Chapter 7: The Man in the Graveyard
I couldn't stop staring at the photograph.
My father's grave stood beneath a bare oak tree, the granite headstone wet from rain.
And beside it stood the man in my father's coat.
The same coat my father had worn every winter.
The same silver watch.
The same posture.
My hand began to shake.
“He's alive,” I whispered.
Victor looked at the screen.
“No.””
I turned toward him.
“What do you mean, no?””
Victor studied the photograph.
“That isn't your father.””
I stared at him.
“You said you knew him.””
“I knew Thomas Hart.””
“You just said he was dead.””
“He is.””
“Then who is that?””
Victor's face tightened.
“His brother.””
I stopped breathing.
“My father didn't have a brother.””
“He did.””
Margaret suddenly whispered, “Jonathan.””
Victor looked at her.
“You remember.””
“I remember enough.””
I turned toward Margaret.
“You knew about him?””
She lowered her eyes.
“Your father had a twin.””
The word hit me like a physical blow.
“Twin?””
She nodded.
“Jonathan Hart.””
“Where is he?””
Victor answered.
“Running Meridian.””
I looked at the photograph again.
The man beside my father's grave slowly raised his head.
Then I noticed something I hadn't seen before.
He was holding a photograph.
A photograph of me.
Standing outside my childhood home.
Taken three days ago.
My stomach dropped.
“He's watching me.””
Victor nodded.
“He has been for years.””
Adrian stepped closer.
“Then we need to get Lily out of here.””
Victor's expression changed.
“Yes.””
He reached for the security panel.
Helena's voice came over the speaker.
“You're not going anywhere.””
Victor ignored her.
He entered a sequence.
The door opened.
“Move,” he said.
I grabbed Lily's hand.
The moment our fingers touched, my vision exploded.
A kitchen.
My childhood kitchen.
My father standing beside the refrigerator.
A little boy who looked exactly like him.
Jonathan.
I heard my father's voice.
“You can't use her.””
Jonathan answered:
“She isn't yours.””
“She is my daughter.””
“She is an asset.””
The memory vanished.
I staggered.
Lily caught me.
“Mom?””
I looked at her.
“You saw that too?””
She nodded.
“I see everything you remember.””
My heart broke.
“You've been carrying my memories.””
“For a long time.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I didn't know you were my mother.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“They told me you were dead.””
Victor looked at her.
“Who told you?””
“Dr. Voss.””
“Of course.””
We moved down the corridor.
Behind us, alarms began screaming.
Red lights flashed.
Victor opened another door.
“Through here.””
We entered a storage room.
Shelves lined the walls.
Boxes.
Medical files.
Old photographs.
Victor shut the door.
“We have maybe five minutes.””
“Before what?””
“Before Jonathan locks the building.””
I stared at him.
“Why are you helping me?””
Victor looked at Lily.
“Because I failed you once.””
“You took her from me.””
“I know.””
“You let them hurt me.””
“I know.””
“You watched.””
His eyes filled with something I hadn't expected.
Regret.
“I was trying to get you both out.””
“You failed.””
“Yes.””
The simplicity of his answer silenced me.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key.
“This opens the archive.””
“Why do we need it?””
“Because the truth about your father is in there.””
I took the key.
“Why didn't you tell me before?””
“Because I didn't know who had access to your memories.””
Lily stepped closer.
“Mom?””
“Yes?””
“I remember something else.””
She looked frightened.
“What?””
“The day you disappeared.””
My entire body stiffened.
“What about it?””
“You weren't kidnapped.””
“I know.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“You weren't taken.””
She pointed toward Victor.
“You came here.””
Victor looked away.
“You walked into Meridian voluntarily.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
He didn't answer.
Lily whispered:
“You brought something with you.””
“What?””
“A black box.””
My pulse quickened.
“Where is it?””
“In the archive.””
Victor opened the door.
“Then we need to get there.””
We ran.
The archive was two corridors away.
Victor used the key.
The door opened.
Rows of filing cabinets stretched into darkness.
I found the cabinet marked *E.H.-07*.
Inside was a single black box.
I lifted it.
It was heavier than it looked.
There was no lock.
Just a fingerprint scanner.
I placed my thumb against it.
The box opened.
Inside was a handwritten journal.
My handwriting.
I flipped through the pages.
The first entry was dated ten years ago.
*Jonathan isn't my father's brother.*
I stopped.
The next line made my blood run cold.
*He is my father.*
I looked at Margaret.
She covered her mouth.
Victor whispered, “No.””
I kept reading.
*Thomas adopted me. Jonathan is my biological father.*
My knees weakened.
Another page.
*He wants Lily because of what she inherited from me.*
Another.
*If anything happens to me, don't trust Thomas.*
Another.
*Don't trust Jonathan either.*
Then the final page.
Only one sentence.
*The mastermind isn't Jonathan. He's afraid of someone too.*
A sound came from behind us.
A slow clap.
I turned.
A man stood in the doorway.
He wore my father's black coat.
My father's watch.
My father's face.
Jonathan Hart smiled.
“You finally found the journal.””
I gripped Lily's hand.
Jonathan looked at her.
Then at me.
“You look just like your mother.””
I stared at him.
“You're my father.””
He smiled.
“Yes.””
“Why did you disappear?””
“Because your father made me.””
“My father?””
“Thomas.””
Jonathan stepped into the archive.
“He knew what I was.””
“What were you?””
His smile faded.
“The first successful experiment.””
Before I could respond, every light in the archive went out.
May you like
Jonathan whispered:
“And you're the seventh.””
