Chapter 14 - The timer appeared.00:30
Julian grabbed Noah.
Mara grabbed Adrian.
“Where's the exit?”
Adrian looked around.
“There isn't one.”
Julian stared.
“What?”
“The server room is sealed when the transmitter is activated.”
“Then shut it down.”
“I don't know how.”
“Find out!”
Adrian ran toward the terminal.
Mara looked at the ceiling.
“We have twenty seconds.”
Julian shouted:
“Adrian!”
Adrian slammed his hands onto the console.
The screen flashed:
NEURAL KEY REQUIRED.
He stared.
“What does that mean?”
Julian looked at him.
“You.”
Adrian understood.
“The system needs my memory.”
“Do it.”
He placed both hands on the console.
The machine activated.
Images flooded the screen.
Adrian's childhood.
Mara.
His mother.
Victor.
Evelyn.
Noah.
Everything.
The countdown:
00:18
Adrian screamed.
The machine was forcing memories into the system.
He saw the hospital.
He saw Mara holding two babies.
He saw Victor taking one.
He saw Elise crying.
He saw Julian standing outside the room.
But Julian wasn't alone.
A doctor stood beside him.
The doctor handed Julian a document.
Julian signed it.
Adrian gasped.
“I remember.”
Julian looked at him.
“What?”
“You signed the transfer order.”
Julian froze.
Mara stared.
“You?”
Julian shook his head.
“I don't remember.”
Adrian shouted:
“You did!”
Mara stepped back.
Julian's face collapsed.
The machine displayed the document.
AUTHORIZATION: JULIAN MERCER
TRANSFER OF INFANT: NOAH
DESTINATION: PRIVATE MERCER FACILITY
Julian stared.
“I was drugged.”
Mara looked at him.
“What?”
“I remember the hospital.”
He touched his temple.
“I was given something.”
Adrian nodded.
“Memory suppression.”
Julian looked at Victor's server.
“My father erased it.”
The countdown:
00:10
Adrian screamed.
“I'm in!”
The server opened.
He ripped the transmitter protocol.
The targeting system vanished.
00:07
A red warning flashed.
MISSILE LOCK LOST.
00:05
Victor's voice shouted:
“No!”
Adrian pulled the main power.
The building went dark.
The timer disappeared.
Silence.
Then the entire facility shook.
Somewhere above them, alarms screamed.
Julian grabbed Mara.
“Move!”
They ran through the corridors.
Behind them, explosions destroyed the server rooms.
Victor's voice disappeared.
They reached the surface.
Police cars were already arriving.
Reporters.
Federal agents.
Helicopters.
Julian stopped.
He looked at Mara.
“This ends now.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“It starts now.”
She held Noah.
Adrian stood beside them.
Then a black vehicle crashed through the police barricade.
Victor.
Alive.
Driving toward them.
Julian raised his gun.
Victor accelerated.
Mara screamed.
The car stopped inches from them.
The driver's door opened.
Victor stepped out.
Blood ran down his face.
He smiled.
“You destroyed the servers.”
Julian aimed at him.
“Yes.”
Victor laughed.
“Good.”
Julian frowned.
“Good?”
“You think those files were the secret?”
Victor reached into his coat.
He pulled out a single photograph.
A newborn baby.
Not Noah.
Not Adrian.
Another baby.
Mara stared.
“Who is that?”
Victor looked directly at her.
“Your third child.”
Mara's face went white.
“I only had two.”
Victor smiled.
“You were pregnant again.”
Julian stared.
“When?”
Victor answered:
“Before Noah.”
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
“You miscarried.”
She touched her stomach instinctively.
Victor held up the photograph.
“This child survived.”
Adrian stared at the image.
His expression changed.
“That's impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because…”
He stopped.
Julian looked at him.
“Because what?”
Adrian whispered:
“I remember seeing that baby.”
Mara stepped forward.
“Where?”
Adrian looked at her.
“In the hospital.”
“Who took him?”
He closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
“Your sister.”
Mara turned to Elise.
Elise was gone.
Mara's heart stopped.
The police shouted.
Someone had taken Elise.
Victor laughed.
“You saved your sons.”
May you like
He pointed toward the empty road.
“But you forgot your daughter.”
