Chapter 14 - THE THIRD CHILDThey searched every room.
No Lucy.
No broken window.
No footprints.
Nothing.
Marcus leaned against the wall, bleeding.
Sarah examined the floor.
“She couldn't have vanished.”
Daniel shook his head.
“She was here.”
Leo stared at the place where Lucy had been sitting.
Then he noticed something.
A small trail of white dust.
It led toward the pantry.
He followed.
Behind a shelf was a narrow hatch.
He opened it.
A staircase descended.
Sarah stared.
“Another basement.”
Leo stepped down.
The air smelled like bleach.
At the bottom was a room filled with medical equipment.
A single monitor flashed.
SUBJECT 3.
Leo's heart stopped.
“What is this?”
Daniel whispered:
“The third child.”
A photograph lay beside the monitor.
Three babies.
Leo.
Lucy.
And another child.
The boy had the same eyes.
Leo stared.
“Where is he?”
A speaker crackled.
A voice answered.
“You're looking at him.”
Leo spun around.
No one.
Then the monitor changed.
LIVE FEED.
A teenage boy appeared on screen.
Sixteen.
Dark hair.
Same eyes.
Same scar.
Leo couldn't breathe.
“He's alive.”
Sarah stepped closer.
The boy looked directly into the camera.
Then into Leo's eyes.
He smiled.
“Hello, brother.”
Mia whispered:
“Who is that?”
The boy answered through the speaker.
“My name is Noah.”
Leo backed away.
“No.”
Noah smiled.
“I've been waiting for you.”
Sarah grabbed the microphone.
“Where are you?”
Noah ignored her.
He spoke only to Leo.
“They lied to you.”
“About what?”
“Everything.”
Leo stared at the screen.
“Where's Lucy?”
Noah's expression darkened.
“She isn't safe.”
“Where is she?”
“She came to me.”
Leo's heart pounded.
“Then bring her back.”
Noah laughed.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm not holding her.”
“Then who is?”
A shadow moved behind Noah.
A woman's silhouette.
Leo recognized her immediately.
His mother.
“Mom!”
Noah turned.
The woman stepped into the light.
Elena Vale looked older.
Tired.
Alive.
Leo started crying.
“Mom.”
She looked straight at him.
Her lips trembled.
“Leo.”
He reached for the screen.
“Where are you?”
Elena whispered:
“Don't come here.”
“Why?”
“Because Noah isn't your brother.”
Leo froze.
Noah's smile disappeared.
Elena continued:
“He is the one they built to replace you.”
The screen went black.
Then Noah's voice returned.
“That's not true.”
The lights went out.
A door behind them opened.
Someone walked into the room.
Leo turned.
It was Noah.
He stood six feet away.
Real.
Not on a screen.
May you like
He smiled.
“Hi, Leo.”
