Chapter 14: The Mother Who Never Left
“DANIELLE!””
I heard my wife's scream in the darkness.
I reached for Ava.
“Stay close to me!””
Emergency lights flickered on.
Adrian was gone.
So was Detective Bennett.
Dr. Shaw was standing beside the staircase, holding something metallic.
A gun.
“Where did he go?”” I shouted.
She smiled.
“Your brother has always been very good at disappearing.””
Danielle grabbed my arm.
“Marcus, look!””
A security monitor had switched on.
It showed a small room with yellow curtains.
A little girl was sitting on a bed.
Sophie.
And beside her was my mother.
Alive.
My mother was holding the child's hand.
ISo was Detective Bennett.
Dr. Shaw was standing beside the staircase, holding something metallic.
A gun.
“Where did he go?”” I shouted.
She smiled.
“Your brother has always been very good at disappearing.””
Danielle grabbed my arm.
“Marcus, look!””
A security monitor had switched on.
It showed a small room with yellow curtains.
A little girl was sitting on a bed.
Sophie.
And beside her was my mother.
Alive.
My mother was holding the child's hand.
I rushed toward the monitor.
“Mom!””
She looked up.
“Marcus, thank God.””
“Where are you?””
“I'm at the old Shaw residence. Adrian brought Sophie here.””
“Is she safe?””
My mother hesitated.
That hesitation frightened me more than anything.
“Mom?””
She lowered her voice.
“Not for long.””
A door opened behind her.
A shadow crossed the wall.
My mother stood immediately.
rushed toward the monitor.
“Mom!””
She looked up.
“Marcus, thank God.””
“Where are you?””
“I'm at the old Shaw residence. Adrian brought Sophie here.””
“Is she safe?””
My mother hesitated.
That hesitation frightened me more than anything.
“Mom?””
She lowered her voice.
“Not for long.””
A door opened behind her.
A shadow crossed the wall.
My mother stood immediately.
“Marcus, listen. The original Daniel is alive.””
I stared at the screen.
“Where?””
“He's been kept at the clinic for years. Evelyn used his identity to control the family.””
Dr. Shaw laughed.
“You're making up stories again, Elizabeth.””
My mother ignored her.
“Your real“Marcus, listen. The original Daniel is alive.””
I stared at the screen.
“Where?””
“He's been kept at the clinic for years. Evelyn used his identity to control the family.””
Dr. Shaw laughed.
“You're making up stories again, Elizabeth.””
My mother ignored her.
“Your real brother helped me escape once. But Adrian caught him.””
I looked toward Danielle.
She was crying.
“Then who was the man who died seven years ago?””
My mother answered.
“An unidentified patient. Adrian arranged the substitution.””
I felt sick.
Seven years.
Seven years of believing I had buried my brother.
Seven years of attending family holidays without knowing the truth.
“Why didn't you come home?””
My mother's brother helped me escape once. But Adrian caught him.””
I looked toward Danielle.
She was crying.
“Then who was the man who died seven years ago?””
My mother answered.
“An unidentified patient. Adrian arranged the substitution.””
I felt sick.
Seven years.
Seven years of believing I had buried my brother.
Seven years of attending family holidays without knowing the truth.
“Why didn't you come home?””
My mother's face crumpled.
“Because they threatened you.””
I stared at her.
“Mom…”
“I watched you grow up from a distance. I saw your wedding photographs. I saw Ava's birth announcement. I wanted to hold my grandchildren, Marcus.””
She pressed her hand against the camera.
“But every time I tried to come back, someone disappeared.””
Danielle stepped toward the screen.
“Did you know they had my daughters?””
My face crumpled.
“Because they threatened you.””
I stared at her.
“Mom…”
“I watched you grow up from a distance. I saw your wedding photographs. I saw Ava's birth announcement. I wanted to hold my grandchildren, Marcus.””
She pressed her hand against the camera.
“But every time I tried to come back, someone disappeared.””
Danielle stepped toward the screen.
“Did you know they had my daughters?””
My mother nodded.
“I discovered the twins were separated. I spent years trying to find them.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I couldn't trust anyone.””
A loud crash came through the video.
The camera shook.
My mother turned.
“Someone's here mother nodded.
“I discovered the twins were separated. I spent years trying to find them.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I couldn't trust anyone.””
A loud crash came through the video.
The camera shook.
My mother turned.
“Someone's here.””
A man entered the room.
He was wearing a dark jacket.
His face was older, his hair gray at the temples.
But he had my eyes.
He looked directly at the camera.
“Marcus?””
I couldn't breathe.
“Daniel?””
The man nodded.
“My little brother.””
I began crying.
The real Daniel had been alive all this time.
He stepped toward our mother and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“It's okay, Mom. We're getting out.””
Then he looked into the camera.
“Marcus,.””
A man entered the room.
He was wearing a dark jacket.
His face was older, his hair gray at the temples.
But he had my eyes.
He looked directly at the camera.
“Marcus?””
I couldn't breathe.
“Daniel?””
The man nodded.
“My little brother.””
I began crying.
The real Daniel had been alive all this time.
He stepped toward our mother and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“It's okay, Mom. We're getting out.””
Then he looked into the camera.
“Marcus, Adrian isn't the only one who lied to you.””
I wiped my face.
“What now?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Dad knew about the twins. But he didn't sign those documents willingly.””
I looked toward the original files.
“What happened?””
“Evelyn threatened to expose something about him Adrian isn't the only one who lied to you.””
I wiped my face.
“What now?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Dad knew about the twins. But he didn't sign those documents willingly.””
I looked toward the original files.
“What happened?””
“Evelyn threatened to expose something about him. Something that would destroy both our parents.””
Dr. Shaw interrupted.
“Enough!””
She raised the gun.
Danielle stepped in front of Ava.
But before Dr. Shaw could move, the underground door burst open.
Detective Bennett rushed inside.
“DROP. Something that would destroy both our parents.””
Dr. Shaw interrupted.
“Enough!””
She raised the gun.
Danielle stepped in front of Ava.
But before Dr. Shaw could move, the underground door burst open.
Detective Bennett rushed inside.
“DROP THE WEAPON!””
Dr. Shaw turned.
A shot rang out.
The bullet struck the wall.
Bennett tackled her.
The gun slid beneath a cabinet.
I grabbed Ava and moved behind the examination table.
Danielle rushed toward Bennett.
Together, they restrained the doctor.
“Where is Adrian?”” Bennett shouted.
Dr. Shaw laughed.
“He's already gone.””
Bennett pulled out her handcuffs.
“Not this THE WEAPON!””
Dr. Shaw turned.
A shot rang out.
The bullet struck the wall.
Bennett tackled her.
The gun slid beneath a cabinet.
I grabbed Ava and moved behind the examination table.
Danielle rushed toward Bennett.
Together, they restrained the doctor.
“Where is Adrian?”” Bennett shouted.
Dr. Shaw laughed.
“He's already gone.””
Bennett pulled out her handcuffs.
“Not this time.””
She secured the doctor's wrists.
Then she looked at me.
“Marcus, we have to move. Officers are outside.””
I turned toward the monitor.
My mother and Daniel were gone.
The screen showed only an empty room.
Then a message appeared.
Come to the old Shaw residence. Bring Emma. Come before midnight.
Danielle stared at it.
“Why do they want Emma?””
Bennett examined the message.
“Because time.””
She secured the doctor's wrists.
Then she looked at me.
“Marcus, we have to move. Officers are outside.””
I turned toward the monitor.
My mother and Daniel were gone.
The screen showed only an empty room.
Then a message appeared.
Come to the old Shaw residence. Bring Emma. Come before midnight.
Danielle stared at it.
“Why do they want Emma?””
Bennett examined the message.
“Because she's the only child whose identity was never successfully changed.””
I looked at Ava.
She was holding my hand.
“Daddy, am I Emma?””
I crouched.
“You're Ava. You're also Emma. But nobody gets to decide who you are except you.””
She smiled weakly.
Then she asked a question that broke my heart.
“Can I have two names and still have one daddy?””
I pulled her into my arms.
“You can have a hundred names, sweetheart. she's the only child whose identity was never successfully changed.””
I looked at Ava.
She was holding my hand.
“Daddy, am I Emma?””
I crouched.
“You're Ava. You're also Emma. But nobody gets to decide who you are except you.””
She smiled weakly.
Then she asked a question that broke my heart.
“Can I have two names and still have one daddy?””
I pulled her into my arms.
“You can have a hundred names, sweetheart. I'll always be your daddy.””
Danielle knelt beside us.
For a moment, the three of us held each other.
Then Bennett's phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed immediately.
“What do you mean the officers are missing?””
She listened.
Then looked at me.
“The old residence has been surrounded.””
“By police?””
She shook her head.
“By private security.””
A message appeared on her phone.
It contained I'll always be your daddy.””
Danielle knelt beside us.
For a moment, the three of us held each other.
Then Bennett's phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed immediately.
“What do you mean the officers are missing?””
She listened.
Then looked at me.
“The old residence has been surrounded.””
“By police?””
She shook her head.
“By private security.””
A message appeared on her phone.
It contained a photograph of my mother and Daniel standing outside the building.
Behind them was a black SUV.
And in the driver's seat sat Adrian.
Bennett whispered, “He's got them.””
I looked at Danielle.
She was already standing.
“Then we're going.””
I grabbed the original archive key.
And for the first time in four years, I knew exactly what I was fighting for.
Not revenge.
Not answers.
My family.
But as we reached the exit, my phone rang.
An a photograph of my mother and Daniel standing outside the building.
Behind them was a black SUV.
And in the driver's seat sat Adrian.
Bennett whispered, “He's got them.””
I looked at Danielle.
She was already standing.
“Then we're going.””
I grabbed the original archive key.
And for the first time in four years, I knew exactly what I was fighting for.
Not revenge.
Not answers.
My family.
But as we reached the exit, my phone rang.
An unfamiliar number.
I answered.
A man's voice whispered:
“Marcus, this is Daniel. The real one.””
I stopped.
“Where are you?””
“Listen carefully. Adrian has your mother. He has Sophie. And he's planning to trade them for Emma.””
I looked at Ava.
Then Daniel said unfamiliar number.
I answered.
A man's voice whispered:
“Marcus, this is Daniel. The real one.””
I stopped.
“Where are you?””
“Listen carefully. Adrian has your mother. He has Sophie. And he's planning to trade them for Emma.””
I looked at Ava.
Then Daniel said something that made my blood run cold.
“There's one more thing. Your mother isn't the only person who survived the original experiment.””
May you like
A pause.
“Your father is alive.””
