CHAPTER 9 The Sister Who Never Mourned
The laboratory fell silent.
Elena stared at her father as though she had never truly known him.
"My... aunt?"
Richard nodded slowly.
"Margaret was Claire's older sister."
Elena looked back at the dark monitor.
"My mother never told me she had a sister."
Richard's voice was heavy with regret.
"Because Claire cut all ties with her years before you were born."
"Why?"
Richard didn't answer immediately.
Frank did.
"Because Margaret believed people were resources."
"Not family."
Lily frowned.
"What's a resource?"
Elena knelt beside her daughter.
"It means... someone who forgets that people matter."
Lily looked toward the blank monitor.
"Then she's wrong."
Richard smiled faintly.
"Your grandmother used to say the same thing."
The laboratory speakers crackled again.
Margaret's calm voice echoed through the room.
"Still teaching children to believe in kindness, Richard?"
"You never learn."
Richard stepped toward the nearest camera.
"What do you want?"
A soft laugh filled the room.
"I already have everything I wanted."
"Power."
"Influence."
"Control."
She paused.
"Now I simply want closure."
Daniel searched the laboratory.
"There has to be another exit."
Michael nodded.
"There is."
"But Margaret will expect us to use it."
Frank examined the old blueprints mounted on the wall.
"They remodeled this place."
Michael walked toward an ancient computer terminal.
"I know another way."
He powered it on.
Surprisingly...
The machine still worked.
A floor plan appeared.
One corridor blinked in green.
Another...
In red.
Michael frowned.
"Someone's moving."
Victor.
Deep beneath the estate, Victor hurried through a service corridor carrying the black briefcase marked PROJECT PHOENIX.
His breathing was uneven.
He checked the timer on his watch.
17:42
"Too close."
He turned a corner—
And stopped.
A man stood in the hallway.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Black tactical uniform.
No weapon visible.
Only a silver insignia on his collar.
Victor slowly smiled.
"I wondered when you'd arrive."
The man didn't smile back.
"The Director wants the briefcase."
Victor tightened his grip.
"I earned this."
"No."
"You survived."
"That's different."
Victor's smile disappeared.
Back in the laboratory...
Michael enlarged the estate map.
"There."
He pointed toward a blinking blue dot.
"That's Victor."
Richard leaned closer.
"He's heading for the east tunnel."
Frank's eyes widened.
"The airstrip."
Michael nodded.
"He plans to leave."
Daniel looked at Richard.
"We can't let him."
Richard shook his head.
"No."
"We can't let him reach Margaret."
Elena suddenly walked toward the cryogenic chamber.
Her mother lay peacefully inside.
Almost as though she were asleep.
She gently placed her hand against the glass.
"Mom..."
A tiny light on the chamber blinked.
Green.
Michael noticed immediately.
"It reacted."
Richard frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Michael moved closer.
"She's alive."
Everyone froze.
Richard's heart pounded.
"What?"
"The chamber is maintaining life functions."
Richard shook his head.
"That's impossible."
Michael pointed to the display.
Cardiac Activity: Stable
Neural Response: Minimal
Frank whispered,
"My God..."
Before anyone could speak—
The laboratory lights flickered violently.
Every monitor switched on.
Margaret appeared once more.
This time...
She wasn't alone.
Standing behind her...
Was a young woman.
Late twenties.
Dark hair.
Professional suit.
She looked strangely familiar.
Margaret smiled.
"I think it's time you met another member of the family."
The young woman stepped forward.
She looked directly into the camera.
Then directly at Elena.
"Hello..."
"...little sister."
Elena's knees nearly gave out.
"What?"
Richard's face drained of color.
"No..."
Margaret smiled wider.
"You had two children, Richard."
"You only remembered one."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Elena stared at the woman.
The resemblance was unmistakable.
The same eyes.
The same smile her mother used to have.
The same tiny birthmark near her left ear.
The woman spoke calmly.
"My name is Sophia."
"I've been waiting to meet you."
Lily tugged on Elena's sleeve.
"Mom..."
"Is she really my aunt too?"
Elena couldn't answer.
She couldn't even breathe.
Michael narrowed his eyes at the screen.
"No."
Everyone turned toward him.
"She's lying."
Sophia slowly smiled.
"You always were difficult."
Michael folded his arms.
"Sophia isn't Richard's daughter."
Margaret tilted her head.
"Explain."
Michael looked directly into the camera.
"She's yours."
For the first time...
Margaret's smile faded.
The laboratory went completely silent.
Then Sophia spoke.
Without looking at Margaret.
Without hesitation.
"He's right."
Margaret slowly turned toward her.
"Sophia..."
Sophia met her mother's eyes.
"I'm done lying for you."
Margaret's expression became ice cold.
"You've chosen the wrong side."
Sophia looked into the camera one last time.
"No."
"I finally chose my own."
The screen abruptly cut to black.
A loud alarm echoed through the laboratory.
INTRUDER ALERT.
MULTIPLE HOSTILE CONTACTS APPROACHING.
Michael looked toward the main entrance.
"They're here."
Heavy footsteps echoed outside the blast doors.
One...
Then several more.
The reinforced steel door began to bend inward.
May you like
Someone on the other side wasn't trying to unlock it.
They were trying to tear it open.
