Chapter 12: The Memory That Wasn't Mine
The recording repeated.
Over and over.
A child’s voice.
My voice.
“Adrian Kane is the reason my family died.””
I covered my ears.
“No.””
Adrian looked at me.
His face was filled with pain.
“Wren.””
“That’s not true.””
But the voice continued.
A memory.
Or something pretending to be one.
Richard watched us from across the warehouse.
“Interesting, isn’t it?””
Adrian turned toward him.
“What did you do?””
Richard smiled.
“We gave her a story.””
“A fake one.””
“A useful one.””
My stomach turned.
“You changed my memories.””
Richard looked at me.
“We removed what was dangerous.””
“And replaced it with what?””
“A conclusion.””
I stared at him.
“You made me hate him.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Richard’s smile faded.
“Because Adrian was the one person who could stop us.””
Adrian looked confused.
“Me?””
“You never understood.””
Richard stepped closer.
“You weren’t supposed to become like us.””
A pause.
“You were supposed to destroy us.””
The words shocked everyone.
Even Adrian.
Richard continued:
“Your father trusted you.””
“Why?””
“Because Alexander knew you had something the rest of us lacked.””
Adrian stared.
“What?””
“Morality.””
The answer sounded strange coming from him.
Richard laughed softly.
“You were raised by monsters, Adrian.””
He looked at me.
“But you were never one.””
I watched Adrian carefully.
For the first time, I realized something.
Richard wasn’t just revealing secrets.
He was trying to break him.
Then the warehouse door suddenly opened.
A group of armed men entered.
Marco reacted instantly.
“Move!””
Everything happened at once.
Gunfire.
Shouting.
People running.
Adrian grabbed my hand.
“Stay with me.””
We moved behind a concrete wall.
My heart was racing.
But not because of the bullets.
Because of what Richard had said.
Adrian was the one person who could stop them.
Not destroy.
Stop.
There was a difference.
When the shooting slowed, Vincent disappeared.
Richard was gone too.
Only one thing remained.
A small device on the floor.
Adrian picked it up.
“What is that?””
Marco checked it.
“A memory drive.””
Adrian looked at me.
“Another one?””
“Yes.””
He handed it to Marco.
“Open it.””
The drive contained a single video.
Alexander Whitmore.
My father.
But this time, he wasn’t afraid.
He was angry.
“If you are watching this, then Richard found Charlotte.””
I froze.
My father continued.
“Charlotte, I need you to remember.””
My breath caught.
“Your memories were altered because they were trying to find the information I carried.””
The screen showed him placing a small box on a table.
“I hid the evidence.””
He looked directly into the camera.
“And I hid the final key with the only person Richard could never control.””
A pause.
“Charlotte.””
My father’s expression softened.
“You were never the weapon.””
Tears filled my eyes.
“You were the witness.””
The video continued.
“Inside your memories is the location of the original Project Phoenix files.””
Adrian looked at me.
“The files.””
My father continued:
“Richard believes power comes from controlling people.””
His voice hardened.
“But the truth is simpler.””
“He is afraid.””
The video ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Dr. Elena Cross, who had been reviewing the files remotely, called Adrian.
He answered.
“What?””
Her voice sounded urgent.
“Adrian, I analyzed the memory patterns.””
“And?””
A pause.
“Richard wasn’t telling the truth.””
Adrian looked at me.
“About what?””
“Wren’s memories weren’t erased.””
I felt confused.
“Then what happened?””
Dr. Cross answered:
“They were transferred.””
The room went silent.
Adrian’s expression changed.
“Transferred where?””
Dr. Cross hesitated.
“Into another person.””
A terrible feeling entered my chest.
“Who?””
The answer came quietly.
“The only person who was with her after the fire.””
I looked at Adrian.
“No.””
Dr. Cross continued.
“Thomas Vale.””
My blood froze.
The man who saved me.
The man who said he was protecting me.
The man who carried me from the fire.
Adrian slowly lowered the phone.
“He has your missing memories.””
I stared at the darkness outside the warehouse.
Then my own memory returned.
A final image from the fire.
Thomas holding me.
Whispering something.
Not “I’m sorry.””
Something else.
Something I had forgotten.
A warning.
“Don’t let Adrian find out what you are.””
I looked at Adrian.
May you like
And suddenly, I wondered…
What was I really supposed to remember?
