Chapter 11 - The Bullet Meant for MeThe gunshot echoed.
I felt nothing.
Then Daniel fell.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“Elena!”
She dropped the gun.
“I didn't aim at him.”
I caught Daniel before he hit the floor.
The bullet had struck his shoulder.
Not his chest.
Rachel rushed forward.
Adrian locked the chamber door.
I stared at Elena.
“Why?”
She was crying.
“They have Caleb.”
My eyes narrowed.
“No.”
“They took him.”
I looked behind me.
Caleb was gone.
The room shifted.
The boy had disappeared while we were focused on Daniel.
I grabbed Elena.
“Who took him?”
She shook.
“I don't know.”
“You brought us here.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because they said they would let Daniel live.”
I looked at Daniel.
He was conscious.
Barely.
“You betrayed us.”
Elena lowered her head.
“I betrayed you to save him.”
She pointed toward Caleb's empty place.
“They lied.”
A hidden monitor switched on.
My father appeared.
“Marcus.”
I stepped toward the screen.
“Where is my nephew?”
He smiled.
“You mean your grandson?”
My blood ran cold.
“What?”
He continued.
“You've been asking the wrong question for years.”
“Where is Caleb?”
“With his brother.”
“What brother?”
“The boy Daniel buried.”
I looked at him.
“You're saying Caleb has a twin?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
A map appeared.
A remote private island.
North Atlantic.
Then my father said:
“You have three hours.”
“For what?”
“Bring the original ledger.”
“And if I don't?”
He smiled.
“Then you will never know which boy is really yours.”
The screen went black.
I stared at Elena.
“You knew.”
“I knew there was another child.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Daniel told me not to.”
Daniel spoke weakly.
“There wasn't supposed to be another child.”
I turned.
“What?”
He looked at Elena.
“She was pregnant.”
Her face crumpled.
“With twins.”
Silence.
“Daniel?”
“We lost one before birth.”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
Daniel looked stunned.
“What?”
“He survived.”
Her voice broke.
“Helix took him.”
I closed my eyes.
The entire puzzle rearranged itself.
The second child wasn't dead.
He was hidden.
Raised somewhere.
And Caleb had been made into a decoy.
I looked at Adrian.
“Who is the other boy?”
He stared at the floor.
“His name is Gabriel.”
A name I had never heard.
“Where is he?”
“On the island.”
“Who raised him?”
Adrian hesitated.
“My father.”
I felt something dark rise in me.
“My father raised my brother's child.”
“Yes.”
“And now he has both boys.”
“Yes.”
I picked up the ledger.
“We're going.”
Daniel struggled to stand.
“I can't.”
“You're staying here.”
“No.”
“You've already taken one bullet.”
“I took one for you before.”
He looked at Elena.
“And I'll do it again.”
I turned toward the exit.
Then Caleb's voice came through the speakers.
“Dad?”
Everyone froze.
Daniel looked up.
“Caleb!”
The boy's voice trembled.
“Dad, I found something.”
“What?”
“A room.”
Silence.
“There's another boy here.”
Daniel's face went white.
Caleb whispered.
“He looks like me.”
Then another voice spoke through the speakers.
A child's voice.
Calm.
Cold.
Almost identical to Caleb's.
“Hello, Uncle Marcus.”
May you like
I stopped breathing.
The second boy knew my name.
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