Chapter 7 - LILYThe girl walked through the smoke without fear.
She looked exactly like Grace.
Same dark hair.
Same pale skin.
Same narrow jaw.
Same eyes.
Except Lily could see.
Her gaze moved from me to Evelyn.
Then to Grace.
She smiled.
"Hello, Dad."
I couldn't speak.
Grace took one step forward.
"Lily?"
The girl nodded.
"I've waited twelve years for you to ask that."
I drew my gun.
Lily laughed.
"You still think guns solve everything."
"Don't move."
She raised both hands.
"I'm not here to fight."
"Then why are you here?"
"To warn you."
"About what?"
Lily looked at Evelyn.
"Her."
Evelyn's gun was already pointed at Lily.
"Put it down," I ordered.
Evelyn didn't.
Lily smiled.
"See?"
"What?"
"She still doesn't trust me."
I looked at Evelyn.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
Lily shook her head.
"That's the problem."
She reached into her coat.
I raised my weapon.
She pulled out a photograph.
She threw it onto the floor.
I looked down.
The photograph showed Elena.
And beside her...
me.
But the date shocked me.
Three years before I met Elena.
Impossible.
I picked it up.
"Where did you get this?"
"Mom kept it."
"What does it mean?"
Lily's smile disappeared.
"It means she met you before you met her."
I stared.
"That's not possible."
"Your memory was altered."
I looked at Evelyn.
Her silence was answer enough.
I stepped toward her.
"What did you do to me?"
"Nothing."
"Then who?"
Lily answered.
"The Wolf."
I shook my head.
"Why?"
"Because your family wasn't the target."
She looked at Grace.
"It was her."
Grace stepped toward Lily.
"What happened to you?"
Lily's expression softened.
"They took me first."
"Where?"
"Underground."
"Did they hurt you?"
"Yes."
Grace swallowed.
"Why?"
"To teach me how to kill."
The room fell silent.
Lily continued.
"They taught me fear was weakness."
She looked at Evelyn.
"And Evelyn was my handler."
Grace turned sharply.
"Evelyn?"
I raised my gun again.
"You trained Lily?"
Evelyn lowered her weapon.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I was ordered to."
"By whom?"
She looked at Grace.
"Your mother."
Elena's name hit the room like an explosion.
Grace whispered:
"Mom ordered it?"
Evelyn nodded.
"Lily was supposed to protect you."
"What happened?"
"She refused."
Lily laughed bitterly.
"I didn't refuse."
Evelyn looked at her.
"You did."
"I refused to kill you."
I stared.
"Who?"
Lily looked at Grace.
"When they realized I wouldn't kill my sister..."
She paused.
"...they made another one."
My stomach dropped.
"Another one?"
Lily nodded.
"Another girl."
"How many?"
"Seven."
Grace whispered:
"Archive Zero."
Lily nodded.
"All of us were copies."
I felt sick.
"Copies of what?"
Lily looked at Grace.
"Of her memory."
Suddenly, a loudspeaker crackled.
A man's voice came from outside.
"Mr. Caruso."
Lily's face went pale.
I knew that voice.
Vincent.
"You've been chasing shadows."
I shouted:
"Where's Elena?"
A laugh came through the speaker.
"With me."
"Let her go."
"Bring Grace."
Lily stepped beside her sister.
Vincent continued.
"You have one hour."
"What happens then?"
"We kill the first clone."
Lily looked at Grace.
Then the speaker continued.
"Then the second."
Grace suddenly spoke.
"He's lying."
I looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"Because there are only six."
"What?"
Grace closed her eyes.
"I can hear five."
Lily stared at her.
"What?"
Grace turned toward the warehouse walls.
"Five hearts."
Lily's face changed.
"Then one of them is already dead."
A gunshot sounded outside.
Lily screamed.
"No!"
She ran toward the door.
I grabbed her arm.
She looked at me in terror.
"That was number two."
I stared.
"How do you know?"
Lily whispered:
"Because I can hear them too."
Then she looked at Grace.
"You're not Archive Zero."
Grace frowned.
"What am I?"
May you like
Lily's eyes filled with fear.
"The original."
