CHAPTER 8 — THE NIGHT LILY DISAPPEARED
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Ethan's words kept repeating inside my head.
Richard is standing outside Saint Mary's.
He's with Emily.
And Emily is holding a gun.
My wife.
Alive.
Standing beside the man who had supposedly disappeared from our lives decades ago.
Holding a weapon.
I looked at Vanessa.
She was staring at me.
"What happened?"
I picked up the phone.
"Ethan found them."
Her eyes widened.
"Who?"
"Richard."
She went pale.
"And Emily."
Vanessa's hand covered her mouth.
"She's alive?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Saint Mary's."
Vanessa took a step backward.
"No."
"What?"
"You can't go there."
"I have to."
"Ryan, listen to me."
"I've waited four years."
"You don't understand."
"I understand enough."
"Emily is holding a gun."
I stopped.
"How did Ethan know?"
"He saw them."
"Then I need to talk to her."
"You can't."
"Why?"
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"Because I know why she's there."
I stared at her.
"Why?"
"She's not there to escape."
"What then?"
"She's there to kill Richard."
Silence.
I couldn't process it.
"Why would she kill him?"
"Because he destroyed her life."
I looked toward Lily.
She was still upstairs.
Sleeping.
Safe.
At least for the moment.
I picked up my keys.
"I'm going."
Vanessa grabbed my wrist.
"Don't."
"Let go."
"If you walk into that building, you might never come out."
"I don't care."
"I do."
I stared at her.
"You don't get to care now."
She released me.
"I know."
I walked toward the door.
Then Lily appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Daddy?"
I froze.
She rubbed her eyes.
"Where are you going?"
I turned.
"Nowhere."
"You said you were going to find Mommy."
"I am."
She ran down the stairs.
I caught her.
"Is Mommy coming home?"
I looked at Vanessa.
Then back at Lily.
"Yes."
Her face brightened.
"Really?"
"I hope so."
She hugged me.
"I miss her."
My throat tightened.
"I know."
Then she whispered:
"Mommy is scared."
I pulled back.
"What?"
"Mommy told me."
"When?"
"Before."
"Before what?"
She pointed toward the window.
"The night she came."
I looked at Vanessa.
"What night?"
Vanessa didn't answer.
"Lily, when did Mommy come?"
"The night Daddy was sleeping."
I stared.
"You saw her?"
She nodded.
"What did she say?"
"She said she couldn't stay."
"Why?"
"Because the bad man was looking."
"Richard?"
Lily shook her head.
"The other bad man."
My heart tightened.
"Who?"
She pointed toward Vanessa.
"His face looks like yours."
I froze.
"What?"
Vanessa looked confused.
"What does that mean?"
Lily stared at her.
"The man from the pictures."
I felt a chill.
A man who looked like me.
A relative.
Someone connected to my father.
Someone who could be mistaken for me.
Then I remembered something.
The photograph of Richard.
He and my father looked remarkably alike.
But Lily said his face looks like yours.
Maybe she hadn't meant Richard.
Maybe she meant someone else.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Who else in my family looks like me?"
She didn't answer.
"Vanessa."
She whispered:
"Your cousin."
I frowned.
"I don't have a cousin."
"You do."
"Who?"
"Michael."
I stared.
"Michael died when we were children."
"That's what you were told."
I felt the room shift beneath me.
"Where is he?"
"I don't know."
"When did he disappear?"
"Twenty years ago."
"What does he have to do with Lily?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I swear."
I looked at Lily.
"Sweetheart, what did Mommy tell you about the man?"
She whispered:
"He wears a blue ring."
I looked at Vanessa.
She went completely white.
"You know him."
"No."
"Vanessa."
She sat down.
"I've seen that ring."
"Where?"
"On Richard."
My blood froze.
"Then it's Richard."
"No."
"What?"
"Richard wears a black ring."
She swallowed.
"The blue one belongs to Michael."
I stared at her.
"But Michael is dead."
"Maybe."
The word hung in the air.
I grabbed my phone.
"Ethan."
He answered immediately.
"Ryan."
"Did you see Richard?"
"Yes."
"Did you see Emily?"
"Yes."
"Anyone else?"
A pause.
"Why?"
"Just answer me."
"I saw another man."
My heart stopped.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Describe him."
"Dark hair."
"Age?"
"Forties."
"Anything else?"
"Blue ring."
I closed my eyes.
"Michael."
"What?"
"My cousin."
Ethan went silent.
Then said:
"Ryan..."
"What?"
"That's not possible."
"Why?"
"Because the man standing beside Richard isn't your cousin."
"Who is he?"
"I don't know."
"Then find out."
"I'll try."
"No."
"What?"
"I'll handle it."
"Ryan, don't go there."
"I'm going."
I ended the call.
Vanessa stepped in front of me.
"If you go to Saint Mary's, you're walking into a trap."
"Maybe."
"Ryan."
"I need answers."
"Then let me come."
I hesitated.
"Why?"
"Because I know how they operate."
"You also lied to me."
"I know."
"You hurt Lily."
"I know."
"You kept Emily's survival from me."
"I know."
"So why should I trust you?"
Vanessa looked at me.
"Because if I wanted you dead, you would already be dead."
I stared at her.
She was right.
That didn't make her trustworthy.
But it meant she had something to lose too.
I nodded.
"Fine."
We left the house.
I locked every door.
Activated every camera.
Then put the hidden security feed on my phone.
If anyone entered the house, I'd know.
We drove toward Saint Mary's.
Neither of us spoke for several minutes.
Then Vanessa said:
"I need to tell you something."
"What?"
"About Emily."
I kept my eyes on the road.
"What?"
"She didn't abandon you."
"I know."
"No."
She looked at me.
"You don't."
"What do you mean?"
"When Emily disappeared, she was trying to come back."
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
"How do you know?"
"Because she called me."
"When?"
"Three days after the accident."
"What did she say?"
"She told me she was alive."
"Why didn't she call me?"
"She couldn't."
"Why?"
"Because Richard had your phone monitored."
I stared ahead.
"How?"
"Your father had installed security systems in the house."
"That's normal."
"Not this one."
"What was different?"
"They could monitor phone calls."
I felt sick.
"My father?"
"Richard."
"What about Emily?"
"She knew."
"So why didn't she contact me another way?"
"She tried."
"How?"
"Letters."
"Where are they?"
"I don't know."
"You saw them?"
"Yes."
"How many?"
"Four."
"Where?"
"Claire took them."
I looked at Vanessa.
"Why?"
"To make you believe Emily didn't care."
My jaw tightened.
"And you helped?"
"I didn't know."
"At the time."
She nodded.
"I thought Emily was manipulating you."
"Why?"
"Because that's what Claire told me."
"And you believed her."
"Yes."
I shook my head.
"God."
She looked down.
"I'm sorry."
I didn't answer.
We reached Saint Mary's.
The building looked abandoned.
Broken windows.
Overgrown grass.
Rusting gates.
Nothing about it suggested that millions of dollars had moved through its accounts.
I parked two blocks away.
We approached on foot.
The main entrance was locked.
But there was a side door.
Open.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Trap."
"Yes."
"Still going in?"
"Yes."
We entered.
The hallway smelled like dust and old disinfectant.
Our footsteps echoed.
I turned on my flashlight.
The walls were covered with faded photographs.
Children.
Families.
Doctors.
Some photographs had names.
Others had numbers.
I stopped at one.
SUBJECT 14.
A little boy.
Maybe six.
Below the photograph:
Transferred — 2019.
Vanessa whispered:
"Don't look."
"Why?"
"Because if you start reading, you'll never stop."
I kept walking.
We reached a large room.
There were hundreds of file cabinets.
Most were empty.
One wasn't.
I opened it.
Inside were folders.
CARTER.
I pulled one out.
My name.
RYAN CARTER — SUBJECT FAMILY.
I opened it.
My childhood medical records.
School records.
Psychological evaluations.
Photographs.
Every detail of my life.
Someone had been monitoring me since I was a child.
I turned the page.
There was a photograph of my father.
And beside him...
Richard.
But the date was twenty years earlier.
Then I saw something that made my blood freeze.
A photograph of a little boy.
Me.
Age nine.
Standing beside another boy.
Michael.
The two of us looked almost identical.
Underneath was a note:
Potential genetic match — 98.7%.
I stared.
"Why would they test us?"
Vanessa stepped closer.
"Because your family was part of the research."
"What research?"
"Project Echo."
I felt sick.
"They tested children."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Genetics."
"For what?"
"Memory."
I frowned.
"What does genetics have to do with memory?"
"Everything, apparently."
She pointed at the file.
"Your father discovered that certain family lines were more resistant to memory manipulation."
I stared.
"And our family?"
"One of them."
I thought about Lily.
Her memories.
The things she remembered that she shouldn't have.
"That's why they want her."
Vanessa nodded.
"Yes."
Suddenly we heard something.
A door closing somewhere behind us.
We turned.
Nothing.
I raised the flashlight.
"Who's there?"
No answer.
Then a voice echoed through the hallway.
"Ryan."
I froze.
It was a voice I hadn't heard in twenty years.
Michael.
My cousin.
Alive.
"Michael?"
No answer.
Vanessa grabbed my arm.
"Don't follow it."
"Why?"
"Because he wants you to."
I pulled away.
"He's family."
"So was Richard."
We moved toward the sound.
A figure appeared at the end of the corridor.
Tall.
Dark hair.
Blue ring.
I knew the face.
Michael.
He smiled.
"Ryan."
I couldn't speak.
He looked exactly as he had in my childhood memories.
Only older.
Harder.
Colder.
"What happened to you?"
He smiled again.
"Your father happened."
My chest tightened.
"What does that mean?"
"He tried to protect you."
"From what?"
"From us."
"Who is us?"
Michael's eyes moved toward Vanessa.
She looked terrified.
Michael said:
"She knows."
I turned toward Vanessa.
"Knows what?"
Michael laughed softly.
"Ask her about the night Lily disappeared."
Vanessa shook her head.
"No."
"Tell him."
"No."
"Tell him what you did."
I stared at Vanessa.
"What did you do?"
She backed away.
"I didn't have a choice."
"What did you do?"
"I..."
Her voice broke.
"I gave Lily to them."
Everything inside me stopped.
"What?"
"It was supposed to be temporary."
"You gave them my daughter?"
"I was trying to save my sister."
"You gave them Lily?"
"Only for six days."
I felt rage explode through me.
"You told me you didn't know where she was."
"I lied."
"You lied."
"I was terrified."
"You handed my daughter to strangers."
"I thought they'd bring her back."
"Who?"
"Richard."
I couldn't believe it.
Michael stepped closer.
"She's still lying."
I turned.
"What?"
Michael looked at Vanessa.
"You didn't give Lily to Richard."
Vanessa froze.
Michael continued:
"You gave Lily to Emily."
I stared at him.
"What?"
"Emily took Lily."
"Why?"
"Because she knew Richard was coming."
I looked at Vanessa.
"Is that true?"
She was crying.
"Yes."
"Then why did you make Lily afraid?"
"Because I needed Richard to believe I was cooperating."
"You hurt her."
"I know."
"You locked her in that room."
"I know."
"You made her think she was alone."
"I know."
I couldn't forgive her.
But I could finally understand the motive.
It didn't erase the damage.
It didn't erase Lily's fear.
But it explained why Vanessa had been terrified.
Michael looked at me.
"You're asking the wrong question."
"What?"
"You keep asking why they wanted Lily."
"Then tell me."
"They didn't want Lily."
He paused.
"They wanted what Lily carries."
I frowned.
"What does she carry?"
Michael reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a photograph.
A newborn baby.
I stared.
It was Lily.
But there was something written on the back.
SUBJECT ECHO — ORIGINAL SOURCE
Michael looked at me.
"Your daughter wasn't chosen because of who she is."
"Then why?"
"Because of who her mother is."
My heart stopped.
"Emily?"
Michael nodded.
"Your wife isn't just a survivor."
"Then what is she?"
"She's the first person who survived Project Echo."
I couldn't speak.
"Richard thought he could erase her memories."
Michael continued.
"He was wrong."
"What does that mean?"
"Emily remembers everything."
A sound came from behind us.
A gunshot.
We all turned.
Vanessa screamed.
Michael pulled me down.
Another shot hit the wall.
Then a woman's voice echoed through the corridor.
"Ryan!"
I knew that voice.
Emily.
I stood.
"Emily?"
"Don't move!"
I froze.
She stepped into the hallway.
Gun in hand.
Tears in her eyes.
Older.
Thinner.
But unmistakably my wife.
For four years, I had imagined this moment.
I had imagined running toward her.
Holding her.
Asking why she left.
Instead, I stood still.
Because she was pointing the gun at Michael.
"Emily."
Her eyes moved to me.
For a second, everything else disappeared.
"Ryan."
My voice broke.
"You're alive."
She nodded.
"I'm sorry."
"Why didn't you come home?"
"Because I couldn't."
"Why?"
She looked at Lily's photograph.
Then at me.
"Because they told me if I came back, they would kill her."
I looked toward Vanessa.
"Who?"
Emily's eyes hardened.
"Richard."
Michael shook his head.
"No."
Emily looked at him.
"You still protect him."
Michael stepped back.
"You don't know what really happened."
"I know exactly what happened."
She raised the gun.
"Emily."
I moved between them.
"Stop."
She looked at me.
"Ryan, move."
"No."
"You don't understand."
"I understand enough."
"Move."
"I won't."
Her hands trembled.
Then her gun lowered.
She began crying.
"I missed four years of her life."
I swallowed.
"You can make them up."
"Can I?"
She looked at me.
"Can a mother make up four years?"
I didn't know what to say.
She took a step toward me.
Then suddenly the lights went out.
The building plunged into darkness.
A red emergency light appeared.
Michael whispered:
"He's here."
"Who?"
"Richard."
A man's voice echoed through the building.
"Family reunion."
Emily raised her gun.
Richard stepped into the red light.
He wasn't alone.
Behind him stood six armed men.
And beside them...
was Lily.
My daughter.
Someone was holding her.
She was crying.
"Daddy!"
I felt the world disappear.
Richard smiled.
"Now that everyone is together..."
He looked at Emily.
"Let's finish what your father started."
Emily raised her gun.
Richard laughed.
"You won't shoot."
"Try me."
Richard looked at me.
Then at Lily.
"Put the gun down, Emily."
"No."
"Then the child dies."
I felt my heart stop.
Lily screamed.
"Mommy!"
Emily's face collapsed.
Richard smiled.
"That's better."
He looked at me.
"Ryan, you have something I need."
"What?"
"The box."
I stared at him.
"What box?"
"The one your father hid."
"I don't have it."
Richard smiled.
"You will."
Then he turned to his men.
"Take them."
I stepped toward Lily.
"No!"
Everything happened at once.
Emily fired.
The room exploded with noise.
People screamed.
Glass shattered.
Michael tackled one of the guards.
Vanessa grabbed Lily.
I ran toward them.
Then I felt something hit the back of my head.
The hallway spun.
The last thing I saw before everything went black...
was Lily reaching for me.
"Daddy!"
And Richard standing behind her.
Smiling.
When I woke up...
I was alone.
Tied to a chair.
A bright light burned above my head.
Across the room stood Richard.
He placed a small wooden box on the table.
My father's box.
The one I had believed was lost for eleven years.
Richard smiled.
"You've been looking for this."
I stared at him.
"Where is Lily?"
"Safe."
"Where?"
"That's the wrong question."
I pulled against the restraints.
"What do you want?"
Richard leaned closer.
"I want you to remember what your father made you forget."
I froze.
"What?"
Richard smiled.
"Because, Ryan..."
He opened the wooden box.
Inside was a photograph.
A photograph of me.
As a child.
Standing beside my father.
And behind us was the same woman from Lily's drawings.
The woman in the red coat.
Miriam Hale.
Richard whispered:
"Your father didn't hide the truth from you."
"He erased it."
Then he placed another photograph on the table.
This one showed a baby.
Two identical newborn girls.
May you like
And underneath was one sentence:
ONLY ONE OF THEM WAS LILY.
