Chapter 11: The Girl Who Called Me Daddy
I held Ava tighter.
The woman in the white coat stepped into the room.
Her face was identical to Danielle's, but her movements were different.
Her smile was too practiced.
Her eyes were too calm.
Danielle moved in front of us.
“Get away from my daughter.””
The woman laughed.
“Which one?””
Danielle froze.
I looked at her.
“Who is she?””
Danielle stared at the woman.
Then she whispered a name.
“Rebecca.””
The woman smiled.
“Hello, sister.””
My stomach tightened.
Rebecca removed the medical coat and placed it over a chair.
“I see you've finally escaped your little room, Danielle.””
“You drugged my children.””
“I cared for them.””
“You stole them!””
Rebecca shrugged.
“Evelyn made the decisions. I simply followed instructions.””
I stood.
“Where is the other girl?””
Rebecca looked at Ava.
“She's with Harold.””
“Bring her back.””
“That's not how this works.””
I took a step toward her.
“Listen carefully. I don't care how much money you have, who you work for, or how many underground rooms you've built. You're going to tell me where my daughter is.””
Rebecca laughed.
“You still don't understand.””
She approached Ava.
“Sweetheart, do you remember me?””
Ava buried her face against my chest.
Rebecca continued.
“I used to sing to you when you were a baby.””
Danielle's face twisted with anger.
“You sang through the speakers.””
Rebecca smiled.
“Sometimes.””
I looked down at Ava.
“Is this the woman who gave you the lemonade?””
She nodded.
“She said it was special medicine.””
Rebecca crouched.
“It helped you sleep, darling.””
Ava shook her head.
“You said Mommy was a monster.””
Rebecca's smile disappeared.
For the first time, she looked irritated.
“I said Mommy wasn't well.””
“You said Daddy didn't love me.””
I felt my throat tighten.
I looked at Rebecca.
“What did you tell my daughter?””
Rebecca stood.
“Children need simple explanations.””
I stepped toward her.
“She is four years old.””
“And she believed me.””
The words made my hands tremble.
Detective Bennett moved between us.
“Rebecca Collins, you're under arrest.””
Rebecca smiled.
“On whose authority?””
“Mine.””
“Your authority has already been suspended.””
Bennett frowned.
“What?””
Rebecca pulled a folded document from her pocket.
It carried the Savannah Police Department seal.
A suspension order.
Bennett examined it.
“This is forged.””
“Prove it.””
Then Daniel spoke.
“She's not the real problem.””
Rebecca turned.
“Still playing hero, Daniel?””
He ignored her.
“Marcus, the twins were never the final experiment.””
I looked at him.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel approached the table and opened another folder.
Inside were photographs of children.
Different ages.
Different families.
Different hospitals.
Each photograph had a number.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
There were at least twenty.
“What are these?””
Daniel's voice was heavy.
“Other children who disappeared from the program.””
Danielle covered her mouth.
“Evelyn…”
Dr. Shaw, who had been sitting silently beside the wall, finally spoke.
“Those children were never missing.””
I turned toward her.
“Then where are they?””
“Living ordinary lives.””
“Under false identities?””
She said nothing.
Bennett examined the photographs.
“This is bigger than one clinic.””
Daniel nodded.
“Much bigger.””
Then he pointed to the final photograph.
It showed a little boy with curly brown hair.
A name was written underneath.
*SUBJECT 21 — ETHAN REED.*
I stared at it.
“Who is Ethan?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Our younger brother.””
I shook my head.
“We don't have another brother.””
“He was born after you and I were adopted.””
My mind was spinning.
“Where is he?””
Daniel pointed to a date.
Six months earlier.
Then he pointed to the location.
A residential care facility outside Savannah.
I looked at the photograph again.
The boy had the same crescent-shaped birthmark behind his ear.
The same mark as Ava.
“Why does he have that?””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Because the children weren't selected randomly.””
Rebecca laughed.
“Daniel, you're making this sound far more sinister than it is.””
He turned toward her.
“You sold children.””
“I placed them with families.””
“You erased their identities.””
“I gave them opportunities.””
Danielle stepped forward.
“You gave them lies.””
Rebecca's smile vanished.
Then the building shook.
A warning siren began blaring.
The lights turned red.
Bennett looked toward the corridor.
“What now?””
Rebecca glanced at her watch.
“It's time.””
“For what?”” I demanded.
She looked directly at me.
“The final transfer.””
I pulled Ava behind me.
Rebecca pressed a button on her wrist.
The underground doors began closing.
Daniel rushed toward the exit.
“Everybody move!””
Bennett grabbed Dr. Shaw.
I carried Ava through the corridor.
Danielle followed.
But before we reached the staircase, a security gate dropped between us and the exit.
I slammed my shoulder against it.
Nothing.
“Marcus!”” Danielle shouted.
I turned.
Rebecca was standing behind the gate.
Smiling.
She raised a small tablet.
On its screen was a live video of Sophie.
The little girl was sitting beside Harold in a moving car.
“Do you want your other daughter back?”” Rebecca asked.
I nodded.
“Then listen carefully.””
She held up one finger.
“You will bring Ava to the clinic tomorrow morning.””
“No.””
Rebecca's smile faded.
“Then Sophie disappears.””
I looked at Danielle.
She was crying.
I looked at Ava.
She was trembling.
And then my daughter did something unexpected.
She stepped forward.
“Why do you want me?””
Rebecca crouched beside the gate.
“Because you're special, sweetheart.””
Ava shook her head.
“No.””
Rebecca frowned.
Ava continued.
“I'm not Sophie.””
The room went silent.
Rebecca slowly stood.
“What did you say?””
Ava pointed toward Danielle.
“Mommy told me my real name.””
Danielle looked confused.
“Ava, sweetheart, what are you talking about?””
My daughter looked at me.
Then she whispered:
“Daddy, my name is Emma.””
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Rebecca's face went completely white.
And Dr. Shaw began screaming.
