CHAPTER 10: THE MAN BEHIND ME
“She's awake.”
Richard's voice came from directly behind me.
I didn't move.
I didn't breathe.
I opened my eyes slowly.
Darkness surrounded me.
Dust floated through the air.
Somewhere nearby, water dripped steadily.
My head throbbed.
My ears rang.
And the first thought that entered my mind wasn't fear.
It was my children.
“Where are they?”
Richard didn't answer.
I turned.
He was standing several feet away, holding a small flashlight.
Blood covered one side of his face.
But he was smiling.
“Still a mother before anything else.”
I pushed myself up.
“Where are my children?”
He pointed the flashlight toward the opposite side of the chamber.
My daughter was there.
Conscious.
Her hands were tied.
My son was beside her.
Unconscious.
The other boy stood behind them.
And Daniel was nowhere to be seen.
I rushed forward.
Richard grabbed my arm.
“Don't.”
I twisted away.
“Touch me again and I'll—”
“You'll what?”
He smiled.
“You'll do exactly what your father did.”
I froze.
“What did my father do?”
Richard's expression changed.
“He trusted the wrong person.”
I looked toward my children.
“Untie them.”
“No.”
“Then kill me instead.”
Richard laughed softly.
“You still don't understand.”
He stepped closer.
“You think this is about money.”
“I know it's not.”
“You think it's about the children.”
“It is.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“This is about you.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because your father didn't leave the archive to the children.”
He pointed at me.
“He left it to you.”
My stomach tightened.
“What archive?”
“The one you just picked up.”
I looked down.
The small black box was still clutched in my hand.
Richard's eyes locked onto it.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“You don't know what you're holding.”
“I know it's the reason you killed people.”
His smile vanished.
“I didn't kill your father.”
“You knew him.”
“I did.”
“You worked for him.”
“Yes.”
“You betrayed him.”
Richard's eyes hardened.
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“Your father betrayed me.”
I laughed bitterly.
“He stole from you.”
“He stole everything.”
“He stole evidence.”
Richard shook his head.
“He stole the future.”
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
He looked toward the unconscious boy.
“Project Mirror wasn't created to duplicate children.”
“I know.”
“You don't.”
He pointed at the boy.
“That child isn't a copy.”
I looked at him.
“Then what is he?”
Richard's smile returned.
“A container.”
My blood ran cold.
“For your memories?”
“No.”
“For something much more valuable.”
He stepped toward my son.
I immediately moved between them.
“Stay away from him.”
Richard stopped.
“Your son carries the genetic encryption.”
“And?”
“The encryption doesn't open a vault.”
He pointed toward the black box.
“It activates the archive.”
I stared at the box.
“What is inside?”
“Names.”
“Whose names?”
“Everyone who was involved.”
I felt my pulse rise.
“Politicians?”
“Yes.”
“Judges?”
“Yes.”
“Police?”
“Yes.”
“Businessmen?”
“Yes.”
I looked at him.
“Then why have you been hunting my family?”
Richard smiled.
“Because your father made one mistake.”
“What?”
“He didn't keep the archive.”
I waited.
“He copied it.”
My stomach dropped.
“Where?”
Richard pointed toward my son.
“Into him.”
Silence.
I looked at my child.
“No.”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
“That's impossible.”
“Your father discovered that human memory could be encoded through neural stimulation.”
Marcus's voice suddenly echoed from somewhere behind us.
“That's not scientifically possible.”
I spun around.
Marcus emerged from the darkness.
His shirt was torn.
Blood ran down his temple.
But he was alive.
Richard sighed.
“You survived.”
Marcus raised his weapon.
“Barely.”
Richard smiled.
“You should have stayed upstairs.”
Marcus aimed at him.
“Untie the children.”
Richard laughed.
“You still think you're in control.”
Marcus's finger tightened around the trigger.
“I don't need control.”
He looked at me.
“I only need one shot.”
Richard stepped backward.
“Shoot.”
Marcus didn't.
Richard smiled.
“Exactly.”
Then he pressed something in his hand.
A red light appeared on the wall.
Marcus's expression changed.
“What did you activate?”
Richard looked at me.
“The purge wasn't destroyed.”
I froze.
“What?”
“The explosion was only phase one.”
Marcus looked at the ceiling.
“Get the children out.”
Richard smiled.
“Too late.”
A mechanical voice announced:
“SECONDARY PURGE IN THREE MINUTES.”
My daughter began crying.
“Mommy…”
I ran to her.
Richard didn't stop me this time.
I knelt and untied her.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
I moved to my son.
He was still unconscious.
I touched his face.
“Baby.”
Nothing.
“Wake up.”
His eyes didn't open.
My daughter grabbed my arm.
“He'll wake up.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he always does.”
I looked at her.
“What happened?”
“The other boy hurt him.”
I turned.
The boy was standing in the corner.
Watching.
“You.”
He smiled.
“He isn't your son.”
I stood.
“Don't ever say that again.”
“He isn't.”
“You're lying.”
“Ask him.”
My son suddenly moved.
His eyes opened.
“Mom…”
I pulled him into my arms.
“I'm here.”
He looked at the boy.
Then his face changed.
“He's not real.”
Everyone froze.
The boy's smile disappeared.
“What did you say?”
My son sat up.
“He's not real.”
Richard stepped closer.
“Explain.”
My son touched his forehead.
“He doesn't remember.”
“Remember what?”
“The room.”
Richard's expression changed.
My son continued.
“The red lights.”
The boy stepped backward.
“The woman.”
My daughter looked at him.
“What woman?”
My son stared at the other boy.
“She said his name.”
“What name?”
My son whispered:
“Richard.”
Silence.
Richard's face became completely still.
My daughter looked at the boy.
“You're him.”
The boy shook his head.
“No.”
“You're Richard.”
“No.”
“You're lying!”
The boy screamed.
His voice suddenly changed.
It became deeper.
Older.
“ENOUGH!”
Everyone froze.
The boy's face twisted.
Then he began laughing.
Not like a child.
Like an old man.
Richard slowly lowered his head.
The two of them looked at each other.
Then Richard said:
“Welcome back.”
My blood froze.
The boy turned toward him.
“Father.”
I stared.
“Father?”
Richard smiled.
“Yes.”
I looked between them.
The boy wasn't Richard.
He was Richard's son.
Or something worse.
Marcus raised his weapon.
“Who is he?”
Richard answered calmly.
“My successor.”
I felt sick.
“The original.”
The boy smiled.
“No.”
He pointed at my son.
“He is.”
My son looked confused.
Richard continued:
“The boy you raised for ten years is the only child whose memories were never altered.”
I stared at my son.
“What?”
Richard looked at me.
“Your son remembers everything.”
My blood ran cold.
“Everything?”
“Yes.”
“Then why doesn't he remember?”
“Because he was waiting.”
“For what?”
Richard smiled.
“For you to remember first.”
I looked at my son.
His eyes were filling with tears.
“Mom…”
“What?”
He reached into his pocket.
I hadn't noticed the small object there.
He pulled out a silver key.
My father's initials were engraved on it.
C.B.
My heart stopped.
“Where did you get that?”
My son looked at me.
“Grandpa gave it to me.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Your grandfather died before you were born.”
My son shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward Richard.
“He didn't.”
Richard's smile vanished.
My daughter whispered:
“Grandpa is alive?”
My son nodded.
“He's underneath the house.”
I turned toward Richard.
For the first time, real fear appeared in his eyes.
Marcus noticed.
“Where?”
My son pointed toward the floor.
“Below the old estate.”
Richard suddenly lunged.
Marcus fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
Richard disappeared into the darkness.
The facility alarm screamed.
02:17
My daughter grabbed my hand.
“Mommy, we have to go.”
I grabbed my son.
Marcus shouted:
“Move!”
We ran toward the emergency exit.
But before we reached it, the lights turned on.
A monitor appeared.
A live video.
An old man was sitting in a chair.
Gray hair.
Thin face.
Eyes I recognized instantly.
My father.
Alive.
He looked directly into the camera.
“Claire.”
I stopped.
My heart shattered.
“Dad?”
He smiled sadly.
“I knew you'd come.”
I couldn't move.
My daughter whispered:
“That's Grandpa.”
My son stared at the screen.
Then my father said:
“I have only one thing to tell you.”
The screen flickered.
He leaned closer.
“Daniel didn't betray you.”
I turned toward my husband.
Daniel wasn't there.
My father's voice continued.
“He saved you.”
I looked at Marcus.
Then at the children.
Then back at the screen.
My father whispered:
“But now he's been captured.”
The screen went black.
A final message appeared:
DANIEL BENNETT: TRANSFERRED.
LOCATION: BLACK MERIDIAN HEADQUARTERS.
STATUS: ALIVE.
Then another message appeared.
CLAIRE BENNETT REQUIRED.
ARRIVE ALONE.
OR DANIEL DIES.
My daughter began crying.
My son grabbed my hand.
Marcus shook his head.
“You can't go alone.”
I looked at the screen.
Then at the black box.
Then at my children.
For ten years, I had played the role they wanted.
The obedient wife.
The grieving mother.
The woman who knew nothing.
That woman was gone.
I handed the black box to Marcus.
“Take my children somewhere safe.”
He stared at me.
“And you?”
I picked up the silver key.
“I'm going to get my husband.”
Marcus shook his head.
“Claire, this is exactly what they want.”
I smiled.
“I know.”
Then I looked directly at the camera.
“That's why I'm going.”
The monitor flickered one final time.
My father's face appeared again.
And he whispered:
“Before you go, open the box.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
His eyes filled with fear.
“Because once you see what's inside…”
He paused.
“You'll understand why Daniel was willing to destroy his own life to protect you.”
The screen went black.
I opened the black box.
Inside was a single photograph.
My wedding day.
Me.
Daniel.
My father.
Richard.
Victoria.
And one other person.
A woman standing behind my father.
I recognized her instantly.
She was the woman who had delivered my son.
Dr. Evelyn Shaw.
But there was something written on the back.
Five words.
SHE IS YOUR REAL MOTHER.
I stopped breathing.
Because my father had been lying to me my entire life.
May you like
And the woman who had delivered my son...
had also delivered me.
