Chapter 12 - Julian felt the world tilt.“Only child?”
The elderly woman looked at him.
“He has a twin.”
Mara stared.
“No.”
The woman nodded.
“There were two babies.”
Julian looked at Noah.
Then at the duplicate.
His stomach twisted.
Victor had been telling the truth in the worst possible way.
Mara whispered:
“Where is the other one?”
The woman looked down.
“Victor took him.”
“Why?”
“Because he had the same blood.”
Julian stepped closer.
“What does that mean?”
The woman looked at him.
“One child was given to you.”
She pointed at Noah.
“The other was used to create the adult you saw.”
Julian stared at the duplicate.
The duplicate looked horrified.
“You made me from a baby?”
Victor stepped forward.
“No.”
The elderly woman shook her head.
“He was grown.”
She looked at the duplicate.
“Your memories were built from the twin.”
The duplicate stared at his hands.
“So I'm not Julian.”
Victor smiled.
“No.”
“Then who am I?”
“Your name is Adrian.”
The duplicate looked stunned.
“Adrian.”
The elderly woman began crying.
“Your brother was Noah.”
Mara froze.
“My sons.”
Victor smiled.
“Exactly.”
Julian stared at the two.
“Noah is the biological son of Mara.”
“Yes.”
“And Adrian?”
“Biologically the same.”
“How?”
“Identical twins.”
Julian understood.
They hadn't cloned Julian.
They had taken one twin and genetically altered him.
Victor had turned him into a replacement.
Mara pressed her hand against the glass.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Her mother shook her head.
“They erased your memories.”
“Who?”
“Everyone.”
Mara looked at Evelyn.
Evelyn began crying.
“I tried to stop them.”
“You failed.”
“Yes.”
“But you still stole my child.”
“I was trying to save you.”
Mara shook her head.
“You don't get to call that saving.”
Evelyn lowered her eyes.
“I know.”
Julian looked at Victor.
“How long?”
“What?”
“How long have you been doing this?”
“Thirty-two years.”
Julian felt sick.
“How many children?”
Victor smiled.
“Thirty-one successful subjects.”
Mara stared.
“Children.”
Victor nodded.
“Potential heirs.”
Julian looked around the lab.
Photographs of families filled the walls.
Some faces had red circles over them.
Others had notes:
REPLACEMENT COMPLETE.
IDENTITY TRANSFERRED.
FAMILY ACCEPTED.
Mara covered her mouth.
“You built people to replace them.”
Victor nodded.
“And some became better than the originals.”
Adrian looked at him.
“I am not your replacement.”
Victor looked amused.
“You were supposed to be.”
Adrian suddenly turned toward Victor.
“You lied to me.”
“I protected you.”
“You made me believe I was Julian.”
“You were more useful that way.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“Then why do I remember Mara?”
Victor's smile disappeared.
Adrian continued.
“Why do I remember my mother?”
The room became silent.
He turned to the elderly woman.
“You.”
She nodded.
“I sang to you.”
He closed his eyes.
A memory surfaced.
A warm room.
A woman's arms.
A baby crying.
Two infants sleeping beside each other.
Then Victor entering.
Taking one.
Then another.
Adrian opened his eyes.
“You separated us.”
Victor said nothing.
“You took my brother.”
“Yes.”
“You gave him to Julian.”
“Yes.”
“You stole my identity.”
“Yes.”
Adrian looked toward Mara.
“And you let our mother believe we were dead.”
Victor smiled.
“Now you understand.”
Adrian walked toward him.
Victor's guards raised their weapons.
Julian moved quickly.
“Don't.”
Adrian stopped.
Mara looked at Julian.
“We need to get Noah out.”
Julian nodded.
They began moving toward the exit.
Then Victor laughed.
“Where are you going?”
Julian turned.
“You lost.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
He pressed a remote.
A screen lit up.
Live footage of the Mercer Tower.
Then a bank vault.
Then the stock exchange.
Then a private account.
Victor said:
“The system has already transferred ownership.”
Julian's face went blank.
“Of what?”
“All of it.”
Victor smiled.
“Mercer Holdings now belongs to Adrian.”
Julian looked at the duplicate.
Adrian looked horrified.
Victor continued:
“And the moment you leave this building, he becomes the legal head of the company.”
Adrian stared.
“I don't want it.”
Victor laughed.
“You don't get to choose.”
Then a second screen appeared.
A countdown.
00:59:59
Julian looked at it.
“What happens at zero?”
Victor smiled.
“Every identity file becomes public.”
Mara stared.
“My entire life?”
“Yes.”
“And the children's?”
“Yes.”
“You'll destroy everyone.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
May you like
He looked at Adrian.
“I'll finally prove that nobody knows who they really are.”
