Chapter 9 - The Bullet“Dad!”
I dropped beside Adrian.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Mom screamed.
Kyle appeared in the doorway holding a pistol.
“Move away from him.”
I froze.
“You shot him.”
“Unfortunately, he's still breathing.”
Kyle stepped into the room.
His face looked different.
No smile.
No charm.
Nothing human.
“Where's the archive?”
I stared at him.
“What archive?”
He pointed the gun at Mom.
“Don't test me.”
Mom stepped between us.
“Leave him alone.”
Kyle laughed.
“You always did love him more.”
“I loved you both.”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“You chose him.”
He looked at me.
“You always chose him.”
I realized something.
Kyle wasn't jealous of my money.
He was jealous of my existence.
He had spent his entire life believing I had stolen something from him.
Maybe love.
Maybe inheritance.
Maybe identity.
But none of it had been my fault.
“Why did you let them hurt me?”
He stared at me.
“Because every time they hurt you, you got quieter.”
“So?”
“You became easier to control.”
I felt sick.
Kyle continued.
“Dad said you were dangerous when you asked questions.”
I smiled.
“Looks like Dad was right.”
Kyle's expression hardened.
“Where is the archive?”
I pointed toward the laptop.
“Take it.”
He approached.
Then stopped.
“Password.”
“Eleanor.”
He typed.
Access denied.
I smiled.
“You don't have access.”
Kyle's eyes narrowed.
“How?”
“Because the archive recognizes me.”
He raised the gun.
“Then authorize me.”
“No.”
He pressed the barrel against Mom's head.
“Do it.”
Mom closed her eyes.
I stepped toward the laptop.
“Fine.”
I typed slowly.
Then hit Enter.
The screen changed.
BIOMETRIC VERIFICATION REQUIRED.
Kyle stared.
“What?”
I smiled.
“It needs my fingerprint.”
He grabbed my hand.
I pressed my thumb against the scanner.
Nothing happened.
“Again.”
Nothing.
Then Adrian spoke from the floor.
“Because you aren't Subject 47.”
Kyle turned.
Adrian smiled through the blood.
“You've got the wrong twin.”
Kyle's face went white.
I looked at the laptop.
The screen displayed:
SUBJECT 47 VERIFIED.
A second line appeared.
SECONDARY SUBJECT: KYLE THORNE.
STATUS: FRAUDULENT IDENTITY.
Kyle stared at the screen.
“No.”
Adrian whispered:
“They lied to you too.”
Kyle's gun lowered slightly.
And that was when the police stormed the room.
Kyle turned.
One officer shouted:
“Drop the weapon!”
Kyle raised the gun.
A shot rang out.
May you like
But this time, it wasn't Adrian who fell.
It was Mom.
