Chapter 10 - They reached the lake just after sunrise.Snow covered the road.
The trees were bare.
The frozen water stretched into the distance like a sheet of dull glass.
Marcus stepped from the SUV.
His legs felt weak.
"This is where Julian died."
Daniel stayed beside the vehicle.
Laura watched the tree line.
They had tied Subject 07 in the back.
He had not resisted after the call ended.
Instead, he had simply smiled.
Marcus approached the lake.
Memories returned in fragments.
A red scarf.
A little boy.
A woman crying.
A man in a black coat.
A gunshot.
Marcus fell to his knees.
"I remember."
Laura walked toward him.
"What?"
Marcus stared across the ice.
"My brother didn't fall."
He swallowed.
"He was pushed."
A sound came from behind them.
A slow clap.
Marcus turned.
Richard Vaughn stood between the trees.
He was holding a handgun.
Around him were six armed men.
Vaughn smiled.
"Good."
Marcus stood.
"You killed Julian."
Vaughn shook his head.
"No."
"You took him."
"No."
"Then what happened?"
Vaughn's smile disappeared.
"Your father happened."
Marcus froze.
"My father?"
"You were twelve. Julian was ten."
Vaughn stepped closer.
"Your father was one of the first investors in Project Mirror."
Marcus stared.
"That's impossible."
"He believed memory could save lives."
"What happened?"
"Your father discovered what Julian was doing with the technology."
"Which was?"
"Creating copies without consent."
Marcus looked at the ice.
Vaughn continued:
"He tried to stop him."
Marcus looked back.
"Julian."
Vaughn nodded.
"Julian retaliated."
Marcus felt sick.
"You killed my family."
Vaughn's eyes narrowed.
"No."
He pointed toward the lake.
"Your brother killed them."
Marcus shook his head.
"You're lying."
"Ask him."
Marcus frowned.
"He's dead."
Vaughn smiled.
"Is he?"
A voice came from behind Marcus.
"Marcus."
He turned.
A man stepped from the tree line.
Older.
Thinner.
Scar across his cheek.
Red scarf.
Marcus couldn't breathe.
"Julian."
Julian stopped several yards away.
For a moment, the world seemed to disappear.
Marcus walked toward him.
"You..."
Julian smiled sadly.
"I know."
Marcus wanted to hug him.
Instead, he stopped.
"Why did you let me believe you were dead?"
"Because that's what kept you alive."
"What happened to you?"
Julian glanced at Vaughn.
"Ask him."
Marcus looked back at Vaughn.
Vaughn lowered his weapon.
"Julian was Subject 01."
Marcus stared.
"He's the original."
Julian shook his head.
"No."
He looked at Marcus.
"You're the original."
Marcus froze.
"What?"
Julian approached.
"When we were children, they copied me first."
Marcus stared.
"Then why do you look like this?"
"Because I refused the transfer."
He touched the scar on his cheek.
"They copied memories instead."
Marcus's mind raced.
"Then who am I?"
Julian's face became grim.
"You're not my brother."
Marcus staggered.
"No."
Julian continued.
"You were created after my real brother died."
Marcus looked at Laura.
She looked devastated.
Vaughn smiled.
"The perfect memory carrier."
Marcus's breathing became shallow.
Julian's voice cracked.
"You were built from my brother's memories."
Marcus stared at his hands.
"So I'm..."
"An artificial identity."
The world went silent.
Marcus looked at his reflection in the frozen lake.
For an instant, he saw another face.
A child.
Then the reflection smiled.
Marcus whispered:
"No."
Julian stepped closer.
"I'm sorry."
Marcus stared at him.
"Who am I?"
Julian answered:
"You are Marcus Reed."
"That's my name."
"But it was never your life."
A loud gunshot cracked through the morning.
Julian fell.
Marcus screamed.
Vaughn lowered his gun.
"No more questions."
Then the ice beneath Marcus's feet cracked.
He looked down.
A dark line spread beneath the surface.
He stumbled.
The ice shattered.
Marcus fell into freezing water.
Before he disappeared beneath the lake, he saw Julian standing.
May you like
Alive.
And smiling.
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