Chapter 12 - THE WOMAN WHO NEVER DIEDGabriel stared at the screen.
Claire was alive.
After eleven months of grief.
After a funeral.
After a coffin.
After ashes.
Alive.
His entire reality collapsed.
Hannah had been building a case.
His father had faked his own death.
Julian had faked his.
And Claire had survived the bombing.
Gabriel ran through the mansion.
He found the underground elevator.
The system accepted his father's biometric code.
The doors opened.
The elevator descended.
Far below.
A medical facility stretched beneath the property.
Real.
Massive.
Still operational.
Gabriel stepped out.
A doctor appeared.
Gabriel grabbed him.
“Where is my wife?”
The doctor pointed down the corridor.
Room 17.
Gabriel ran.
The door opened.
Claire was there.
Alive.
Connected to machines.
She looked at him.
Neither spoke.
Then Claire whispered:
“You finally came.”
Gabriel fell beside her.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I needed you to think I was.”
“Why?”
“Because they were using you.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“I don't understand.”
Claire took his hand.
“Your father implanted memories in you.”
Gabriel went still.
“False memories.”
“Yes.”
“To make me believe you betrayed me.”
“Yes.”
“So I would sign the order.”
Claire nodded.
“I tried to warn you.”
Gabriel's eyes filled.
“Why didn't you tell me about the twins?”
“I did.”
“What?”
“You forgot.”
Gabriel looked at her.
The room seemed to spin.
Claire continued.
“They took Noah the day he was born.”
Gabriel remembered something.
A lullaby.
A hospital.
Two cradles.
Claire crying.
A nurse carrying one baby away.
Then nothing.
The memories were returning.
“Why didn't I stop them?”
Claire's voice softened.
“Because they made you believe Noah never existed.”
Gabriel looked at his hands.
“I failed you.”
“No.”
“You died because of me.”
“I survived because you tried to save us.”
Gabriel looked up.
“You knew I would come.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Claire smiled faintly.
“Because you're still the man I married.”
A door opened.
Julian stood outside.
He wasn't holding a weapon.
He looked exhausted.
Claire stared at him.
Julian said:
“I didn't hurt her.”
Gabriel stepped forward.
“You kidnapped my sons.”
“To save them.”
“You're working for him.”
Julian shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward Claire.
“I've been fighting him for seven years.”
Gabriel stared.
“Then why did you help the experiment?”
“Because I was trapped.”
“By whom?”
Julian looked at Gabriel.
“By your father.”
Silence.
Julian pulled out a small drive.
“He has another facility.”
“Where?”
“Under the original Marlowe estate.”
Gabriel frowned.
“My childhood home?”
“Yes.”
Julian placed the drive in his hand.
“Everything you need is there.”
Then he looked toward Claire.
“She knows what happens next.”
Gabriel turned.
Claire's expression had changed.
Fear.
“What's next?”
Claire whispered:
“He's going to erase the twins permanently.”
Gabriel froze.
“Can he?”
“With the machine.”
“Then we'll destroy it.”
Claire shook her head.
“You can't.”
“Why?”
“Because the machine doesn't just erase memory.”
She looked at Gabriel.
“It transfers it.”
Gabriel's face went pale.
“To whom?”
May you like
Claire swallowed.
“Your father.”
