Chapter 9 - THE LAST SAFE PLACEWe fled Chicago before sunrise.
Only three of us remained.
Grace.
Me.
And Marcus.
No.
Not Marcus.
He had disappeared.
Which meant he was still alive.
Somewhere.
Waiting.
I drove north with Grace beside me.
For the first time in twelve years, she wasn't quiet.
She asked questions.
About Mom.
About Lily.
About the laboratory.
About my father.
And every answer made my life look more like a carefully constructed trap.
"Dad."
"Yes?"
"Where were you the night Mom disappeared?"
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
"At home."
Grace shook her head.
"No."
I looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"Because I remember."
My stomach tightened.
"You were there."
I said nothing.
"You stood outside the laboratory."
"I don't remember."
"You were crying."
I swallowed.
"You told Mom you couldn't protect us."
My hands trembled.
"Grace..."
"You weren't the one who betrayed her."
I looked at her.
"Who was?"
She closed her eyes.
"Me."
The word hit me.
"What?"
"I betrayed Mom."
"No."
"I told them where she was."
"Grace, you were six."
"I know."
"You were a child."
"They made me choose."
I pulled the car over.
"What happened?"
Grace looked out the window.
"Mom told me to forget her."
"Why?"
"Because she knew they would search my memory."
My heart stopped.
"What did she give you?"
Grace touched her head.
"The names."
"The Wolf operatives?"
She nodded.
"And something else."
"What?"
"My mother told me to remember one sentence."
"What sentence?"
Grace whispered:
"When the man with the silver eye returns, kill him."
I stared.
"Who is the man with the silver eye?"
Grace looked at me.
"I don't know."
A black car appeared in the rearview mirror.
Then another.
I accelerated.
The cars followed.
"Hold on."
We sped through the trees.
Gunfire shattered the rear window.
Grace didn't scream.
Instead she pointed.
"Left."
I turned.
A truck blocked the road.
Grace said:
"Right."
I turned again.
A narrow road opened between the trees.
The vehicles behind us crashed into the truck.
We escaped.
Hours later, we reached an old cabin.
It belonged to my mother.
Nobody knew about it.
At least nobody alive should have.
We entered.
Inside were candles.
Fresh food.
A fire already burning.
Grace stopped.
"Someone is here."
I drew my gun.
A voice came from the kitchen.
"I was wondering when you'd arrive."
My mother stepped into view.
Alive.
Unharmed.
I stared.
"Mom."
She smiled.
"Hello, Michael."
Grace ran toward her.
My mother hugged her.
Then whispered:
"I'm sorry."
I raised my gun.
"What happened?"
She looked at me.
"Everything."
"Did you know about Elena?"
"Yes."
"Did you know about the girls?"
"Yes."
"Did you know Vincent was working for the Wolf?"
"Yes."
I felt sick.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because your father made me promise."
"He's dead."
"No."
I froze.
My mother continued.
"Your father isn't dead."
Silence.
"What?"
"He's the man behind Marcus Vale."
My blood went cold.
"That's impossible."
My mother looked at Grace.
"He's been waiting for her."
Grace stepped back.
"For me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
My mother sighed.
"Because Elena wasn't the one who created Archive Zero."
My stomach dropped.
"Then who?"
My mother looked at me.
"You did."
I couldn't breathe.
"What?"
"You designed it."
I shook my head.
"No."
"You were a young man."
"Before I met Elena."
"Before you remembered."
I stepped backward.
My mother pointed toward the basement.
"Go downstairs."
I hesitated.
"Why?"
"Because someone has been waiting there for twelve years."
A voice came from below.
"Michael."
I froze.
The voice.
I knew it.
My father's voice.
Then Grace whispered:
"Dad."
"What?"
"Don't go down there."
"Why?"
She pointed toward the basement door.
"There are two heartbeats."
I stared.
My mother smiled.
"Exactly."
The basement door opened by itself.
A man stepped into the hallway.
He was old.
Silver hair.
One silver eye.
Marcus Vale.
Beside him stood a woman.
My wife.
Elena.
Alive.
She looked at me.
And the first thing she said was:
May you like
"Michael, I'm sorry."
Then she raised a gun at Grace.
