Chapter 13: The Man Wearing## Chapter 13: The Man Wearing My Brother's Face
“Your brother isn't Daniel Reed.””
My mother's voice trembled through the tablet.
“He My Brother's Face
“Your brother isn't Daniel Reed.””
My mother's voice trembled through the tablet.
“He is the man who stole my children.””
I turned toward Daniel.
He stood motionless beside the opening metal door.
For the first time since his supposed return from the is the man who stole my children.””
I turned toward Daniel.
He stood motionless beside the opening metal door.
For the first time since his supposed return from the dead, he looked genuinely afraid.
“Marcus,” he said quietly.
“Don't listen to her.””
I couldn't take my eyes off him.
“Who are you?””
He swallowed.
“I am your brother.””
“Then why does our mother say you're not?””
Dr. Shaw began laughing.
“Oh, dead, he looked genuinely afraid.
“Marcus,” he said quietly.
“Don't listen to her.””
I couldn't take my eyes off him.
“Who are you?””
He swallowed.
“I am your brother.””
“Then why does our mother say you're not?””
Dr. Shaw began laughing.
“Oh, this is wonderful. After all these years, we're finally getting somewhere.””
Detective Bennett raised her weapon.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
But Daniel wasn't looking at her.
He was staring at the tablet.
“Mother,” he whispered.
“You should have stayed hidden.””
My mother began crying.
this is wonderful. After all these years, we're finally getting somewhere.””
Detective Bennett raised her weapon.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
But Daniel wasn't looking at her.
He was staring at the tablet.
“Mother,” he whispered.
“You should have stayed hidden.””
My mother began crying.
“I knew you would come back for them.””
I stepped closer to the screen.
“Mom? Is that really you?””
She nodded.
“My sweet boy.””
I hadn't heard those words in decades.
My knees weakened.
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere Evelyn can't reach me“I knew you would come back for them.””
I stepped closer to the screen.
“Mom? Is that really you?””
She nodded.
“My sweet boy.””
I hadn't heard those words in decades.
My knees weakened.
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere Evelyn can't reach me anymore.””
Dr. Shaw scoffed.
“Don't be ridiculous. You're sitting in a room I paid for.””
My mother looked directly at the camera.
“Not anymore, Evelyn.””
Then she turned toward me.
“Marcus, listen carefully. The man standing beside you is not your biological brother. He was adopted into our family anymore.””
Dr. Shaw scoffed.
“Don't be ridiculous. You're sitting in a room I paid for.””
My mother looked directly at the camera.
“Not anymore, Evelyn.””
Then she turned toward me.
“Marcus, listen carefully. The man standing beside you is not your biological brother. He was adopted into our family when he was twelve.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“What does that change?””
“Everything,” she whispered.
She explained that years earlier, our father had discovered a child trafficking operation disguised as a medical research program.
He had helped my mother escape with two when he was twelve.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“What does that change?””
“Everything,” she whispered.
She explained that years earlier, our father had discovered a child trafficking operation disguised as a medical research program.
He had helped my mother escape with two children.
One was me.
The other was Daniel.
But the boy we had grown up calling Daniel had not been the original child.
He had been placed in our family as an informant.
His real name was Adrian Shaw.
Dr. Evelyn Shaw's son.
I turned toward the doctor children.
One was me.
The other was Daniel.
But the boy we had grown up calling Daniel had not been the original child.
He had been placed in our family as an informant.
His real name was Adrian Shaw.
Dr. Evelyn Shaw's son.
I turned toward the doctor.
“Your son?””
She smiled.
“Yes. My brilliant boy.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
My entire childhood suddenly felt like a lie.
The birthday parties.
The football games.
The nights we had shared a bedroom.
The funeral I had attended.
“Why.
“Your son?””
She smiled.
“Yes. My brilliant boy.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
My entire childhood suddenly felt like a lie.
The birthday parties.
The football games.
The nights we had shared a bedroom.
The funeral I had attended.
“Why did you fake your death?”” I asked.
Adrian finally looked at me.
“Because your father discovered who I was.””
“And you killed him?””
“No.””
He stepped closer.
“Your father died because he refused to cooperate.””
I wanted to believe him.
But I remembered the document with my father's signature.
The agreement to provide did you fake your death?”” I asked.
Adrian finally looked at me.
“Because your father discovered who I was.””
“And you killed him?””
“No.””
He stepped closer.
“Your father died because he refused to cooperate.””
I wanted to believe him.
But I remembered the document with my father's signature.
The agreement to provide children for research.
“Did you help them take Danielle?””
Adrian looked toward my wife.
“Yes.””
Danielle made a small, broken sound.
“You told me you were helping us escape.””
“I was trying to protect the program.””
“You watched them take my daughters!””
He lowered his children for research.
“Did you help them take Danielle?””
Adrian looked toward my wife.
“Yes.””
Danielle made a small, broken sound.
“You told me you were helping us escape.””
“I was trying to protect the program.””
“You watched them take my daughters!””
He lowered his eyes.
“I know.””
I lunged at him.
Detective Bennett grabbed my shoulder.
“Marcus, don't!””
Adrian didn't resist.
Instead, he reached into his jacket and placed a small key on the table.
“Your mother gave me this before she disappeared.””
I stared at it.
“Why?””
“Because she knew eyes.
“I know.””
I lunged at him.
Detective Bennett grabbed my shoulder.
“Marcus, don't!””
Adrian didn't resist.
Instead, he reached into his jacket and placed a small key on the table.
“Your mother gave me this before she disappeared.””
I stared at it.
“Why?””
“Because she knew one day you'd need to open the original archive.””
Dr. Shaw stopped smiling.
“Adrian, don't.””
He looked at her.
“You told me the archive was destroyed.””
“It was.””
“Then why are you afraid?””
The doctor stepped backward.
For the first time, I saw genuine fear in her eyes.
Adrian pointed toward the newly opened metal door.
“Everything started in there.””
I picked up the key.
Beyond the one day you'd need to open the original archive.””
Dr. Shaw stopped smiling.
“Adrian, don't.””
He looked at her.
“You told me the archive was destroyed.””
“It was.””
“Then why are you afraid?””
The doctor stepped backward.
For the first time, I saw genuine fear in her eyes.
Adrian pointed toward the newly opened metal door.
“Everything started in there.””
I picked up the key.
Beyond the doorway was a narrow staircase leading farther underground.
Danielle took my hand.
“Marcus, we need to find Emma.””
“And Sophie,” I said.
Ava looked up.
“Daddy, can I help?””
I knelt and kissed her forehead.
“You've already helped more than anyone.””
Bennett stayed with doorway was a narrow staircase leading farther underground.
Danielle took my hand.
“Marcus, we need to find Emma.””
“And Sophie,” I said.
Ava looked up.
“Daddy, can I help?””
I knelt and kissed her forehead.
“You've already helped more than anyone.””
Bennett stayed with Dr. Shaw while we entered the passage.
At the bottom was a room unlike anything we'd seen before.
There were filing cabinets, old computer terminals, and hundreds of labeled boxes.
On the far wall hung a large family tree.
I approached it.
My Dr. Shaw while we entered the passage.
At the bottom was a room unlike anything we'd seen before.
There were filing cabinets, old computer terminals, and hundreds of labeled boxes.
On the far wall hung a large family tree.
I approached it.
My name was there.
Danielle's.
Ava's.
Emma's.
Even my father's.
But at the very top was another name.
*ELIZABETH SHAW.*
My mother.
I turned toward the tablet.
“Mom, what is this?””
Her voice trembled.
“The original records.””
I opened the first box.
Inside were photographs of newborn babies.
Each had a number.
Then I found one photograph that made my heart stop.
It showed my mother holding two newborn boys.
Written underneath name was there.
Danielle's.
Ava's.
Emma's.
Even my father's.
But at the very top was another name.
*ELIZABETH SHAW.*
My mother.
I turned toward the tablet.
“Mom, what is this?””
Her voice trembled.
“The original records.””
I opened the first box.
Inside were photographs of newborn babies.
Each had a number.
Then I found one photograph that made my heart stop.
It showed my mother holding two newborn boys.
Written underneath were two names.
*MARCUS REED.*
*DANIEL REED.*
I looked at the man beside me.
“Then where is the real Daniel?””
My mother closed her eyes.
“He was never lost, Marcus.””
She paused.
“He was the first child Evelyn took.””
Suddenly, a printer in the corner began working.
A single sheet emerged.
Adrian picked it up.
His expression changed.
“What?”” I demanded.
were two names.
*MARCUS REED.*
*DANIEL REED.*
I looked at the man beside me.
“Then where is the real Daniel?””
My mother closed her eyes.
“He was never lost, Marcus.””
She paused.
“He was the first child Evelyn took.””
Suddenly, a printer in the corner began working.
A single sheet emerged.
Adrian picked it up.
His expression changed.
“What?”” I demanded.
He handed it to me.
It was a photograph taken that morning.
A woman stood outside the underground facility.
She was holding the hand of a little girl.
The woman was my mother.
And the child beside her was Sophie.
At the bottom was a handwritten message:
*One daughter has been returned. The other is still inHe handed it to me.
It was a photograph taken that morning.
A woman stood outside the underground facility.
She was holding the hand of a little girl.
The woman was my mother.
And the child beside her was Sophie.
At the bottom was a handwritten message:
One daughter has been returned. The other is still in danger.
May you like
Then the lights went out.
And a gunshot echoed from the staircase.
