Chapter 25 - The Choice Leah Never Expected
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I grabbed Daniel by the collar.
“Where is my father?”
He didn't resist.
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere you can't reach.”
I shoved him into the wall.
“You took him.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To motivate you.”
Richard raised his gun.
“Let her go.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You've been loyal to the wrong side for years.”
Richard didn't blink.
“No.”
“I've watched your reports.”
“You shouldn't have.”
“I know everything you did at Carter.”
Richard's face hardened.
Daniel smiled.
“Even the part where you helped Elena remove Camila.”
I turned toward Richard.
“You knew?”
He didn't answer.
My chest tightened.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Twelve years ago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I promised your mother.”
“That was not your decision.”
“No.”
His eyes dropped.
“It was my mistake.”
I stepped back.
Everything was collapsing.
Dad.
Mom.
Ethan.
Leah.
Richard.
Every person I had trusted had lied.
Daniel watched me.
“You see how simple it is?”
“What?”
“Isolation.”
He gestured around the room.
“Take away certainty. Take away family. Take away trust. Eventually a person becomes desperate for one answer.”
“And what answer are you selling?”
“That you can control the world.”
I stared at him.
“I don't want control.”
He smiled.
“That's what makes you useful.”
The speaker crackled.
A familiar voice came through.
Ethan.
“Camila.”
I looked toward the ceiling.
“Ethan?”
Daniel said nothing.
The speaker showed a live feed.
Ethan was in another room.
Alone.
His wrists were restrained.
A monitor stood behind him.
And beside him was a second crib.
Empty.
“Noah!”
I spun toward my son.
He was still in my arms.
The screen zoomed.
The empty crib contained a small stuffed rabbit.
I recognized it.
It belonged to Noah.
I looked down.
My son's rabbit was still attached to his blanket.
I froze.
“There are two rooms.”
Daniel nodded.
“Three.”
“What?”
He held up three fingers.
“Three children.”
I looked at my mother.
She shut her eyes.
“Please.”
“Tell me.”
“There was another child.”
“Who?”
“Elena.”
She looked at me.
“You.”
My mind went blank.
Daniel spoke.
“The third child was removed from Carter before the final trial.”
“Who was it?”
“A boy.”
I felt cold.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he was supposed to die.”
My heart stopped.
“Where is he?”
Daniel smiled.
“With your father.”
I stared.
“That makes no sense.”
“It will.”
The door behind us opened.
Leah walked in.
She looked different.
No confidence.
No smile.
Her face was wet with tears.
She walked straight to Daniel.
“You lied to me.”
He didn't move.
“You said I was the anchor.”
“You were useful.”
“You said Camila was the control subject.”
“You were both useful.”
Leah raised a gun.
Daniel smiled.
“Don't.”
She pointed it at his chest.
“You took my mother.”
“You knew.”
“You took my brother.”
“You knew.”
“You took her son.”
“I needed a sample.”
“You took Ethan.”
“I needed leverage.”
Leah's hand shook.
“And you took my childhood.”
Daniel's smile disappeared.
“You were never entitled to one.”
She fired.
The bullet struck his shoulder.
He fell.
I stared.
Leah dropped the weapon.
“I didn't kill him.”
Richard moved toward Daniel.
“He's alive.”
Leah looked at me.
“I can get your father.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“You shouldn't.”
“Then why help me?”
“Because he lied to me too.”
She swallowed.
“And because I finally understand what you became.”
I held Noah tighter.
“What did I become?”
Leah whispered:
“The first person Carter couldn't program.”
Daniel laughed weakly from the floor.
“You're still wrong.”
We all turned.
He reached into his jacket.
Pulled out a small device.
Pressed one button.
A siren started.
Richard looked at the monitor.
“Michael.”
“What?”
“The facility is flooding.”
“What?”
“Lower level.”
Daniel smiled.
“Carter Ridge doesn't surrender evidence.”
Water began pouring beneath the door.
I grabbed Ethan's image on the monitor.
“Where is he?”
Leah looked at the screens.
Then her face changed.
She whispered:
“He's not in the facility.”
“Then where?”
She pointed toward the old service tunnel.
“He was moved before we arrived.”
“By who?”
She looked at me.
“By someone who has been pretending to help us.”
A second voice answered through the speaker.
“She's talking about me.”
Robert appeared on the monitor.
Blood was running down his face.
He smiled.
May you like
And behind him stood my father.
Alive.
