Chapter 5 - Daniel could barely process the words.“You killed my father?”
His mother shook her head.
“Not the man you think.”
He stared at her.
“Then who?”
She didn't answer.
The cemetery suddenly felt colder.
Sophia looked toward the road.
“We have to leave.”
Daniel didn't move.
“I'm done leaving.”
He looked at his mother.
“No more secrets.”
She closed her eyes.
“When your father kidnapped you, he brought you to Mercer Street.”
“Why?”
“Because that was where he kept the other children.”
Daniel's stomach twisted.
“Other children?”
She nodded.
“Twenty-three of them.”
Sophia stared at her.
“What are you talking about?”
“Children whose parents were indebted to powerful men. Children who disappeared. Children no one searched for because powerful people had already convinced everyone they were dead.”
Daniel looked at the flash drive.
“Project Dove.”
“Yes.”
“What did they do?”
His mother hesitated.
“They experimented on memory.”
Silence.
Daniel's hands tightened.
“Why me?”
“Because you survived.”
His phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
183 MERCER STREET. 10 MINUTES. COME ALONE.
Then another.
A photograph.
Michael.
He was bound to a chair.
Blood covered one side of his face.
Under the photograph was a sentence.
YOUR BROTHER HAS ONE HOUR.
Daniel looked at Sophia.
“I'm going.”
His mother grabbed him.
“No.”
“I have to.”
“It's a trap.”
“I don't care.”
Sophia stepped forward.
“I'll come with you.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because I know the building.”
That stopped him.
“How?”
She looked away.
“My father took me there once.”
Daniel's face hardened.
“When?”
“When I was seventeen.”
They drove in silence.
Mercer Street was an abandoned industrial district.
The building had broken windows and rusted doors.
Daniel parked two blocks away.
He and Sophia approached on foot.
His mother stayed in the car.
Daniel looked back.
“She's not coming?”
Sophia shook her head.
“She knows what happens inside.”
The front door opened before they touched it.
Darkness waited beyond it.
They entered.
The corridor smelled like oil and bleach.
Sophia suddenly grabbed Daniel's arm.
“Wait.”
She pointed to the wall.
Old children's drawings covered it.
Families.
Houses.
Sunlight.
And one drawing in the center.
A little boy holding the hand of a woman.
Underneath it was written:
DAVID AND MOM.
Daniel touched the drawing.
His head exploded with pain.
A memory came back.
A boy screaming.
A red door.
Michael shouting:
“RUN, DAVID!”
Then a gunshot.
Daniel stumbled.
Sophia caught him.
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
“I remember.”
“What?”
“My brother.”
His voice shook.
“We weren't five.”
Sophia frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Daniel stared into the darkness.
“We were older.”
A door slammed somewhere ahead.
Then the lights turned on.
Michael stood at the end of the corridor.
Alive.
Bleeding.
Holding a gun.
Daniel stopped breathing.
“Michael?”
The man stared at him.
Then smiled sadly.
“Hello, David.”
Daniel stepped toward him.
“You're my brother.”
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
Daniel froze.
“We're not brothers.”
“What?”
Michael lowered the gun.
“We're something worse.”
A sound came from behind Daniel.
Clapping.
Richard stepped from the shadows.
Daniel turned.
His father was smiling.
“You finally remember.”
Daniel's blood went cold.
Richard raised his gun.
Sophia moved between them.
“Dad.”
Richard sighed.
“You were always too emotional.”
Daniel stared at him.
“What did you do to us?”
Richard smiled.
“Everything.”
Michael's expression turned cold.
“Tell him about the fire.”
Richard's smile disappeared.
Daniel looked at Michael.
“What fire?”
Michael answered:
“The night your mother supposedly died.”
Richard raised his gun.
A shot exploded.
Michael dropped.
“MICHAEL!”
Daniel lunged toward him.
Richard grabbed Daniel from behind.
“Listen carefully.”
Daniel struggled.
Richard whispered into his ear.
“You have been looking for the wrong monster.”
Daniel went still.
Richard continued.
“Your mother isn't your mother.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
“She was the woman who raised you.”
Richard smiled.
“But she stole you too.”
Daniel looked toward the corridor.
His mother stood there.
Holding a gun.
Tears streamed down her face.
Richard released Daniel.
She raised her weapon.
And said:
“I did steal him.”
May you like
Then she pointed the gun at Richard.
“But you stole him first.”
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