Chapter 12: The Father Who Never Died
The basement became silent.
Not the peaceful kind of silence.
The kind that came before something broke.
Michael stared at Richard Vale.
His mind refused to accept the words.
Your father didn’t disappear.
He escaped.
For years, Robert Carter had existed only as a memory.
A photograph.
A grave.
A name.
A man who was gone.
But now Richard was standing there, telling him that everything Michael believed was another carefully designed lie.
“No.”
The word left Michael’s mouth quietly.
Richard tilted his head.
“No?”
Michael stepped forward.
“My father died.”
Richard smiled.
“You sound exactly like he expected.”
Victor immediately moved between them.
“Don’t listen to him.”
Richard looked amused.
“Still loyal to Michael.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“You don’t know anything about loyalty.”
Richard laughed.
“I know exactly what it is.”
He looked around the basement.
“I know how many people Robert sacrificed for his vision.”
Michael ignored them.
He looked at Richard.
“If my father was alive…”
A pause.
“Where is he?”
Richard’s smile faded.
“That’s the question you should have asked twelve years ago.”
Michael’s eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?”
“It means Robert Carter was never running away.”
Richard stepped deeper into the basement.
“He was preparing.”
Dr. Shaw looked terrified.
“Preparing for what?”
Richard looked at her.
“You know.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Richard smiled.
“You always did have a problem accepting the consequences of your own creations.”
Michael looked between them.
“What is Project Second Chance?”
Richard walked toward one of the old computers.
“The project was never about changing memories.”
He touched the screen.
“That was only the beginning.”
The computer turned on.
A file appeared.
SECOND CHANCE: PHASE THREE
Richard continued:
“Memory is fragile.”
A pause.
“But identity is stronger.”
Michael frowned.
“Explain.”
Richard looked at him.
“Your father discovered that people could be rebuilt.”
Victor’s face changed.
“No…”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
He looked at Michael.
“Not controlled.”
“Not manipulated.”
“Rebuilt.”
Michael felt a chill.
“You’re talking about creating a person.”
Richard smiled.
“Exactly.”
The room seemed colder.
Dr. Shaw whispered:
“That was impossible.”
Richard looked at her.
“You said that before.”
Michael looked at Victor.
“What did my father create?”
Nobody answered.
Richard did.
“You.”
Michael froze.
The word echoed.
“You were the first successful subject.”
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
Richard continued.
“Your memories were not erased because you were a victim.”
A pause.
“They were erased because you were valuable.”
Michael felt anger rising.
“I was a child.”
Richard’s expression became emotionless.
“To Robert, you were a possibility.”
Victor stepped forward.
“Enough.”
Richard looked at him.
“You still blame yourself.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
Michael noticed.
“What is he talking about?”
Victor remained silent.
Michael turned.
“Victor.”
The older man looked away.
“Tell me.”
A long pause.
Then Victor finally spoke.
“I was there.”
Michael stared.
“When?”
“The night your mother disappeared.”
Everything stopped.
Sarah’s voice from earlier memories.
The basement.
The hidden rooms.
The lies.
Michael whispered:
“You were there?”
Victor nodded.
“I was working for Northbridge.”
Michael’s expression changed.
“You knew what happened?”
“Yes.”
Anger filled Michael’s face.
“And you did nothing?”
Victor closed his eyes.
“I tried.”
Michael laughed bitterly.
“Everyone tried.”
A pause.
“And everyone failed.”
Victor accepted the words.
“Yes.”
Richard watched silently.
Then said:
“Your father gave Victor an order.”
Michael looked at him.
“What order?”
Richard smiled.
“To erase your memories.”
Michael turned toward Victor.
The room became unbearable.
“You did that?”
Victor looked devastated.
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
Victor looked at him.
“I know.”
That answer hurt more than an excuse.
Michael stepped back.
The man who had helped him.
The man he trusted.
Was connected to the worst night of his life.
Richard continued:
“But Victor made one mistake.”
Michael looked at him.
“What?”
“He didn’t erase everything.”
Richard pointed at Michael’s head.
“He left enough.”
Michael remembered.
The dreams.
The flashes.
The missing pieces.
“He protected you.”
Michael looked at Victor.
“Why?”
Victor’s voice was quiet.
“Because your mother asked me to.”
Michael froze.
“What?”
Victor looked down.
“Before they took her, Claire found me.”
A pause.
“She knew what Robert was planning.”
Michael listened.
“She gave me one instruction.”
Victor looked at him.
“Protect Michael.”
The words broke something inside him.
His mother.
Even at the end.
Was trying to save him.
Michael closed his eyes.
A tear fell.
But before anyone could speak…
A loud explosion shook the house.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Everyone looked upward.
Richard smiled.
“They’re here.”
Michael looked at him.
“Who?”
Richard didn’t answer.
He walked toward the basement exit.
“Your father’s final team.”
Victor raised his weapon.
Richard stopped.
“Don’t.”
Victor stared.
“Why?”
Richard smiled.
“Because you’re going to want to see who leads them.”
The door opened.
Footsteps echoed above.
Slow.
Controlled.
Familiar.
Michael’s entire body froze.
Because the footsteps sounded exactly like someone he remembered.
Someone from childhood.
Someone who had walked through this house every night.
Then a voice came from upstairs.
A voice that made time stop.
“Michael.”
Nobody moved.
Richard looked at him.
“Your father wants to see you.”
Michael stared at the staircase.
A thousand emotions collided.
Anger.
Pain.
Confusion.
Hope.
Fear.
Then a man appeared at the top of the stairs.
Older.
Gray hair.
But unmistakable.
Robert Carter.
Alive.
Michael couldn’t breathe.
His father looked down at him.
For a moment…
Neither of them spoke.
Then Robert smiled slightly.
“My son.”
Michael’s hands shook.
“You’re alive.”
Robert nodded.
“Yes.”
A pause.
“And I know you have many questions.”
Michael looked at him.
“Questions?”
His voice trembled with anger.
“You destroyed my family.”
Robert remained calm.
“I saved it.”
Michael stared.
“You erased my memories.”
“I protected you.”
“You experimented on me.”
“I prepared you.”
“You lied to me.”
Robert looked at him.
“Yes.”
The answer was so calm that it made Michael angrier.
Robert stepped down slowly.
“I know you hate me.”
Michael said nothing.
“But hatred means you still care.”
A pause.
“And that means there is still hope.”
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
Robert stopped.
“You don’t get to decide my future anymore.”
For the first time…
Robert looked surprised.
Michael continued:
“You spent my entire life telling me who I was.”
A pause.
“You were wrong.”
The room became silent.
Robert looked at him carefully.
Then smiled.
A strange, almost proud smile.
“There you are.”
Michael frowned.
“What?”
“The son I was waiting for.”
Michael felt uneasy.
Robert looked toward the others.
“Do you understand now?”
Nobody answered.
Robert looked back at Michael.
“Everything that happened was necessary.”
Michael stared.
“Necessary?”
Robert nodded.
“Because someone much more dangerous than me is coming.”
Victor’s expression changed.
“What are you talking about?”
Robert looked at him.
“The person who created Blackstone.”
Everyone froze.
Richard’s smile disappeared.
Michael noticed.
“You’re afraid.”
Richard said nothing.
Robert continued:
“Because he knows the truth.”
Michael looked between them.
“Who?”
Robert’s face became serious.
Then he said:
“The person who was controlling me.”
The basement went silent.
Even Robert Carter looked afraid.
And Michael realized something terrifying.
His father was not the final enemy.
He was only another piece on the board.
Robert looked directly at Michael.
“Your brother Thomas found him.”
Michael froze.
“Where is Thomas?”
Robert’s expression darkened.
“Too late.”
A pause.
“He already knows you’re here.”
Suddenly, every light in the basement turned off.
Darkness swallowed everyone.
Then a voice came from the speakers.
A voice Michael recognized.
Thomas.
“Father.”
A pause.
“You should have killed me when you had the chance.”
Michael’s heart sank.
Because his brother wasn’t coming to save them.
May you like
He was coming for revenge.
End of Chapter 12
