CHAPTER 11 — The Night Maya’s Father Disappeared
CHAPTER 11 — The Night Maya’s Father Disappeared
The photograph slipped from Maya's fingers.
It landed face down on the laboratory floor.
For several seconds, she couldn't move.
Her mother stood across from her, crying silently.
Luka remained beside the door, watching the corridor.
And somewhere above them, people were searching the house.
Maya finally spoke.
"Tell me about the night Dad disappeared."
Her mother closed her eyes.
"You're not ready."
"I've heard that my entire life."
"Maya—"
"No."
She picked up the photograph.
"I've been lied to for twenty-five years."
Her voice trembled.
"I was told my father died."
"I was told you were dead."
"I was told Luka was dead."
"I was told Daniel betrayed me."
"Every answer I've ever been given has been incomplete."
She looked at her mother.
"So this time, you tell me everything."
Her mother slowly nodded.
"Then we have to go back to the beginning."
Twenty-five years earlier.
Rain hammered the windows of the Bennett estate.
Maya's mother, Elena, was twenty-two years old.
She stood in the nursery, holding one newborn baby against her chest.
Another baby slept in a bassinet beside her.
Twins.
A boy.
A girl.
Her daughter had dark hair.
Her son had a tiny crescent-shaped mark on his wrist.
Ethan stood in the doorway.
He looked exhausted.
"Have they finished the tests?"
Elena shook her head.
"Not yet."
"They're coming."
"Who?"
"Vale."
Elena's face changed.
"No."
"He knows."
"How?"
"I don't know."
Ethan walked toward the bassinet.
He looked at the boy.
Then at the girl.
"Which one?"
Elena's voice trembled.
"Neither."
"Ethan."
"Which one carries the sequence?"
"I don't know."
"You do."
"I don't."
Ethan looked at her.
"You always knew."
Elena stepped backward.
"I didn't create this."
"But you helped them."
"I was twenty."
"So was I."
"We were children."
"And now they're coming for ours."
A car stopped outside.
Headlights swept across the nursery wall.
Elena's breathing became shallow.
"He's here."
Ethan nodded.
Then he picked up the boy.
Elena grabbed his arm.
"What are you doing?"
"Taking him."
"Where?"
"Somewhere safe."
"With whom?"
"The Morettis."
Elena stared.
"No."
"They can hide him."
"They'll turn him into one of them."
"They'll keep him alive."
"And Maya?"
Ethan looked at the girl.
He hesitated.
"I'll protect her."
Elena stepped closer.
"You can't protect both."
"I have to try."
The front door opened downstairs.
Footsteps echoed through the mansion.
Ethan kissed the boy's forehead.
Then he placed him into a small black carrier.
Elena held Maya.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I don't want to lose either of them."
Ethan whispered:
"You won't."
But he knew he was lying.
The basement door opened.
Adrian Vale entered.
He was younger then.
Perhaps thirty.
But his face looked almost exactly as it did now.
Calm.
Cold.
Untouched by time.
Two men followed him.
Ethan stood between them and the nursery.
"You're too late."
Vale smiled.
"I rarely am."
"Leave."
"I'm here for the children."
"You have no right."
Vale looked at Elena.
"She signed the agreement."
Elena's face went pale.
"I was forced."
"Contracts don't care about fear."
Ethan stepped forward.
"You won't touch them."
Vale sighed.
"Ethan."
"You've made this unnecessarily difficult."
"Because I won't give you my children?"
"Because you don't understand what they are."
"They're children."
"No."
Vale's eyes moved toward the bassinet.
"They are the future."
Ethan's expression hardened.
"You're insane."
"Perhaps."
Vale smiled.
"But I'm correct."
He raised his hand.
One of his men stepped forward.
Ethan attacked first.
The room exploded into chaos.
Elena screamed.
The children began crying.
A gunshot shattered the window.
Ethan tackled one of the men.
Vale grabbed Elena.
"Where is the boy?"
She fought him.
"Go to hell."
Vale slapped her.
Ethan turned.
"Don't touch her!"
The second gunshot came.
Ethan staggered.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Elena screamed.
"Ethan!"
He fell to one knee.
Vale looked at him with disappointment.
"You always were sentimental."
Ethan looked at Elena.
"Run."
She shook her head.
"I won't leave you."
"Take Maya."
"What about him?"
Ethan looked toward the boy.
"Take both."
Vale moved toward the bassinet.
Ethan forced himself upright.
He grabbed a metal lamp and struck Vale across the face.
Vale fell.
Ethan grabbed both children.
Then he ran.
They escaped through the underground tunnel.
Ethan carried the boy.
Elena carried Maya.
Rainwater poured through cracks in the stone.
Behind them, footsteps echoed.
"Faster!"
Elena struggled.
"I can't."
"You have to."
"My stitches—"
"I know."
She looked at him.
"You've been shot."
"I'm fine."
"You are bleeding."
"I said I'm fine."
They reached the end of the tunnel.
A car waited.
Ethan opened the door.
"Get in."
Elena hesitated.
"Where are we going?"
"The Morettis."
"No."
"Elena."
"They'll take our son."
"They'll save him."
"What about Maya?"
Ethan looked at their daughter.
"I'll take her."
Elena understood.
"You aren't coming back."
Ethan didn't answer.
"You're going to surrender yourself."
"I'm going to make a deal."
"With Vale?"
"Yes."
"You'll die."
"Maybe."
She began crying.
"I can't lose you."
Ethan touched her face.
"You won't."
Again.
The same lie.
He kissed her forehead.
Then he took Maya.
"Keep the boy."
Elena stared at him.
"What?"
"Vale believes the boy carries M-17."
"And you know he doesn't?"
Ethan looked at the girl in his arms.
"No."
His eyes filled with tears.
"I know she does."
Elena froze.
"Maya?"
Ethan nodded.
"She's the one."
"Then why are you taking her?"
"Because Vale will look for the boy."
"And Maya?"
"He'll never think the girl is the key."
Elena finally understood.
Ethan was sacrificing their son to hide their daughter.
She grabbed his sleeve.
"No."
"I have no choice."
"Take the boy too."
"I can't."
"You can."
Ethan looked at her.
"If I take both, Vale will know."
"So you're choosing."
He whispered:
"I'm choosing the child I can save."
Elena's heart broke.
"You're choosing Maya."
"Yes."
"And our son?"
Ethan closed his eyes.
"He's already protected."
The car behind them exploded.
They both turned.
Vale had found them.
Ethan pushed Elena toward the Moretti vehicle.
"Go!"
"No!"
"Go!"
She took the boy.
The driver accelerated.
Ethan stood in the rain holding Maya.
Vale's men surrounded him.
Ethan looked at his daughter one final time.
Then he whispered:
"Remember me."
Maya listened without moving.
Her mother's voice trembled as she finished.
"I watched your father disappear."
"Where did he go?"
"Into the house."
"With you?"
"No."
"With Maya?"
Her mother nodded.
"You?"
"I was taken."
"By Vale?"
"Yes."
"And Dad?"
"He made a deal."
"What deal?"
"His life for yours."
Maya's eyes filled with tears.
"What happened to him?"
Her mother shook her head.
"I thought he died."
"But he didn't."
"No."
"Where was he?"
"In the M-17 facility."
Maya looked at the old photograph.
"He survived."
"Yes."
"For twenty-three years?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't he come back?"
Her mother looked at her.
"Because he was waiting."
"For what?"
"For you to become strong enough."
Maya frowned.
"Strong enough for what?"
Her mother looked toward Emma.
"To break the system."
Luka stepped closer.
"What happened to the boy?"
Elena looked at him.
"I don't know."
"You know."
"No."
"Tell me."
Elena shook her head.
"I was told he died."
Luka's voice became cold.
"I didn't."
She looked at him.
"No."
"I know."
"Then you know more than I do."
Luka stared.
"Who raised me?"
"The Morettis."
"Which one?"
Elena hesitated.
"Marco."
Luka froze.
"Marco Moretti?"
"Yes."
"My father?"
"No."
"Then who?"
"Your uncle."
Luka stepped backward.
"My uncle died when I was six."
Elena shook her head.
"That was another lie."
Luka's face hardened.
"He's alive."
"Yes."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Maya looked between them.
"Why would he hide?"
Elena answered:
"Because Marco was the one who arranged your transfer."
"Transfer?"
"He gave you to the Morettis."
Luka stared.
"My own family sold me?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"They traded you."
"For what?"
Elena whispered:
"For Maya."
The room became silent.
Luka's expression changed.
"Explain."
"Marco believed the Bennett family would eventually come looking for you."
"Why?"
"Because the M-17 sequence required two bloodlines."
Maya frowned.
"Mine and his."
"Yes."
"Then why was Luka hidden?"
"Because Vale wanted him."
"Why?"
"Because your brother was the only person capable of activating the Moretti side of the inheritance."
Luka looked down.
"And Maya activated the Bennett side."
Elena nodded.
"Together, you are the complete key."
Maya looked at Emma.
"Then why is Emma involved?"
Elena's voice became quiet.
"Because you had her."
Maya stared.
"The system needed a second generation."
"Yes."
"So everything happened because I became pregnant."
"Yes."
"Who knew?"
"Your father."
"Vale."
"Marco."
"Daniel."
"And your husband?"
Elena hesitated.
"Eventually."
Maya's stomach tightened.
"He knew?"
"Yes."
"That's why he left."
"Yes."
"He wasn't simply abandoning me."
"No."
"He was afraid."
"Very."
Maya closed her eyes.
She suddenly remembered his final expression.
Not anger.
Fear.
He had looked at Emma.
Then at Maya.
Then walked away.
She had thought he didn't care.
Perhaps he had known that staying would put them in greater danger.
But none of that excused what he had done.
He had still left her alone.
A sound came from the hallway.
Luka raised his weapon.
"Someone's coming."
Maya stood.
"Who?"
The door opened.
Ethan entered.
Blood covered one side of his shirt.
He looked older than before.
But alive.
Maya stared at him.
"You."
Ethan looked at her.
"You're safe."
She shook her head.
"Don't say that."
"Maya—"
"You left me."
"I know."
"You let me believe you were fatherless."
"I know."
"You gave away my brother."
"I saved him."
"Did you?"
Ethan stopped.
Luka stepped forward.
"Where is Marco?"
Ethan looked at him.
"You don't want to find him."
"Why?"
"Because he knows what you are."
"What am I?"
Ethan looked at Maya.
Then Emma.
Then Luka.
"The three of you are the final generation."
Maya felt cold.
"What does that mean?"
"The system is dying."
"Good."
"No."
Ethan shook his head.
"If M-17 dies, the trusts collapse."
"Let them."
"Thirty billion dollars disappear."
"Let them."
"Thousands of jobs."
"Let them."
"Political foundations."
"Let them."
"Governments."
Maya stared.
"What?"
Ethan's expression became grim.
"The people who built M-17 weren't just billionaires."
He looked at Luka.
"They controlled governments."
Then at Maya.
"Judges."
Then Emma.
"Institutions."
Maya whispered:
"How far does it go?"
Ethan answered:
"Farther than you can imagine."
A phone began ringing.
Ethan pulled it from his pocket.
The caller ID showed:
MARCO MORETTI.
Luka stared.
"Answer it."
Ethan did.
A voice came through.
"Is she there?"
Ethan didn't speak.
Marco continued.
"I know the children are together."
Luka stepped forward.
"Uncle."
Silence.
Then Marco said:
"You're alive."
Luka laughed bitterly.
"You sound disappointed."
"I thought I killed you."
Maya froze.
Luka's expression hardened.
"You what?"
Marco continued:
"It was necessary."
"Why?"
"Because Vale couldn't know you survived."
"You shot me?"
"I shot the boy they were hunting."
Luka looked at Maya.
"Then who did I grow up as?"
Marco answered:
"A replacement."
Luka's face went pale.
"What?"
"The original Luka Bennett died."
Maya stared.
"Then who are you?"
Marco's voice came through the phone.
"His twin."
Silence.
Maya looked at Luka.
Luka couldn't speak.
Marco continued:
"Your mother had two sons."
Maya whispered:
"No."
"One carried M-17."
"The other carried the Moretti sequence."
Luka's hands began trembling.
"You've been lying to me my entire life."
"To keep you alive."
Maya almost laughed.
Everyone had the same excuse.
Then Marco said:
"The boy in the photograph isn't you."
Luka froze.
Maya stared.
"Then who is he?"
Marco answered:
"Your brother."
Luka's face collapsed.
"You told me I was him."
"I needed you to believe it."
"Why?"
"Because the real Luka died."
Maya stared at the man who had signed Emma's birth certificate.
Her brother.
Or the man she had believed was her brother.
Then she noticed something.
The crescent-shaped mark on his wrist.
Exactly like the boy in the photograph.
Maya looked at him.
"He's lying."
Luka turned.
"How do you know?"
"Because the mark."
She pointed.
"The boy in the photograph had it."
Luka stared.
Maya continued:
"You have it."
Marco's voice suddenly went silent.
Ethan looked terrified.
Maya realized why.
The mark wasn't a birthmark.
It was a symbol.
A designation.
And it matched the M-17 file.
Luka looked at his wrist.
Then at Maya.
"Then I am him."
Ethan whispered:
"Yes."
Luka looked at the phone.
"Marco."
No answer.
The call had ended.
A message appeared.
COME TO THE CHAPEL.
Then another:
COME ALONE.
Luka looked at Maya.
She shook her head.
"No."
He nodded.
"We go together."
Ethan stepped forward.
"You can't."
Maya looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because the chapel is where your father disappeared."
The words froze the room.
Maya stared.
"My father?"
Ethan nodded.
"That's where Vale took him."
"Then that's where we're going."
Her mother grabbed her arm.
"No."
Maya looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because your father wasn't the only person who disappeared there."
"Who else?"
Her mother whispered:
"Your brother."
Luka froze.
Maya looked at him.
"Which brother?"
Her mother couldn't answer.
Then the lights flickered.
Every screen in the facility activated.
One final message appeared:
BRING ALL THREE CARRIERS.
Maya stared.
Three.
Not two.
Three.
Her heart began pounding.
She looked at Emma.
Then Luka.
Then her mother.
And finally at Ethan.
"Who is the third carrier?"
Nobody answered.
Then, from somewhere beneath the facility, a baby's cry echoed through the darkness.
Maya's blood ran cold.
There was another child.
May you like
And someone had been hiding that child for twenty-five years.
To be continued.
