Chapter 7: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
The lights came back on.
For one terrible second, nobody moved.
Then I realized the voice that had answered from inside the room had not been Luke's.
A man stood behind the curtain near the bathroom door.
Dark jacket.
Wet hair.
One hand pressed against his side.
And a face I had seen only in an old family photograph.
My lungs forgot how to work.
Luke whispered, “Daniel.””
The man looked at him.
“Hello, little brother.””
Rachel screamed.
Olivia backed against the wall.
Detective Harris drew his weapon.
“Don't move!””
Daniel slowly raised both hands.
“I'm not here to hurt anyone.””
I couldn't stop staring.
Daniel Carter.
Luke's older brother.
The man Luke had told me died eleven years ago in a construction accident.
The man whose funeral I had attended.
The man whose photograph sat in Luke's childhood album.
Daniel looked at me.
Then at June.
His expression softened.
“Emily.””
I stepped backward.
“You're dead.””
He gave a tired smile.
“That's what everyone was supposed to believe.””
Luke looked furious.
“You were dead.””
Daniel's eyes hardened.
“I survived.””
“You never came back.””
“I tried.””
Luke shook his head.
“No. You disappeared.””
Daniel's voice cracked.
“Because your brother sold me out.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Luke.
“What is he talking about?””
Luke stared at the floor.
Daniel answered for him.
“Eleven years ago, I discovered Bright Futures.””
Eli stepped closer.
“So it existed back then.””
Daniel nodded.
“It wasn't called Bright Futures then.””
“What was it called?”” Eli asked.
Daniel looked at him.
“Mercy House.””
Rachel frowned.
“I've heard that name.””
“You should have,” Daniel said.
“Your mother was contacted by them.””
Rachel's face changed.
“My mother?””
Daniel nodded.
“They've been operating for years.””
I looked at June.
“Why my baby?””
Daniel stared at her for a long moment.
“Because your family has something they want.””
“What?””
He didn't answer.
Luke did.
“DNA.””
Daniel looked at him sharply.
“Not just DNA.””
Luke swallowed.
“Family history.””
I felt my pulse pounding in my ears.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel walked toward the table.
Detective Harris kept his weapon trained on him.
“Eleven years ago, I worked for a company that handled private medical records. I discovered a database containing genetic information from thousands of families.””
Eli frowned.
“Illegal genetic profiling.””
“Yes.””
“Who owned it?””
Daniel looked at Luke.
“People with money.””
Luke said nothing.
Daniel continued.
“They were looking for specific genetic traits. Certain inherited conditions. Certain markers.””
My stomach tightened.
“And June has one?””
Daniel looked at me.
“She has something they have been searching for for years.””
“What?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Your mother.””
I froze.
“My mother?””
Daniel nodded.
“She was part of an old research program.””
I shook my head.
“My mother died when I was twelve. She was a nurse.””
“She was more than that.””
Luke finally spoke.
“She was one of the researchers.””
I turned toward him.
“You knew this?””
He looked ashamed.
“I found out after we got married.””
“And you never told me?””
“I was trying to protect you.””
I laughed bitterly.
“That's your favorite excuse.””
Daniel looked at Luke.
“You never change.””
Luke's eyes flashed.
“You abandoned us.””
“I was hunted.””
“You left me with nothing.””
“I left because I knew what they'd do to you if they found out I was alive.””
Daniel looked at me.
“They found out anyway.””
A phone buzzed.
Eli checked his screen.
His face changed.
“What?””
He turned the phone toward Detective Harris.
A hospital security alert showed movement on the maternity floor.
Someone had entered through a restricted stairwell.
Detective Harris immediately spoke into his radio.
“Lock down the floor.””
Daniel's expression changed.
“It's too late.””
“What?””
“They aren't here for me.””
He looked at June.
“They're here for her.””
I pulled June against my chest.
Daniel stepped toward me.
“Emily, listen carefully. There's a service corridor behind the medication room.””
Jasmine nodded.
“I know it.””
“You need to get her out through there.””
Detective Harris frowned.
“Why should I trust you?””
Daniel looked directly at him.
“Because if you stay here, you'll have a shootout in a room full of newborns.””
A crash echoed from the hallway.
Everyone froze.
Another crash.
Then footsteps.
Several people.
Coming closer.
Eli grabbed my arm.
“Emily, we have seconds.””
Luke moved toward us.
“I'll go with her.””
I stared at him.
“No.””
“Emily—”
“You don't get to protect me now.””
Daniel stepped between us.
“She's right.””
Luke looked at his brother.
“You don't know what you're doing.””
Daniel's voice became ice cold.
“I know exactly what I'm doing.””
The footsteps stopped outside.
A shadow appeared beneath the door.
Then someone knocked.
Three slow knocks.
Daniel looked at Luke.
“You told them where she was.””
Luke shook his head.
“No.””
Daniel stared at him.
“Then why did they come?””
The door handle began to turn.
May you like
And Daniel whispered—
“Because someone inside this room is working for them.””
