CHAPTER 10 — THE ABDUCTION
CHAPTER 10 — THE ABDUCTION
The lights went out.
Lily heard Michael breathing beside her.
Fast.
Broken.
Terrified.
Then Marcus's voice echoed through the darkness.
"You finally remember."
Michael froze.
Lily grabbed his hand.
"Don't listen to him."
A faint laugh came from somewhere beneath the floor.
"You should."
Marcus's voice was everywhere.
"Because this time, I'm not going to lie."
Elena raised her weapon.
"Marcus!"
A red emergency light flickered on.
For one second, Lily saw the room.
Then darkness again.
A sharp hiss came from the ceiling.
Gas.
Lily covered her mouth.
"Michael!"
He pulled his jacket over her face.
"Stay close!"
Elena shouted:
"Don't breathe!"
But it was already too late.
The gas spread rapidly.
Michael staggered.
Lily held him upright.
"Stay with me."
His eyes struggled to focus.
"Lily..."
"I'm here."
"Don't let them..."
His knees buckled.
She caught him.
"I won't."
Then the world disappeared.
Lily woke to water dripping onto her face.
Cold.
Slow.
Rhythmic.
Drop.
Drop.
Drop.
She opened her eyes.
Darkness.
Her hands were tied.
Her ankles were bound.
But this time, she wasn't alone.
Michael lay unconscious beside her.
"Michael."
No response.
She pulled against the restraints.
"Michael!"
His eyes slowly opened.
He looked at her.
"Lily?"
"You're awake."
He tried to sit up.
Pain crossed his face.
"Where are we?"
"I don't know."
He looked around.
Concrete walls.
One metal door.
No windows.
A single camera in the corner.
Michael stared at it.
"We've been taken."
Lily nodded.
"By Marcus."
Michael looked at the camera.
"Probably."
A speaker crackled.
Then Marcus's voice.
"Good morning."
Michael immediately stood.
"Show yourself."
Marcus laughed.
"Still protective."
"Let her go."
"Interesting."
Marcus paused.
"You remember almost everything."
Michael stared at the camera.
"Enough."
"Do you remember killing Victor?"
Michael's face tightened.
"Yes."
"Do you remember who gave you the gun?"
"No."
"Then you don't remember enough."
Lily shouted:
"Leave him alone!"
Marcus laughed.
"You still protect him."
"He's my brother."
"No."
Marcus's voice became colder.
"He is the weapon I built."
Michael looked at Lily.
"Don't listen."
Marcus continued.
"I didn't kidnap Lily."
Michael's eyes narrowed.
"Then why is she here?"
"Because she came willingly."
Lily shook her head.
"That's a lie."
"No."
Marcus's voice was calm.
"She came looking for you."
Michael went silent.
Marcus continued.
"And that's exactly what I needed."
The metal door opened.
Serena stepped inside.
Lily's eyes hardened.
"You."
Serena looked exhausted.
She was still wearing the same clothes from the night before.
But there was blood on her sleeve.
Lily stared.
"You're hurt."
Serena ignored the comment.
"Get up."
Michael moved between them.
"Don't touch her."
Serena looked at him.
"I didn't come to hurt you."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because we don't have much time."
Lily frowned.
"Time for what?"
Serena looked at the camera.
"Marcus is preparing the final transfer."
Michael's expression changed.
"Transfer?"
Serena nodded.
"He's going to move his memories."
"Into who?"
Serena looked at Lily.
"Her."
Silence.
Lily felt her stomach drop.
"No."
Serena nodded.
"Your brain is the only one compatible with his memory pattern."
Michael stared.
"Why?"
"Because you're Subject 07."
Serena looked at Lily.
"You've survived every conditioning cycle."
"You've retained memories they thought were impossible to preserve."
"And Marcus wants that ability."
Lily shook her head.
"He can't put himself inside me."
Serena's voice became quiet.
"He already has."
Lily froze.
"What?"
"Not completely."
Serena stepped closer.
"But parts of his memory have been implanted in you for years."
Lily remembered the dreams.
The nightmares.
The voices.
The white rooms.
She suddenly understood.
"Those weren't my memories."
Serena shook her head.
"Some weren't."
Michael looked at Lily.
"That's why you knew things you couldn't remember."
Lily whispered:
"Marcus."
A speaker crackled.
Marcus's voice returned.
"Exactly."
A door opened at the far end of the room.
Marcus walked in.
No guards.
No weapon.
Just a dark suit and a calm expression.
Michael immediately moved toward him.
Marcus raised one hand.
"Don't."
Michael stopped.
Marcus looked at Lily.
"Do you know why I chose you?"
Lily stared at him.
"Because I'm Subject 07."
"That's part of it."
"What else?"
Marcus smiled.
"Because you were the only child who looked at me without fear."
Lily frowned.
"I was six."
"Yes."
"You tortured me."
"I tested you."
"You hurt my brother."
"I separated you."
"You destroyed our lives."
Marcus's expression remained calm.
"And yet you're still alive."
Lily stepped forward.
"That's not because of you."
"No."
Marcus smiled.
"It's because of your mother."
He turned toward the camera.
"Elena."
The room remained silent.
Marcus laughed softly.
"She always wanted to be a hero."
Lily stared.
"You said she chose me."
"She did."
"Why?"
Marcus looked at her.
"Because she knew what you were."
"What am I?"
Marcus walked closer.
"The first successful memory carrier."
Michael shook his head.
"That's impossible."
Marcus looked at him.
"Your mother didn't tell you everything."
"What didn't she tell me?"
Marcus smiled.
"She created Lily."
Michael froze.
Lily stared.
"What?"
Marcus continued.
"Not biologically."
"Scientifically."
"You were the result of years of experimentation."
Lily shook her head.
"No."
"Your mother used her own neural patterns."
"She combined them with Subject Zero."
"And then she created you."
Lily's breathing became shallow.
"You mean..."
Marcus nodded.
"Subject 07 was born in a laboratory."
Michael stared at Lily.
She looked devastated.
"Then my parents..."
"False."
Marcus answered.
"Your entire family history was fabricated."
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
"Why?"
"To protect the project."
Michael stepped closer.
"You lied to her."
Marcus smiled.
"Everyone lied to her."
Suddenly—
the door exploded inward.
Gunfire filled the room.
Marcus ducked.
Serena grabbed Lily.
Michael fired toward the doorway.
Men in black armor stormed inside.
"Move!"
Serena dragged Lily toward a side corridor.
Michael followed.
Marcus shouted:
"Stop them!"
The corridor erupted into chaos.
Lily ran.
She heard bullets behind her.
Michael grabbed her hand.
"Keep moving!"
"Where?"
"Anywhere!"
They turned a corner.
A metal door slammed behind them.
Michael locked it.
They leaned against the wall.
Breathing hard.
Lily looked at him.
"Who are those people?"
Michael shook his head.
"Not Marcus's."
"What?"
"They're Blackwood."
Lily stared.
"Victor's men?"
"Maybe."
A voice came through the intercom.
"Michael."
They froze.
Elena.
Michael looked up.
"Mom?"
"Get Lily out."
"Where?"
"The north tunnel."
"Why?"
"Because Marcus doesn't control it."
Michael opened the door.
Then stopped.
"Mom."
"What?"
"Who ordered me to kill Victor?"
Silence.
Lily looked at him.
The speaker remained silent.
Michael's voice cracked.
"Mom."
Finally Elena answered.
"It was your father."
Michael froze.
"Victor Sr.?"
"Yes."
Michael shook his head.
"Why?"
"Because Victor discovered the project."
"Your father wanted him dead."
Michael looked at Lily.
"And I was used to do it."
Elena whispered:
"I'm sorry."
Michael closed his eyes.
Then the speaker went dead.
They reached the north tunnel.
It was narrow.
Wet.
Almost completely dark.
Michael led Lily through.
After several minutes, they reached an iron ladder.
At the top was a small hatch.
Michael pushed it open.
Rain poured down.
They emerged behind the Blackwood estate.
Lily inhaled deeply.
Fresh air.
For the first time in hours.
Michael looked at the mansion.
"Go."
Lily stared.
"What?"
"You need to leave."
"I'm not leaving you."
"You need to."
"No."
"Lily."
"I'm done losing you."
Michael looked at her.
"You heard Marcus."
"He's lying."
"Maybe."
Michael paused.
"But what if he's not?"
Lily stepped closer.
"You are my brother."
Michael looked at her.
"You don't know that."
"I know enough."
"You could be remembering something false."
"Then I'll remember with you."
He stared at her.
She smiled.
"Together."
Michael's eyes filled with tears.
Then a voice behind them spoke.
"Beautiful."
They turned.
Marcus stood beneath the trees.
Lily froze.
Michael raised his gun.
Marcus smiled.
"Family reunion."
Michael aimed.
"You followed us."
"No."
Marcus shook his head.
"I was waiting."
"For what?"
Marcus looked at Lily.
"For you."
A black SUV stopped behind him.
The rear door opened.
A man stepped out.
Lily's blood turned cold.
She knew him.
She had seen him in the old photographs.
Victor Blackwood Sr.
Impossible.
He had died twenty years ago.
Yet there he stood.
Older.
Alive.
Michael lowered his weapon in shock.
"No..."
Marcus smiled.
"Meet the man who started everything."
Victor Sr. looked at Lily.
Then Michael.
Then smiled.
"My children."
Lily stared.
"What?"
Victor Sr. answered:
"You were never meant to be siblings."
He looked at Michael.
"You were meant to be replacements."
Then at Lily.
"And you..."
His eyes hardened.
"...were meant to be the vessel."
Marcus stepped aside.
Victor Sr. raised his hand.
Men emerged from the trees.
Michael grabbed Lily.
"Run!"
They turned.
But a gun was already pressed against Michael's head.
He froze.
Lily screamed.
"Let him go!"
Victor Sr. looked at her.
"Of course."
He smiled.
"After you come with me."
Lily stared.
"Why me?"
"Because Marcus was right."
He stepped closer.
"You remember."
Lily's heart raced.
"What do I remember?"
Victor Sr. smiled.
"The night I died."
Michael looked at him.
"But you're alive."
Victor Sr. laughed.
"The man who died that night was not me."
Silence.
He leaned toward Lily.
"Your memory is the only evidence that can expose what happened."
Lily stared.
"You want to erase it."
"No."
He smiled.
"I want to own it."
The men forced Michael to his knees.
Lily struggled against two guards.
"Let him go!"
Victor Sr. watched calmly.
"Take her."
Michael shouted:
"Lily!"
She fought desperately.
"Michael!"
Their hands reached toward each other.
Their fingers touched.
For one second—
they held on.
Then the guards pulled them apart.
Michael screamed her name.
Lily screamed his.
The SUV doors slammed shut.
Marcus entered one vehicle.
Victor Sr. entered another.
Lily was dragged into the center SUV.
Michael was taken somewhere else.
As the vehicle pulled away, Lily looked through the rear window.
Michael was still fighting.
Still shouting.
Still trying to reach her.
She pressed her palm against the glass.
"I'll find you!"
Michael stopped.
He looked directly at her.
And mouthed:
"I promise."
The vehicle disappeared into the rain.
Two hours later, Victor returned to the estate.
The mansion was silent.
Too silent.
He stepped inside.
"Mom?"
No answer.
"Daniel!"
Daniel appeared from the hallway.
His face was pale.
Victor immediately knew.
"What happened?"
Daniel hesitated.
"Lily is gone."
Victor's blood froze.
"Michael?"
"Gone too."
Victor stared.
"Who took them?"
Daniel handed him a photograph.
Victor looked down.
Marcus.
Victor Sr.
Lily.
Michael.
All standing together.
The photograph had been taken moments before the abduction.
Victor's face hardened.
"My father."
Daniel nodded.
"We traced the vehicles."
"Where?"
"An old private airfield."
Victor grabbed his coat.
"Get everyone."
"Boss, there's more."
"What?"
Daniel handed him another file.
"We found the original Project Mirror records."
Victor opened them.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
There was one final line.
SUBJECT 07 AND SUBJECT 11 WERE NEVER THE FINAL EXPERIMENT.
Victor looked at Daniel.
"What was?"
Daniel pointed to the bottom.
A name had been handwritten.
SUBJECT 00.
Victor's mother.
Elena.
Victor's expression changed.
"Find my mother."
"She's gone."
Victor stared.
"Since when?"
"Thirty minutes."
Victor's heart sank.
She hadn't disappeared.
She had been taken.
By whom?
He looked at the photograph again.
Marcus.
His father.
Lily.
Michael.
Then he noticed something in the background.
A symbol painted on the hangar wall.
Not Project Mirror.
Something older.
A black circle.
Seven lines.
Victor whispered:
"There's another project."
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
Victor looked toward the dark windows.
"Project Mirror wasn't the beginning."
He closed the file.
"It was the second."
Lily opened her eyes.
She was lying on another metal table.
The room was bright.
White.
Sterile.
Familiar.
She looked around.
On the wall was a single number.
00
Her heart began pounding.
A door opened.
Victor Blackwood Sr. walked in.
Marcus followed.
Lily stared at them.
"Where is Michael?"
Victor Sr. ignored the question.
"Do you know where you are?"
Lily looked at the number.
"Subject Zero."
He smiled.
"Correct."
"Why bring me here?"
"Because this is where you were created."
Lily shook her head.
"No."
Victor Sr. leaned closer.
"Yes."
He pressed a button.
A glass wall opened.
Behind it was an old machine.
Lily recognized it.
The machine from her nightmares.
The one that had stolen her memories.
Victor Sr. smiled.
"Do you know what this machine does?"
Lily stared.
"It transfers memories."
"No."
He shook his head.
"It extracts them."
Marcus looked at him.
"She knows."
Victor Sr. nodded.
"Then perhaps she's finally ready."
Lily struggled against the restraints.
"Ready for what?"
Victor Sr. looked directly into her eyes.
"To remember the night Victor died."
Lily's breathing stopped.
"And when you remember..."
He smiled.
"...you will finally understand why Michael was chosen."
The machine began to hum.
Lights flashed.
Lily screamed.
And somewhere inside her mind, a locked memory finally began to open.
A little boy.
A gun.
A bloody floor.
Victor.
Michael.
And a woman standing behind them.
The woman who had given the order.
Lily's eyes widened.
She knew that face.
She had trusted her all her life.
Then the memory spoke.
And Lily heard her mother's voice:
"Kill Victor."
The machine screamed.
Lily's eyes snapped open.
May you like
And she whispered the name of the person who had betrayed them all.
"Elena."
