you?”
Alexander looked at his hands.
“I saw everything.”
“What?”
“Every memory.”
He looked at Eva.
“Your first life.”
She froze.
“Your first day as Elena.”
Tears ran down her face.
“You remember?”
“Yes.”
He looked toward Mia.
“And yours.”
Mia's expression changed.
“What do you remember?”
“You weren't born eight years ago.”
Mia nodded.
“I knew.”
“You were forty-three.”
“Yes.”
“You were one of Richard's researchers.”
Mia nodded.
“You helped build Echo.”
“Yes.”
Alexander stared.
“Why were you in a child's body?”
“Evelyn forced a transfer.”
“Why?”
“Because I tried to expose her.”
Alexander looked toward the corridor.
“Where is my mother?”
Mia was silent.
Then they heard footsteps.
Evelyn walked in.
She was unarmed.
Blood stained her coat.
She looked exhausted.
“I am here.”
Alexander looked at her.
“You tried to kill me.”
“I tried to stop Echo.”
“You created it.”
“Yes.”
“You replaced people.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Evelyn's voice broke.
“Because I was afraid.”
Alexander frowned.
“Of what?”
“Of losing everyone.”
She looked at him.
“Your father wanted to destroy Echo.”
“You stopped him.”
“No.”
She whispered:
“I betrayed him.”
Alexander said nothing.
“I thought I could control the system.”
“You couldn't.”
“No.”
She looked toward the dead core.
“No one could.”
A long silence followed.
Then Alexander asked:
“Did you kill Richard?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“No.”
“Who did?”
She hesitated.
“It was Elena.”
Eva froze.
“What?”
“The original Elena.”
Alexander turned toward her.
Eva shook her head.
“I never—”
“Not you.”
Evelyn looked at the real Elena.
“She did it.”
The real Elena walked from the shadows.
Alexander stared.
She looked broken.
“I killed Richard.”
Eva whispered:
“Why?”
“He tried to shut down Echo.”
Alexander looked at her.
“You killed him to stop him.”
“I thought I could save everyone.”
“Instead you created this.”
“Yes.”
The truth settled over the room.
No monsters.
No heroes.
Just people who had made choices and then spent years building lies around them.
Suddenly the dead Echo core activated.
One monitor flickered.
A single message appeared.
BACKUP SYSTEM ONLINE
Everyone froze.
Mia whispered:
“No.”
Alexander looked at the screen.
Another message appeared.
LOCATION: VALE ESTATE
He stared.
“The system isn't dead.”
Evelyn whispered:
“There was a backup.”
“Where?”
Mia's face drained.
“In Room Seven.”
Alexander remembered.
The mansion.
The laboratory.
The photograph dated tomorrow.
He looked at Eva.
“We have to go back.”
“Why?”
“Because my mother wasn't the one controlling the backup.”
Mia asked:
“Who was?”
Alexander stared at the screen.
The answer appeared.
RICHARD VALE
Eva whispered:
“Your father.”
Alexander's blood went cold.
“He's alive?”
“No.”
May you like
The screen displayed one final sentence.
I EXPECTED YOU TO COME HOME.
