Chapter 14 - The Woman Who Was Never ClaraClara stared at the phone.
Alexander read the message.
“What does that mean?”
Before she could answer, another message appeared.
COME TO THE OLD TRAIN STATION.
“No,” Alexander said.
Clara looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because whoever sent that survived.”
“Maybe they want to help.”
“Everyone who wanted to help you has already been shot, kidnapped, or nearly killed.”
She smiled bitterly.
“Fair point.”
They went anyway.
The old station was empty.
A single train waited on the tracks.
Inside the carriage sat Eleanor.
Clara stopped breathing.
“Mom?”
Eleanor smiled weakly.
Clara ran toward her.
“But the hospital…”
“They evacuated me before Gabriel arrived.”
Clara hugged her.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I've been dead before.”
Clara laughed through tears.
Then she noticed Eleanor's expression.
“You know who sent the messages.”
Eleanor nodded.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Eleanor looked at Alexander.
“You.”
He frowned.
“What?”
Eleanor spoke slowly.
“Your memories are wrong, Clara.”
Clara froze.
“What?”
“Black Thorn did erase parts of your childhood.”
“Yes.”
“But they didn't erase the most important memory.”
“Which was?”
Eleanor reached into her coat.
She pulled out a photograph.
It showed the six-year-old Clara holding the black box.
But beside her stood another child.
A boy.
Clara stared.
“Who is that?”
Eleanor looked at Alexander.
“Your brother.”
Alexander's face went white.
“I don't have a brother.”
“You did.”
“What happened to him?”
“He died.”
“When?”
Eleanor shook her head.
“He didn't.”
Alexander stepped backward.
“No.”
Eleanor continued.
“He was taken by Gabriel.”
Clara looked between them.
“You're saying Alexander is my brother?”
“No.”
She pointed at the photograph.
“Your brother was switched with another child.”
Clara stared.
Eleanor whispered:
“The boy you grew up with was not Alexander Vale.”
Silence.
Alexander looked terrified.
“Then who am I?”
Eleanor answered.
“The son of the man who created Orchid.”
Clara felt dizzy.
“Who?”
Eleanor looked toward the darkness outside.
“He was never Gabriel's son.”
She paused.
“He was Jonathan Whitmore's.”
Alexander's eyes widened.
“No.”
Eleanor nodded.
“Alexander and Clara were both part of the same experiment.”
Clara stared at him.
“So our entire relationship…”
“Was engineered.”
Alexander stepped away from her.
“No.”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“Black Thorn created you both.”
Clara whispered:
“Why?”
Eleanor looked directly at her.
“To see whether loyalty could be programmed.”
The train lights suddenly went out.
A voice echoed through the carriage.
“Congratulations.”
Gabriel appeared at the far end.
Everyone froze.
“You finally discovered the truth.”
Alexander raised his weapon.
Gabriel smiled.
“You think you can kill me?”
He looked at Clara.
“Ask your mother who ordered her pregnancy.”
Eleanor's face changed.
Clara turned.
“Mom?”
Eleanor couldn't speak.
Gabriel laughed.
“The truth is uglier than any lie.”
He pulled a remote.
The train doors locked.
Gas began filling the carriage.
Alexander coughed.
Clara grabbed her mother.
“What did you do?”
Eleanor whispered:
“I was never pregnant with you.”
Clara stared.
May you like
Gabriel smiled.
“You were born in a laboratory.”
