Chapter 12 - Natalie didn't understand.“She's seven.”
“Yes.”
“She has no training.”
“She doesn't need any.”
“What does that mean?”
Vale looked at Evelyn.
“She wasn't supposed to be born.”
Evelyn's face hardened.
“She was an accident.”
Vale smiled.
“No.”
She looked at Natalie.
“She was the result.”
Natalie stared.
“Result of what?”
Vale stepped closer.
“Every other Echo subject required intervention.”
She pointed at Lily.
“She didn't.”
Natalie felt sick.
“What did you do to me?”
“Nothing.”
Evelyn interrupted.
“Sarah, enough.”
Vale ignored her.
“Natalie, your body adapted.”
“To what?”
“To everything.”
Natalie looked at Lily.
Vale continued.
“Your daughter inherited that adaptation.”
Natalie shook her head.
“You're saying she's genetically modified?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“She's naturally compatible.”
Natalie hugged Lily tighter.
“No one is touching her.”
Vale smiled.
“That's why Kane is afraid of her.”
“What does Kane want?”
“Her blood.”
Natalie's face hardened.
“He'll never get it.”
Vale nodded.
“That's why the Board wants you alive.”
Before Natalie could respond, gunfire erupted.
Vale ducked.
Black-uniformed soldiers opened fire.
Not at Natalie.
At Vale.
Natalie realized what was happening.
Someone was attacking the Board's representative.
“Down!”
She grabbed Lily and dove behind a vehicle.
Briggs returned fire.
Holloway pulled Ward to cover.
Evelyn looked toward the tree line.
“Kane.”
Natalie peered over the hood.
A man stood in the darkness.
General Kane.
He removed his coat.
Underneath was body armor.
“You really should have stayed underground,” he called.
Natalie raised her pistol.
“You want Lily.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because her existence proves the program can continue without us.”
Natalie stared.
“Continue?”
Kane laughed.
“The program was never about soldiers.”
“What was it about?”
“Evolution.”
The word hung in the air.
Kane continued.
“You think we wanted better fighters?”
“No.”
“We wanted humans capable of surviving the future.”
Natalie shook her head.
“You tortured people.”
“We tested them.”
“You erased their memories.”
“We protected them.”
“You stole children.”
Kane smiled.
“Sacrifices.”
Natalie raised her weapon.
“Come closer and find out how much of a sacrifice you're willing to make.”
Kane laughed.
Then something hit the ground beside Natalie.
A small metal device.
Briggs shouted:
“GRENADE!”
Natalie grabbed Lily.
Explosion.
Everything went black.
When Natalie woke, she was lying on the ground.
Her ears rang.
Smoke filled the air.
Lily was gone.
Natalie's heart stopped.
“Lily?”
No answer.
She staggered upright.
“LILY!”
Briggs appeared.
“She's gone.”
Natalie turned on him.
“What?”
“Kane took her.”
Natalie froze.
“No.”
“He had a second team.”
“Where?”
“They escaped in a helicopter.”
Natalie looked up.
The helicopter was already disappearing into the clouds.
Natalie dropped to her knees.
Then she heard something.
A tiny sound.
Her phone.
It was ringing.
She answered.
Kane's voice came through.
“You have twenty-four hours.”
Natalie whispered:
“For what?”
“To find me.”
“And if I don't?”
A pause.
Then:
“Your daughter will become the first successful Echo soldier.”
The call ended.
Natalie stared at the dead screen.
Evelyn approached.
“There is one way to find him.”
Natalie looked up.
“How?”
Evelyn held out a small black key.
“Kane has a private facility.”
“Where?”
Evelyn's face was grim.
“Afghanistan.”
Natalie's eyes hardened.
She remembered the mountains.
The fire.
Night Glass.
And suddenly understood.
Kane hadn't chosen Afghanistan by accident.
He had hidden the beginning there.
May you like
Natalie stood.
“We're going back.”
