Chapter 8: The Truth They Buried
Nobody breathed.
The shadow remained outside the door.
Waiting.
Watching.
I looked at the stranger beside me.
“You said I’m the copy.””
He nodded.
“Because you are.””
“Then why are you afraid?””
His eyes stayed on the door.
“Because he knows how to destroy copies.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“What does that mean?””
Before he answered, the door opened.
A man stepped inside.
Older.
Gray hair.
Perfect suit.
Calm smile.
He looked nothing like a villain.
That made him worse.
“Ryan.””
His eyes moved between us.
“Both of you.””
I felt sick.
The stranger whispered:
“Elias.””
The older man smiled.
“Still dramatic after all these years.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Elias, this ends now.””
Elias looked amused.
“You always believed you were the hero.””
He glanced at Ava.
“But you were just another person who failed her.””
Ava grabbed my hand.
I stepped in front of her.
“Stay away from her.””
Elias studied me.
Interesting.
Almost like he was examining a machine.
“You really do believe you’re him.””
My jaw tightened.
“I am me.””
He smiled.
“That answer proves how successful the procedure was.””
I hated how calmly he said it.
Like he was discussing a science project.
“What procedure?””
Elias looked at Dr. Carter.
“You never told him?””
Dr. Carter looked ashamed.
“No.””
“Of course not.””
Elias walked around the room.
“Ryan was dying.””
He pointed at the stranger.
“His injuries were severe. Brain trauma. Memory damage.””
Then he pointed at me.
“So we created a solution.””
I felt my stomach turn.
“You created a replacement.””
“A continuation.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“A person.””
Elias smiled slightly.
“Exactly.””
That answer disturbed me more than denial.
Because he didn’t see anything wrong.
He truly believed he had created something acceptable.
Emma stepped forward.
“What about Ava?””
Elias looked at her.
“You were always emotional.””
Her face changed.
“You used my daughter.””
“No.””
His voice became colder.
“We protected an asset.””
Ava flinched.
I felt anger rising.
“She’s not an asset.””
Elias looked at me.
“That is why the copy became unstable.””
The words stopped me.
“Unstable?””
“You developed attachment.””
I stared.
“What?””
“Original Ryan was strategic. Focused.””
He looked almost disappointed.
“But you developed empathy.””
I laughed.
“You’re angry because I care?””
“I’m saying you became different.””
A silence followed.
Then the stranger spoke.
“He’s more human than you ever were.””
Elias looked at him.
“You still don’t understand.””
He walked toward the window.
“The original Ryan discovered the truth and tried to expose us.””
He turned back.
“He was willing to destroy everything.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Why didn’t he?””
The stranger looked at me.
Because he knew.
Before he could answer, Elias did.
“Because he chose Ava.””
The room went quiet.
My breath caught.
“He made a deal.””
Elias continued.
“He agreed to disappear if she was protected.””
I looked at Ava.
My daughter.
My impossible daughter.
The stranger’s eyes filled with pain.
“I thought I could save her.””
I stared at him.
“You did.””
He looked surprised.
“What?””
“You protected her.””
I looked around the room.
“The whole time.””
The stranger said nothing.
Then Elias laughed.
A quiet, cruel laugh.
“You’re starting to remember.””
I froze.
“What?””
He stepped closer.
“The copy isn’t failing.””
He smiled.
“It’s evolving.””
A sharp pain suddenly exploded in my head.
Images flashed.
A hospital room.
Machines.
A younger version of me.
A woman crying.
Ava as a baby.
Then a voice.
My voice.
Whispering:
“Don’t let them tell him he isn’t real.””
I grabbed my head.
Emma rushed toward me.
“Ryan!””
The memories kept coming.
But one image stopped everything.
A hospital document.
A signature.
My signature.
And beneath it:
*Project terminated by Ryan Mitchell.*
I opened my eyes.
Everyone was staring.
Dr. Carter looked terrified.
Because I had remembered something he never wanted me to know.
I looked at Elias.
“You didn’t create me.””
His smile faded.
“What?””
May you like
I stood slowly.
“I created myself.””
