Chapter 12 - Thomas drove us to an abandoned medical facility outside the city.
I had no choice.
Emma was there.
Michael was there.
And my biological father was beside me.
The facility had been closed for fifteen years.
Rust covered the gates.
Inside, the halls were filled with old medical equipment.
Thomas walked ahead.
“You always thought your mother died because of cancer.”
“She didn't.”
“No.”
“You killed her sister.”
“She knew too much.”
“You tried to kill Ella.”
“She was a failed subject.”
Adrian clenched his fists.
Thomas smiled.
“You still blame me.”
“You murdered our children.”
“I created something that could change humanity.”
“You created monsters.”
Thomas stopped.
He turned.
“You're looking at one.”
He pointed at me.
I stared.
“What does that mean?”
“You.”
I shook my head.
“You were the first stable carrier.”
“But you said Ella was.”
“She was stable.”
“And me?”
“You were perfect.”
The hallway seemed to disappear around me.
Thomas continued.
“You were designed from both family lines.”
I looked at Adrian.
“You agreed to this?”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
Thomas laughed.
“Your father was young.”
“He didn't know.”
“He knew enough.”
We reached a laboratory.
Emma was sitting on a chair.
My mother stood beside her.
Ella was restrained against the wall.
And another man stood in the corner.
He looked exactly like me.
Michael.
Three brothers.
Three lives.
One impossible family.
Michael looked at me.
Then smiled.
“Finally.”
My mother whispered:
“Daniel, don't touch him.”
“Why?”
“Because he's unstable.”
Thomas interrupted.
“No.”
He looked at Michael.
“Michael is exactly what I needed.”
Michael's eyes were cold.
“Tell him.”
Thomas frowned.
Michael turned toward me.
“He thinks we're brothers.”
“Aren't we?”
Michael smiled.
“Not exactly.”
My mother stepped forward.
“Michael…”
He ignored her.
“Thomas needed a carrier who could survive the full sequence.”
“Why?”
“To prove the research worked.”
“And did it?”
Michael smiled.
“Look at me.”
I did.
He looked healthy.
Strong.
Perfect.
But there was something wrong in his eyes.
“You aren't sick.”
“No.”
“You're enhanced.”
Michael laughed.
“That's what they call it.”
Thomas looked pleased.
“He has lived twelve years without a serious illness.”
I stared.
“So that's what you wanted.”
“Yes.”
“But why Emma?”
Thomas looked at my daughter.
“Because Michael is deteriorating.”
Emma stepped back.
“He needs her blood.”
My blood turned cold.
“No.”
Thomas continued.
“Her genetic sequence is complete.”
“You're not touching her.”
“You don't understand.”
“I understand perfectly.”
I lunged.
Two men restrained me.
Emma screamed.
My mother fired.
Chaos erupted.
Ella broke free.
Adrian tackled Thomas.
The lab alarms came alive.
Red lights flashed.
Michael grabbed Emma.
I screamed.
“LET HER GO!”
Michael hesitated.
For a moment, his expression changed.
Fear.
Not cruelty.
Fear.
He whispered:
“I don't want this.”
Thomas shouted:
“Do it!”
Michael looked at him.
Then at Emma.
Then at me.
He made a decision.
He released her.
Thomas fired.
The bullet struck Michael.
He collapsed.
Emma ran to me.
I pulled her close.
My mother grabbed Thomas.
“You monster!”
Thomas smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
He pressed a button.
The doors locked.
Gas began filling the room.
“Thomas!”
He walked backward.
“Everything burns.”
Adrian dragged Michael.
Ella ran toward the emergency exit.
Marcus appeared from the hall.
“MOVE!”
We escaped through a side door.
The facility exploded behind us.
Flames rose into the night.
Thomas was gone.
Michael was bleeding.
Emma was shaking.
And then I noticed something in Michael's hand.
A small silver key.
Not mine.
Not Ella's.
A third key.
He looked at me.
May you like
“This opens the final archive.”
Then he passed out.
