Chapter 8 - The Locked RoomMercer Ridge sat behind iron gates and old oak trees.
The house looked peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Jake slept in the SUV while Mara kept watch.
Christine and I stood outside the gate.
"There's a security tunnel beneath the west wing," she said.
"You've been here before."
"Many times."
"While spying on me?"
She looked down.
"Yes."
I didn't answer.
"I hate myself for it," she whispered.
"Good."
Her face tightened.
"I deserve that."
"No."
I looked at the mansion.
"You deserve the truth."
We entered through the service entrance.
The house was empty.
Or supposed to be.
Every room felt staged.
As though everyone had left five minutes ago.
We reached Walter's office.
Locked.
Christine entered the code.
The door opened.
I walked inside.
Nothing looked unusual.
Books.
Desk.
Paintings.
Then I noticed the portrait above the fireplace.
My father.
I stepped closer.
The frame opened.
Behind it was a hidden elevator.
We descended.
One floor.
Then another.
The doors opened into a corridor lined with observation windows.
Behind the glass were empty rooms.
Medical rooms.
Beds.
Restraints.
I felt sick.
Christine stopped walking.
"I found this place when I was eighteen."
"Who were the patients?"
"Children."
I stared at her.
"How many?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
At the end of the corridor was one final door.
A small window.
I looked through it.
There was a man sitting on the floor.
Older than me.
Thinner.
Scarred.
He raised his head.
Our eyes met.
I knew him.
Not his face.
His eyes.
Something buried in me screamed recognition.
The man stood slowly.
He walked toward the glass.
He touched it.
I raised my hand.
He did the same.
Our palms met through the window.
He whispered something.
I couldn't hear.
I opened the door.
"Lucas?"
The man stared at me.
Then laughed.
A broken laugh.
"You finally came."
I couldn't move.
"I've been waiting twenty years."
I swallowed.
"You know me?"
"You were always the lucky one."
"What happened to you?"
He looked toward Christine.
"Ask her."
Christine stepped forward.
"Lucas..."
He backed away.
"You knew?"
She started crying.
"When did you know?"
"Years ago."
"And you never told me?"
"I was afraid."
Lucas smiled bitterly.
"Everyone is always afraid."
I turned to him.
"Who did this?"
He laughed.
"Everybody."
Then he pointed upward.
"Walter."
Then toward Christine.
"Victor."
Then at me.
"You."
I froze.
"What did I do?"
Lucas looked into my eyes.
"You forgot."
My heart pounded.
"Forgot what?"
He stepped closer.
"You didn't leave us."
"What?"
"You were there."
My mouth went dry.
"When?"
"The night they burned the facility."
My breathing stopped.
Lucas whispered:
"You started the fire."
Christine covered her mouth.
"No."
Lucas nodded.
"You started it because they were going to take me somewhere else."
I stared at him.
"Why don't I remember?"
Lucas's eyes filled with tears.
"Because they erased it."
The lights came on.
Every light in the facility.
A speaker crackled.
Walter's voice filled the corridor.
"Family reunion."
I turned toward the camera.
Walter continued.
"Now that everyone is together..."
A steel door slammed behind us.
"...we can finally tell Ethan the truth."
Lucas looked at me.
Then whispered:
"They never erased your memory."
I stared at him.
"What?"
May you like
He stepped backward.
"You asked them to."
