Chapter 12 - The duplicate entered the house.Marcus stared at him.
There was no difference.
Not even the smallest one.
Same scar.
Same posture.
Same voice.
Same heartbeat.
Julian raised the gun.
The duplicate smiled.
"If you shoot me, you might shoot the wrong brother."
Julian hesitated.
Marcus whispered:
"Which one are you?"
The duplicate looked at him.
"Which one do you want me to be?"
Marcus hated the answer.
Julian fired.
The bullet struck the duplicate's shoulder.
He staggered.
Blood appeared.
Real blood.
He smiled anyway.
"You see?"
Julian lowered the gun.
The duplicate lunged.
They crashed into the wall.
Marcus grabbed a chair and struck him.
The duplicate collapsed.
Julian pulled Marcus away.
"We have to go."
"Where?"
"Underground."
They escaped through a hidden door behind the fireplace.
A staircase descended beneath the house.
As they moved, Marcus heard the duplicate laughing upstairs.
Then:
"You'll remember eventually."
Marcus looked back.
Julian pulled him faster.
They reached a bunker.
Inside were computers.
Medical equipment.
Old photographs.
And one person lying on a bed.
Marcus stopped.
"Harris."
The real Harris opened his eyes.
Marcus approached.
Harris looked at him.
"Marcus."
Marcus took his hand.
"What happened?"
Harris smiled weakly.
"Everything."
Marcus shook his head.
"Tell me the truth."
Harris nodded.
"You want to know who died?"
"Yes."
"Nobody."
Marcus frowned.
"The body in the office."
"A decoy."
"The blood?"
"Animal."
"The police?"
"Paid."
"The call?"
"Recorded."
Marcus stared.
"So Harris never died."
"Correct."
"Then why pretend?"
Harris looked toward Julian.
"To force you to investigate."
Marcus understood.
"They needed me to discover the ledger."
Harris nodded.
"But Vaughn?"
"He wanted you to."
Marcus's expression hardened.
"Why?"
Harris whispered:
"Because he needed the final key."
"What key?"
"You."
Marcus looked confused.
"The Black Ledger isn't just a database."
Harris pointed toward Marcus's head.
"It's an access key embedded into your memory."
Marcus closed his eyes.
The strange voice returned.
Hello, Marcus.
He heard it clearly.
Harris said:
"You are the only person capable of opening the complete archive."
Marcus looked at him.
"Then how do we destroy it?"
Harris shook his head.
"You can't."
"Why?"
"Because destroying it would destroy your memories."
Marcus went still.
His identity.
His childhood.
His memories.
Everything he believed himself to be.
All artificial.
All stored inside him.
Julian stepped closer.
"There is another way."
Marcus looked at him.
"What?"
"Transfer the ledger."
"Into whom?"
Julian didn't answer.
Harris did.
"Me."
Marcus stared.
Harris smiled.
"I've done it before."
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
"It's the only way."
"Then you'll die."
"Eventually."
Marcus looked toward Laura.
"Where is she?"
No one answered.
His face hardened.
"Where is Laura?"
Julian said:
"She stayed behind."
"Why?"
"To delay Vaughn."
Marcus looked at Harris.
"Can we trust her?"
Harris's expression changed.
"Not completely."
Marcus frowned.
"Why?"
Harris whispered:
"Because the Laura you knew died three years ago."
Marcus felt his stomach drop.
"Then who have I been working with?"
Before anyone could answer, the bunker lights turned red.
A warning appeared:
REMOTE MEMORY ACCESS DETECTED.
Marcus grabbed his head.
The voice returned.
LET ME OUT.
Marcus screamed.
Harris shouted:
"Marcus!"
The room blurred.
He saw Laura standing in the office.
She looked directly at him.
Then she removed her necklace.
The key-shaped pendant.
She opened a hidden door.
Inside was a room full of bodies.
Every body had Marcus's face.
Laura turned toward the camera.
And said:
"Subject 09 has awakened."
Marcus's vision returned.
He fell to the floor.
Julian stared at him.
"What did you see?"
Marcus looked up.
"The bodies."
Harris frowned.
"What bodies?"
"Mine."
Then the bunker door exploded.
Smoke filled the room.
Armed men rushed inside.
At the center of them stood Laura.
May you like
She looked at Marcus.
And smiled.
