Chapter 9 - The Man Who Died in 2011Alexander could not move.
Eva looked at him.
“You died when you were twenty-four.”
“That’s impossible.”
“I was there.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
She pointed at the monitor.
“You should believe the evidence.”
Alexander stared at the surgical footage.
A body lay beneath a white sheet.
A doctor stood beside it.
Richard Vale watched from behind glass.
The doctor said:
“Neural mapping complete.”
Richard asked:
“Does the donor still have memory?”
“Minimal.”
“And identity?”
“Stable.”
“Begin transfer.”
The recording cut.
Alexander turned away.
His stomach churned.
“What was transferred?”
Eva answered quietly.
“Your memories.”
“Into who?”
She didn't answer.
Mia did.
“Into him.”
She pointed at Alexander.
The room seemed to shrink around him.
Alexander looked at his hands.
His scar.
His wedding ring.
Everything felt suddenly foreign.
“Who was I before?”
Eva swallowed.
“Your father had two sons.”
Alexander stared.
“You mean my brother?”
“No.”
“A twin?”
“No.”
She looked toward the dark hallway.
“Your father built the second one.”
Alexander understood.
“The double.”
Eva nodded.
“The first Alexander died.”
“Then who is he?”
“Your replacement.”
Alexander whispered:
“So I am a copy.”
Eva shook her head.
“No.”
“What am I?”
“A memory architecture.”
He stared blankly.
“You mean…”
“You are a human body carrying someone else's complete identity.”
Alexander touched his face.
“Then why do I feel real?”
Eva answered:
“Because you are.”
A slow clap echoed from the corridor.
A man stepped into the room.
Thomas.
The real Thomas.
He held a gun.
“Beautiful explanation.”
Alexander stared.
“Which one are you?”
Thomas smiled.
“The only one who remembers what happened.”
He pointed at Eva.
“You ruined everything.”
Eva raised her pistol.
Thomas laughed.
“Shoot me.”
She hesitated.
“That’s what I thought.”
Alexander moved between them.
“Tell me the truth.”
Thomas sighed.
“Your father discovered that memories could be copied, but identity could not.”
Alexander said nothing.
“So he created a second version of you.”
“Why?”
“Because the first Alexander knew too much.”
“About what?”
Thomas looked at Mia.
“Her.”
Mia stepped back.
“What is she?”
Thomas lowered the gun slightly.
“The key.”
“To what?”
“The original memory.”
Alexander frowned.
Thomas continued.
“Your father stored his own memories inside one child's brain.”
Eva went pale.
“Mia.”
Thomas nodded.
“She is carrying Richard Vale's final memory sequence.”
Alexander stared at the girl.
Mia looked terrified.
“I don't want it.”
Thomas smiled.
“You were never asked.”
Then every monitor activated.
A single image appeared.
Richard Vale.
He looked directly at Alexander.
“If you have found this message, then they are coming for Mia.”
Alexander looked toward the door.
Thomas did too.
The sound of footsteps echoed outside.
Dozens of them.
Richard’s recorded voice continued:
“Your wife will betray you.”
Eva closed her eyes.
“But she will also be the only person capable of saving you.”
The door exploded inward.
Gunfire erupted.
May you like
Alexander grabbed Mia.
And the last thing he heard before the world went black was Eva screaming his name.
