Amelia couldn't breathe.

The man sitting behind the desk had Thomas Hayes's face.

Not almost.

Not similar.

Exact.

The same gray eyes.

The same narrow scar above his right eyebrow.

The same crooked little smile Thomas used whenever Amelia was being stubborn.

Even the same voice.

"You're late, kiddo."

Amelia stared at him.

"No."

The man smiled.

"That's what everyone says."

Richard raised his weapon.

"Get away from the desk."

The man didn't move.

Alexander stepped in front of Amelia.

"Who are you?"

The man looked at him.

"You know."

Alexander's face hardened.

"No."

"You've seen me before."

"Thomas is dead."

"I didn't say I was Thomas."

Amelia finally found her voice.

"Then why do you look like him?"

The man leaned back.

"Because Thomas asked me to."

Silence.

Sarah began shaking.

"No..."

The man looked at her.

"Hello, Sarah."

She stared.

"You know me."

"I knew you before Amelia was born."

Sarah took a step backward.

"You're the man from the hospital."

The man's expression changed.

For the first time, the confidence disappeared.

"You remember."

Sarah whispered:

"You were there."

Amelia turned toward her.

"Who is he?"

Sarah looked terrified.

"He was Thomas's twin."

The room seemed to tilt.

Richard lowered his weapon slightly.

"Thomas had a twin?"

Sarah nodded.

"His name was Matthew Hayes."

The man smiled.

"Finally."

Amelia stared.

"Where have you been?"

Matthew answered calmly.

"Underground."

He stood.

He was almost identical to Thomas.

But there was one difference.

Thomas had warmth in his eyes.

Matthew had none.

"I was twelve when Thomas and I were separated."

"Why?"

"Our father believed one son should serve the Army."

Matthew looked toward the rows of rooms.

"The other should serve the program."

Richard frowned.

"Project Seventeen."

Matthew nodded.

"Thomas became the soldier."

"I became the scientist."

Alexander stepped forward.

"You worked with Samuel."

"At first."

"Then what happened?"

Matthew smiled.

"Samuel became obsessed."

"With the children."

"With control."

Amelia looked around.

"These rooms."

Matthew nodded.

"They were designed to study identity."

"Identity?"

"Memory. Behavior. Trauma. Recognition."

He walked toward a wall of files.

"Samuel believed a person's identity could be reconstructed if you controlled enough information."

Amelia's stomach tightened.

"That's what he did to me."

"Yes."

"And Elena."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Matthew looked at her.

"Because you were the first successful subjects."

Elena stepped forward.

"We weren't experiments."

Matthew's eyes met hers.

"Every child in Project Seventeen was an experiment."

Sarah began crying.

"Stop."

Matthew ignored her.

"Your mother and Alexander were selected because of their family histories."

Alexander shook his head.

"I never agreed to this."

"You didn't have to."

"Samuel forced us."

Matthew nodded.

"Samuel was good at that."

Amelia stared at him.

"And Thomas?"

Matthew's voice softened.

"Thomas tried to save you."

"He saved me."

"Yes."

"Then why did he die?"

Matthew looked at her.

"Because he discovered the final phase."

"What final phase?"

Matthew turned on a monitor.

A document appeared.

PROJECT SEVENTEEN — PHASE IV

IDENTITY TRANSFER

Amelia stared.

"What is that?"

"An attempt to make one person's identity replace another's."

Richard frowned.

"You mean fake records?"

"No."

Matthew shook his head.

"Much deeper."

He opened another file.

A photograph appeared.

Thomas.

Then another.

Matthew.

Then another.

Samuel.

Then Alexander.

"Project Seventeen discovered that if you controlled a person's records, environment, memories, relationships, and social recognition long enough, you could effectively create a new identity."

Amelia understood.

"Daniel Cross."

Alexander's expression darkened.

Matthew nodded.

"Daniel Cross was the first successful transfer."

Alexander whispered:

"Samuel created my identity."

"Yes."

Amelia looked at her father.

"You became Daniel."

"I had no choice."

Matthew corrected him.

"You had one choice."

Alexander stared.

"What?"

"Die."

Silence.

Matthew continued.

"Alexander Vale had to disappear so Daniel Cross could exist."

Amelia looked at Alexander.

"You erased yourself."

"To protect you."

"From Samuel."

"From everyone."

Matthew nodded.

"Thomas helped."

Amelia's eyes filled with tears.

"He helped you disappear?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"Because the moment you knew Alexander Vale was alive, your identity became traceable."

Amelia looked down.

"Then why did he leave clues?"

"Because he knew he was dying."

Matthew walked to another file.

He placed it on the desk.

"Your father knew Samuel had found a way to locate you."

Amelia looked up.

"When?"

"Six months before his death."

"Why didn't he run?"

"Because there was nowhere left to run."

Matthew opened the file.

Inside were photographs of Amelia.

Leaving the military base.

Entering her apartment.

Shopping.

At the gym.

At the funeral.

Amelia stared.

"They were watching me."

"For years."

"How long?"

"Since you joined the Army."

Richard's jaw tightened.

"Someone inside the military gave them her movements."

Matthew nodded.

"Correct."

Amelia turned toward Richard.

"You said there was a traitor."

Richard looked at her.

"There was."

"Who?"

Matthew answered.

"Colonel Daniel Mercer."

Sarah froze.

"Mercer?"

Matthew nodded.

"Your mother's cousin."

Sarah shook her head.

"He's dead."

"His identity is dead."

Amelia felt a chill.

"What does that mean?"

Matthew looked at her.

"He's been living under another name."

"Which name?"

Matthew hesitated.

Then he said:

"Richard Mason."

Silence.

Every eye turned toward Richard.

Richard stood motionless.

Alexander slowly raised his weapon.

Elena stepped back.

Sarah whispered:

"Richard?"

Richard looked at Amelia.

His face was unreadable.

"Matthew is lying."

Matthew smiled.

"Then tell her about the hospital."

Richard's expression changed.

Amelia's heart sank.

"What happened at the hospital?"

Richard said nothing.

"Richard."

He finally spoke.

"I wasn't there."

Matthew laughed.

"You were."

"No."

"You carried one of the babies out."

Richard's face went pale.

Amelia looked at him.

"Which baby?"

Richard closed his eyes.

"The second."

Elena whispered:

"Me."

Richard opened his eyes.

"No."

He looked at Amelia.

"You."

The room went silent.

Amelia couldn't understand.

"I carried you."

"Where?"

"To Thomas."

"Why?"

"Because Samuel ordered me to."

Sarah stepped forward.

"You worked for Samuel?"

Richard's voice broke.

"At the time."

Alexander raised his weapon.

"You betrayed us."

"I was twenty-six."

"You still chose him."

"I didn't know what he was doing."

Matthew interrupted.

"You knew enough."

Richard turned toward him.

"And you knew everything."

Matthew smiled.

"Yes."

Richard looked at Amelia.

"I took you from the hospital."

Amelia's face went cold.

"What happened to Elena?"

"I never saw her."

"That's impossible."

"Samuel had another team."

"Who?"

Richard shook his head.

"I don't know."

Elena stepped forward.

"You knew my sister existed."

Richard nodded.

"I knew there were two babies."

"Then why did you only take one?"

"Because that was the order."

"Whose order?"

Richard looked at Matthew.

"His."

Everyone turned.

Matthew's expression didn't change.

"Yes."

Amelia stared at him.

"You ordered Richard to take me?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because I knew Samuel would kill you."

"So you kidnapped me."

"I saved you."

"You stole me from my mother."

"I kept you alive."

Amelia's voice broke.

"You don't get to call that saving."

Matthew's eyes softened slightly.

"No."

He nodded.

"You're right."

A siren suddenly sounded.

Red lights flashed across the underground facility.

Matthew looked toward the ceiling.

"He's here."

"Samuel?"

Matthew nodded.

"How long?"

"Three minutes."

Richard looked toward the exit.

"We need to move."

Matthew shook his head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because this facility cannot be moved."

He walked to the central console.

"It has a dead-man system."

Amelia frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"If Samuel enters the central chamber, the archive will lock permanently."

"Then we stop him."

Matthew looked at her.

"You can't."

"Why?"

"Because the system recognizes only one person."

Amelia understood.

"Me."

Matthew nodded.

"You're the witness."

"The key."

"No."

He looked at her.

"Thomas was right."

Amelia stared.

"You're not the key."

"Then what am I?"

"The evidence."

The words hit her.

Matthew continued.

"Your memories contain the missing seven minutes."

Amelia remembered the white room.

The chair.

The voices.

The baby crying.

Her sister.

The clock.

3:17.

3:24.

"I can remember."

"Yes."

"Then help me."

Matthew shook his head.

"I already did."

"What?"

He pointed toward the central chamber.

"Thomas left something for you."

The door opened.

Inside was a single table.

On it sat a folded American flag.

Amelia froze.

Her father's funeral flag.

The one she had held beside his coffin.

She stepped closer.

"That's impossible."

Matthew smiled faintly.

"Thomas replaced the flag before the funeral."

"What?"

"The flag you buried with him wasn't his."

Amelia stared.

"Then whose was it?"

"An empty coffin."

Her heart shattered.

"You mean..."

Matthew nodded.

"Thomas's body was never inside."

Silence.

Amelia touched the folded flag.

Her hands trembled.

"Where is my father?"

Matthew looked at her.

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Then why is the coffin empty?"

Matthew's eyes moved toward the door.

"Because Thomas knew Samuel would look for the body."

Amelia whispered:

"He's alive."

Matthew didn't answer.

The underground siren grew louder.

Then a voice echoed through the facility.

Samuel.

"Matthew."

Matthew closed his eyes.

"He's here."

Samuel's voice continued.

"You should have stayed buried."

Matthew looked at Amelia.

"You have five minutes."

"For what?"

"To decide whether you want the truth."

Amelia stared.

"I've spent my entire life wanting it."

Matthew nodded.

"Then remember."

He activated the machine.

A bright white light filled the room.

Amelia's vision blurred.

The bunker disappeared.

The rain disappeared.

Her family disappeared.

And suddenly—

she was four months old again.

A hospital room.

3:17 a.m.

Her mother was unconscious.

Thomas stood beside the bed.

Alexander was bleeding.

A third man entered.

Samuel.

But he wasn't alone.

Someone stood behind him.

A woman.

Amelia couldn't see her face.

The woman leaned toward the newborn.

Then whispered:

"Take the boy."

Amelia's mind screamed.

Boy?

There had been a third child.

The image changed.

Three babies.

Two girls.

One boy.

Then the woman removed her mask.

Amelia saw her face.

She knew her.

Everyone did.

The woman was a famous military physician.

The same woman whose signature appeared on Thomas's medical records.

The same woman who had treated Thomas for six years.

Dr. Marcus Hale's partner.

Dr. Evelyn Cross.

Samuel's wife.

And the mother of Elena and Amelia.

But Evelyn wasn't looking at the babies.

She was looking at Thomas.

And she whispered:

"Which one will you save?"

Thomas stared at her.

Then he picked up Amelia.

The memory ended.

Amelia screamed.

She collapsed.

Alexander caught her.

"Amelia!"

She opened her eyes.

Her face was covered in tears.

"I remember."

Everyone stared.

"What?"

She looked at Sarah.

Then Elena.

Then Alexander.

Finally, she looked at Matthew.

"There was a third baby."

Matthew nodded.

"Yes."

"A boy."

"Yes."

"Who was he?"

Matthew's expression changed.

Amelia saw fear for the first time.

"Who was he?"

Before Matthew could answer—

the lights went out.

A gunshot exploded.

Matthew fell.

Samuel's voice came from the darkness.

"You were never supposed to remember that."

Amelia turned toward the voice.

Samuel stepped into the light.

And beside him stood a young man.

Dark hair.

Blue eyes.

A small birthmark beneath his left eye.

Amelia stared.

The stranger looked exactly like her.

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Samuel smiled.

"Meet your brother."