Chapter 13: The First Ryan
The file sat open on the screen.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because after everything we had discovered…
after learning there were three versions of me…
after learning that memories could be copied and lives could be rewritten…
there was one truth we still couldn’t face.
The original Ryan was never the beginning.
I stared at the words.
*SUBJECT ZERO.*
My hands felt cold.
“No,” the original Ryan whispered.
The third Ryan looked at him.
“You didn’t know.””
The original shook his head slowly.
“I was told I was the first.””
Elias laughed quietly.
Even cornered, he still looked confident.
“That was always the problem with you.””
I turned toward him.
“What does that mean?””
Elias looked at the three of us.
“You all think identity comes from where you started.””
He stepped closer.
“But it comes from what you become.””
For once, his words didn’t sound like a threat.
They sounded like a confession.
Dr. Carter looked exhausted.
“Elias.””
The older man ignored him.
“You want the truth?””
He looked at me.
“Fine.””
He pointed at the screen.
“Subject Zero was the first successful consciousness preservation attempt.””
My stomach tightened.
“Whose consciousness?””
Nobody answered.
Then the third Ryan spoke.
“Yours.””
The room went silent.
I felt like the air disappeared.
“What?””
The third Ryan looked at the file.
“Before the accident.””
The original Ryan stared.
“No.””
Elias nodded.
“The first Ryan died.””
I looked at him.
“Died?””
“Yes.””
His voice was calm.
“Eight years ago, the man you remember being was already gone.””
My mind rejected it.
Impossible.
I had memories.
I had feelings.
I had a childhood.
A family.
A daughter.
Elias continued.
“Subject Zero was created from the original brain pattern before the accident.””
I looked at Dr. Carter.
“You knew?””
He looked away.
“Yes.””
Anger burned through me.
“So all of this time…”
I pointed at myself.
“I wasn’t a replacement.””
“No.””
Dr. Carter’s voice was quiet.
“You were the continuation.””
The words hit differently.
Continuation.
Not copy.
Not fake.
But still…
I looked at the original Ryan.
He looked broken.
“So what am I?””
Nobody answered.
Then Ava walked toward him.
She took his hand.
“You’re my daddy.””
He looked at her.
“But…”
She shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice was small.
“But you found me.””
The original Ryan’s eyes filled with tears.
And I understood something.
Maybe we had all been asking the wrong question.
Not who was real.
But who was there.
Elias stepped backward.
“You’re wasting time.””
Everyone turned.
“What?””
He smiled.
“Subject Zero was not created to replace Ryan.””
My heart stopped.
“Then what?””
The lights flickered.
The building trembled.
Elias looked at the ceiling.
“Subject Zero was created because humanity was preparing for something bigger.””
Daniel frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Elias looked at me.
“You were never the experiment.””
A chill moved through me.
“You were the test.””
Before anyone could react, alarms erupted throughout the building.
Red lights flashed.
Dr. Carter looked at the control panel.
“No.””
“What?””
His face turned pale.
“The facility is starting the final sequence.””
The third Ryan moved toward the controls.
“What sequence?””
Dr. Carter whispered:
“Replication.””
My stomach dropped.
“How many?””
He didn’t answer.
I grabbed his shoulder.
“How many?””
Dr. Carter looked at the files appearing across the screen.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Each with my name.
My face.
My memories.
“No.””
Emma covered her mouth.
“They were making more.””
Elias smiled.
“Not making.””
He looked at us.
“Improving.””
The original Ryan stepped forward.
“You’re insane.””
Elias looked almost offended.
“No.””
He looked at the machines.
“I’m preparing the future.””
The third Ryan stared at the screen.
Then he said something that made everyone freeze.
“There’s a problem.””
“What?””
He pointed.
“The system isn’t creating copies.””
I looked.
“What is it doing?””
He turned toward me.
“It’s downloading the memories.””
My blood ran cold.
“Whose memories?””
The third Ryan looked at me.
“Yours.””
And then every screen in the room went black.
A single message appeared.
*SUBJECT ZERO CONNECTED.*
May you like
Then another line appeared.
*WELCOME HOME, RYAN.*
