Chapter 13: The Mother Who Sold Her Son
I stared at the photograph until the edges blurred.
My mother.
Holding a newborn baby.
Standing beside Nathaniel Voss.
The date printed beneath it was the day my parents had told me Jacob died.
For twenty-nine years, I'd carried the memory of my little brother like an unfinished goodbye.
I'd remembered the tiny white coffin.
The flowers.
My father's trembling hands.
My mother's tears.
Now a man standing in an underground hospital was telling me none of it had been real.
"You're lying," I said.
Voss's voice came through the speakers.
"Your mother signed the agreement herself, Cole.""
I turned toward Sarah.
She was holding Lily against her chest.
"Did you know?""
Sarah shook her head.
"I found the original agreement six months ago. I didn't know who had signed it.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was trying to find Jacob.""
I looked at the monitor again.
My mother was smiling in the photograph.
Not crying.
Not grieving.
Smiling.
I felt something inside me break.
Harris approached.
"Mercer, we need to focus. Voss is still downstairs.""
I barely heard him.
Then the speakers crackled again.
"Would you like to hear your mother's voice?""
A recording began.
My mother's voice filled the corridor.
"He's only six months old. He won't remember us.""
A man's voice answered.
"That's correct, Mrs. Mercer. The procedure will give him a new identity.""
"Will he be safe?""
"Absolutely.""
"And Cole?""
"Your older son won't need to know anything.""
I closed my eyes.
My mother continued.
"My husband thinks Jacob died. I can't tell him the truth.""
The recording ended.
For several seconds, I couldn't breathe.
Then I heard another voice.
A live voice.
"That's enough, Nathaniel.""
Everyone turned.
A man stood at the far end of the corridor.
He was wearing a hospital gown beneath an oversized gray sweater.
His hair was dark.
His face was pale.
But I knew those eyes.
The young man from the monitor.
Jacob.
He looked directly at me.
"Hello, Cole.""
I took one step toward him.
"Jacob?""
He nodded.
I wanted to hug him.
I wanted to ask him a thousand questions.
Instead, all I managed was:
"You're alive.""
Jacob smiled sadly.
"Apparently.""
Sarah covered her mouth.
Lily slipped out of her arms and ran toward him.
"Jacob!""
He crouched and hugged her.
"Hey, little troublemaker.""
She began crying.
"You said you would come back.""
"I know.""
"Where were you?""
Jacob looked toward the elevator.
"Trying to stop him.""
Harris raised his weapon.
"Where's Voss?""
Jacob pointed toward the lower level.
"He's trying to destroy the original records.""
"Why?""
"Because the files contain everything. The children. The money. The people who signed the orders.""
He looked at me.
"And the people who bought them.""
I swallowed.
"Who bought the children?""
Jacob hesitated.
"Forty-three families.""
"Why?""
"Some wanted to avoid custody battles. Some wanted children without going through legal adoption. Others wanted to erase children from inheritance disputes.""
My stomach turned.
"And the doctors?""
"Voss made sure every child had a false medical diagnosis. It gave him an excuse to keep them isolated.""
Sarah stepped closer.
"Jacob, how did you escape?""
He looked down at his wrist.
There was a silver bracelet.
R-17.
"I didn't escape. He let me out.""
"What?""
Jacob looked toward the camera.
"Because he wanted me to bring Cole downstairs.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"Why me?""
Jacob looked at me.
"Because he needs your signature.""
I frowned.
"My signature?""
"He has a document ready. It transfers custody of Lily to you.""
Sarah shook her head.
"That's impossible.""
Jacob continued.
"Voss forged your military records eleven years ago. He wants you to sign a new authorization so everything looks legitimate.""
I understood.
He wanted to replace the stolen identity with a legal-looking one.
He wanted me to become part of the cover-up.
Harris grabbed his radio.
"State police are on their way.""
Jacob shook his head.
"They won't arrive in time.""
Then he reached into his pocket and removed a small flash drive.
"Everything is here.""
I took it.
"What's on it?""
"The original records. Every transfer. Every payment. Every signature.""
He looked toward Sarah.
"And the evidence that proves Lily belongs to her mother.""
A loud metallic crash echoed from below.
Jacob turned pale.
"He's starting the purge.""
The lights flickered.
The speakers crackled.
Voss's voice returned.
"Jacob, you disappoint me.""
A second later, every door in the corridor began locking.
Harris shouted.
"Move!""
We rushed toward the staircase.
But before we reached it, a red emergency light flashed.
A steel shutter descended.
We were trapped.
Then Jacob pointed toward a narrow maintenance passage.
"There's another way.""
I looked at him.
"How do you know?""
He gave me a sad smile.
"Because I've been living down here for eleven years.""
He opened the passage.
And as we entered, he whispered something that made me stop.
"Cole, there's one more thing in those files.""
"What?""
Jacob looked directly into my eyes.
"Your father didn't know about the sale.""
May you like
He swallowed.
"He spent the last twenty-nine years believing he had buried both his sons.""
