Chapter 8 - Gwen stared at Paige.“No.”
Paige pointed toward the cabin.
“Ask her where she was three nights ago.”
Gwen shook her head.
“I was here.”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“You disappeared for six hours.”
“I was sleeping.”
“You were in Blackridge.”
Gwen's face went pale.
I looked between them.
“Enough.”
Paige lowered her weapon.
“David, listen to me.”
“You kidnapped yourself.”
“I had to test you.”
“You nearly got yourself killed.”
“I knew you would come.”
“That's insane.”
“I needed to know whether the soldier came home.”
I stepped closer.
“What does that mean?”
Paige looked at Marcus.
“He knows.”
Marcus shook his head.
“Not everything.”
Paige laughed bitterly.
“Of course not.”
Then she looked at me.
“Do you want the truth?”
“Yes.”
“You weren't sent overseas to fight a war.”
She paused.
“You were sent overseas to retrieve something.”
“What?”
“A person.”
“Who?”
Paige looked at Gwen.
Her face changed.
“You.”
I stared at my wife.
Gwen began crying.
“No.”
Paige continued.
“The first Blackridge operation failed because Gwen escaped.”
I couldn't speak.
“What did she escape from?”
“The same program.”
I looked at Gwen.
She covered her face.
“I didn't remember.”
Paige whispered:
“You did.”
“No.”
“You told them where David was.”
“I was forced.”
“And then you married him.”
Gwen looked at me.
“I didn't know.”
Paige's voice cracked.
“You knew enough.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“Paige.”
She turned.
“Don't.”
“You weren't there.”
“I was.”
Silence.
Paige continued.
“My mother made a deal with Blackridge.”
“What deal?”
“They wanted David returned.”
“And?”
“My mother refused.”
I looked confused.
“Then why did she cooperate?”
“Because Blackridge threatened to expose her.”
“As what?”
Paige looked at me.
“An accomplice.”
I stared.
“What was her crime?”
Paige swallowed.
“She signed the order that erased your memories.”
My breath caught.
My mother had authorized it.
But why would she do that?
“What happened afterward?”
Paige looked at Gwen.
“Gwen tried to stop them.”
“And?”
“They erased hers too.”
I looked at Gwen.
She was trembling.
Then suddenly she grabbed her head.
“I remember.”
Everyone turned.
Gwen fell to her knees.
“I remember the room.”
Her breathing became rapid.
“There were four chairs.”
She stared at the floor.
“David was in one.”
Paige froze.
“My mother was standing behind him.”
Gwen whispered:
“And Dr. Cross was holding a needle.”
I felt sick.
“You were there.”
“Yes.”
“What did they inject me with?”
“I don't know.”
“What happened next?”
Gwen looked at me.
“You asked me to run.”
I felt a sharp pain behind my eyes.
A flash.
A white room.
A metal table.
Gwen crying.
My mother screaming.
Cross holding a syringe.
Then another memory.
A hallway.
An alarm.
Gunfire.
Me dragging Gwen toward an exit.
Someone shouting:
“Stop them!”
I grabbed my head.
The memory vanished.
I fell against the table.
Marcus caught me.
“David.”
I pushed him away.
“Don't touch me.”
He stepped back.
Gwen came closer.
“I remember.”
“What?”
“You weren't supposed to survive.”
I stared at her.
“You got us out.”
“Then why don't I remember?”
“Because they caught you.”
“And Gwen?”
“They took her back.”
I looked at Marcus.
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“You left me.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“Everybody thought I was dead.”
Marcus looked destroyed.
Then Paige said:
“They wanted to erase everyone involved.”
“Who?”
“Blackridge.”
“Who runs it?”
Paige looked at the floor.
“Dr. Adrian Cross.”
I stood.
“Where is he?”
Paige hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Right now?”
May you like
She looked at the road.
“He's at your house.”
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