Chapter 13 - The Brother Nobody Knew ExistedCrowe's final weapon wasn't another bomb. It was a man with Warren's face, Warren's voice, and a claim to Warren's entire life.
The man beside Crowe looked at me.
Same jaw.
Same eyes.
Same scar above the eyebrow.
Same height.
Even the same military posture.
Norah stared.
“Dad?”
I looked at her.
“Stay behind me.”
The stranger smiled.
“You always did protect her first.”
My wife was breathing shallowly beside me.
Victor stared at the stranger.
“How?”
The man answered:
“Because he was created from you.”
I didn't understand.
Crowe stepped forward.
“Nine years ago, Warren believed he lost everything.”
He gestured toward the stranger.
“He lost a marriage.”
“An identity.”
“And a future.”
The stranger smiled.
“But he never lost a replacement.”
I stared.
“My brother?”
Crowe laughed.
“Not exactly.”
The man stepped closer.
“I was made from your father's genetic material.”
I felt sick.
“Clone?”
“No.”
He smiled.
“Something better.”
Crowe explained:
“Your father belonged to a secret military program.”
“Programmed soldiers.”
“Enhanced intelligence.”
“Genetic conditioning.”
I looked at the stranger.
“This is insane.”
“No.”
Crowe said.
“This is what comes after you.”
The man spoke.
“My name is Ethan Hayes.”
Norah watched him carefully.
“You don't look like my dad.”
Ethan's expression softened.
“I know.”
Then he looked at me.
“You were the successful version.”
I understood.
A test.
My father had created a human weapon.
Me.
Then tried again.
Ethan.
Crowe had spent years studying us.
Waiting to see which one would win.
My wife whispered:
“Warren…”
I looked down.
“I'm here.”
“I never stopped loving you.”
I swallowed.
“Don't say that now.”
“I have to.”
“Why?”
“Because this might be the last time.”
Her hand slipped.
I caught it.
“Stay awake.”
She smiled faintly.
“You still order people around.”
“Stay awake.”
“I tried to come home.”
“You did.”
“I couldn't.”
“Why?”
“Because Crowe had Norah.”
I looked at him.
Crowe raised his gun.
“Put down your weapon.”
Victor whispered:
“Warren.”
I ignored him.
“Where is the rest of the evidence?”
Crowe smiled.
“Your wife has it.”
I looked at her.
She barely moved.
“Where?”
She whispered:
“In you.”
I frowned.
“What?”
She touched my chest.
“Your father hid the access code inside your DNA.”
I stared.
The silver bracelet.
The capsule.
The photographs.
It finally made sense.
The key wasn't an object.
The key was me.
Crowe raised his weapon.
“Take him.”
Men moved.
I reached for the gun hidden at my back.
Gunfire erupted.
The airfield disappeared into noise.
I shoved Norah behind the vehicle.
Victor fired.
Ethan moved toward me.
We stared at each other through smoke.
Then he said:
“Do you know what your father called you?”
“What?”
“The prototype.”
I raised my weapon.
“And you?”
“The replacement.”
He smiled.
May you like
“Let's see which one survives.”
He charged.
