PART 10 — THE MAN WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD

For several seconds, nobody moved.
The photograph remained frozen on the screen.
My father.
Alive.
Older.
Scarred.
Standing beside my grandfather.
I stared at his face until my eyes began to hurt.
“No.”
The word escaped my mouth before I could stop it.
“No. That’s not possible.”
Adrian stepped closer to the screen.
“That’s him.”
I nodded.
“It can’t be.”
Lucy whispered,
“Nathan…”
I ignored her.
My father had died four years ago.
I had seen the body.
I had stood at the funeral.
I had watched them lower the coffin.
I had carried the weight of his death every day since.
And now there he was.
Alive.

Or at least, someone who looked exactly like him.

Marcus walked toward the computer.

“Freeze the image.”

Evelyn did.

Marcus studied the photograph.

“It’s not a photograph.”

I looked at him.

“What?”

“Look at the reflection.”

He pointed to the window behind my father.

There was a distorted reflection.

But it wasn’t my father.

It was someone standing behind him.

A woman.

I leaned closer.

“Who is that?”

Evelyn zoomed in.

The image became grainy.

But the woman’s face slowly became visible.

I knew her.

I had seen her before.

In old family photographs.

In my grandfather’s files.

In the Northstar records.

Elena Vale.

My stomach tightened.

“So she was there.”

Evelyn nodded.

“She’s been there from the beginning.”

I looked at Adrian.

“Then the photograph could have been taken recently.”

“Yes.”

“Meaning my father could still be alive.”

Adrian stared at the screen.

“Or Elena wants you to believe he is.”

I didn’t answer.

Because deep down, I knew.

She wasn’t showing us the photograph to give us hope.

She was showing it to control us.

She wanted me desperate.

She wanted me emotional.

She wanted me to walk straight into her trap.

I looked at the clock.

2:17 a.m.

Tomorrow morning was approaching.

Elena had given us one night.

One night to find my grandfather.

One night to uncover the truth.

One night to decide whether my father was alive.

Marcus loaded another magazine.

“We need to move.”

“Where?”

“Hospital.”

I looked at him.

“Why?”

“Because that’s where Elena’s witnesses are.”

Evelyn shook her head.

“You won’t make it.”

“Why?”

“Because the hospital is already surrounded.”

I stared.

“How do you know?”

Evelyn pointed toward a monitor.

Security cameras.

Dozens of them.

Every entrance.

Every hallway.

Every floor.

And on one screen, I saw Daniel.

He was standing inside the hospital.

Waiting.

“He knows we’re coming,” Marcus said.

I smiled.

“Good.”

Marcus frowned.

“You keep saying that.”

“Because we need him.”

“For what?”

I walked toward the map.

I studied the hospital.

Then the archive.

Then the cemetery.

Then the old courthouse.

Four locations.

Four pieces of the same puzzle.

I suddenly understood something.

“Daniel isn’t protecting Elena.”

Marcus looked at me.

“Then what is he doing?”

“He’s protecting someone else.”

“Who?”

I pointed to the hospital.

“Someone inside.”

Evelyn shook her head.

“That’s impossible.”

“No.”

I pointed to the patient records.

“Look.”

She opened the database.

I scanned the names.

Then stopped.

One name appeared repeatedly.

CARTER, ELIAS.

I stared.

“Who is Elias Carter?”

Nobody answered.

I looked at Evelyn.

She became pale.

“Elias…”

“Who?”

She whispered,

“Your father’s older brother.”

I froze.

“My father had a brother?”

“Yes.”

“Where is he?”

Evelyn swallowed.

“He died before you were born.”

I looked at the record.

The patient was listed as deceased.

But the file had been accessed yesterday.

I pointed.

“Then why is someone opening his medical record?”

Evelyn stared at the screen.

Her face changed.

“That can’t be.”

“What?”

She opened the patient details.

The date of birth was correct.

The name was correct.

But the status had been changed.

ACTIVE.

I stepped backward.

“Elias is alive.”

Marcus looked at Evelyn.

“How many people in this family are supposed to be dead?”

She whispered,

“Too many.”

Then the lights flickered.

Once.

Twice.

The archive door slammed shut.

Marcus immediately raised his weapon.

“Everyone stay together.”

A sound came from the hallway.

Footsteps.

Slow.

Measured.

Someone was approaching.

Evelyn grabbed my arm.

“There’s another exit.”

“Where?”

“Behind the shelves.”

We moved.

But before Evelyn could open the hidden door—

a voice came through the speakers.

My father’s voice.

“Nathan.”

I froze.

Everyone froze.

The voice continued.

“Don’t leave.”

I stared at the ceiling.

“Dad?”

Adrian looked at me.

“Nathan, don’t.”

But the voice continued.

“If you want to know what happened to me…”

A pause.

“Come downstairs.”

I looked at Evelyn.

“Downstairs?”

She shook her head.

“There is no downstairs.”

The voice spoke again.

“There is.”

A panel in the floor opened.

A staircase descended into darkness.

Nobody moved.

Then I heard something.

A faint sound.

A heartbeat.

Coming from below.

I looked at Adrian.

He whispered,

“That’s not a recording.”

I nodded.

We descended.

The staircase was narrow.

Cold air rose from below.

At the bottom was a metal corridor.

On the walls were old photographs.

My father.

My grandfather.

Elena.

Theresa.

Lucy.

Adrian.

Me.

And another man.

Elias.

We reached a door.

It opened automatically.

Inside was a laboratory.

Machines lined the walls.

Medical equipment.

Old monitors.

Cameras.

And in the center—

a glass chamber.

There was someone inside.

An elderly man.

Connected to wires.

I stepped closer.

“Elias?”

The man opened his eyes.

He looked at me.

Then smiled.

“You look just like your father.”

My heart pounded.

“You’re alive.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because Elena needed me alive.”

“For what?”

He looked toward Adrian.

“To find him.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“You know me?”

Elias smiled.

“I knew you before you knew yourself.”

“What does that mean?”

Elias looked at me.

“Your family was never meant to have two heirs.”

I frowned.

“What?”

“Only one child was supposed to inherit the Carter legacy.”

“Which one?”

Elias smiled sadly.

“That was the experiment.”

I stared.

“What experiment?”

Elias pointed toward the wall.

A photograph appeared on a screen.

Two newborn babies.

One was me.

One was Adrian.

Underneath was a title.

PROJECT LEGACY.

Elias spoke slowly.

“Elena wanted to know which twin would become more obedient.”

My stomach turned.

“She raised us differently.”

“Yes.”

“She sent me away.”

“Yes.”

“She kept Adrian.”

“Yes.”

“She made us believe we hated each other.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“To see which one would eventually return to her.”

I felt sick.

“And who won?”

Elias looked at me.

“Neither.”

He looked at Adrian.

“You both escaped.”

Adrian stepped closer.

“Then why are you still working for her?”

Elias shook his head.

“I stopped working for her years ago.”

“Then why stay here?”

“Because I was waiting for you.”

I frowned.

“For me?”

“For both of you.”

He pointed toward a locked cabinet.

“Your father left something there.”

I opened it.

Inside was a small black box.

No lock.

No code.

Just a fingerprint scanner.

I placed my finger on it.

Nothing.

Adrian tried.

Nothing.

Lucy stepped forward.

The box opened.

Everyone froze.

Inside was a single key.

And a note.

I unfolded it.

THE BLOODLINE DOES NOT OPEN THE DOOR.

THE MOTHER DOES.

I looked at Lucy.

She understood.

She picked up the key.

The moment her fingers touched it, every machine in the room turned on.

The monitors displayed the same image.

A door.

An old wooden door.

I recognized it.

My childhood home.

The basement.

I hadn’t seen that door in years.

Elias whispered,

“The original house.”

My grandfather’s voice suddenly came through the speaker.

“Don’t open it.”

I spun around.

“Grandfather?”

His face appeared on the monitor.

He looked injured.

But alive.

He was sitting somewhere dark.

Behind him stood Daniel.

Daniel smiled.

“You found Elias.”

I stepped closer to the screen.

“Where is my father?”

Daniel laughed.

“You still care about him?”

“He’s alive.”

Daniel’s smile disappeared.

“Maybe.”

“Where is he?”

“Come find him.”

“You have my grandfather.”

“Yes.”

“Let him go.”

“No.”

“Then I’ll come for him.”

Daniel leaned closer.

“That’s what I want.”

The screen went black.

Adrian stared at me.

“It’s a trap.”

“I know.”

“Then don’t go.”

“I have to.”

“No.”

Adrian grabbed my arm.

“You’ve spent your entire life walking into traps.”

I looked at him.

“Then come with me.”

He released my arm.

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

Lucy stepped forward.

“I’m coming too.”

I shook my head.

“No.”

She stared.

“You don’t get to decide that.”

“You’re pregnant.”

Silence.

My heart stopped.

“What?”

Lucy looked at me.

Her eyes filled with tears.

“I was going to tell you.”

Adrian stepped backward.

Marcus looked shocked.

I couldn’t speak.

“How long?”

“Six weeks.”

I felt everything around me disappear.

A child.

Our child.

Another Carter.

Another life that could be caught in this nightmare.

I walked toward her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t know who to trust.”

I looked at Marcus.

Then Adrian.

Then Elias.

Everyone had secrets.

Everyone had lied.

But this was different.

This was our future.

I held Lucy’s hands.

“You’re staying here.”

“No.”

“Lucy.”

“No.”

She looked directly into my eyes.

“If you go, I go.”

I couldn’t argue.

Because I understood.

She had already lost one child.

She wasn’t going to lose another.

Elias watched us.

Then he said something that changed everything.

“Your father knew.”

I turned.

“Knew what?”

“About the baby.”

My heart stopped.

“How?”

“He left a message.”

“What message?”

Elias pointed to the monitor.

A video began playing.

My father appeared.

This time, he looked older than I remembered.

Exhausted.

But alive.

He looked directly into the camera.

“Nathan.”

I couldn’t breathe.

“If you’re watching this, then you’ve discovered the truth about Adrian.”

He paused.

“I need you to understand something.”

He looked down.

“I didn’t abandon either of you.”

I felt tears forming.

“I made a terrible choice.”

He looked back at the camera.

“I chose to let Elena believe I was dead.”

I froze.

“So yes…”

My father continued.

“I am alive.”

Lucy covered her mouth.

Adrian stared at the screen.

My father continued.

“And I’m sorry.”

He leaned closer.

“I’m sorry I made you hate me.”

“I’m sorry I let you believe I died.”

“But I had no choice.”

The video paused.

Then my father’s expression changed.

Fear.

Real fear.

“Nathan, if Elena finds out Lucy is pregnant…”

He stopped.

The video glitched.

His voice became distorted.

“Protect the child.”

The screen went black.

Then a final sentence appeared.

THE CHILD IS THE KEY.

I stared.

“What does that mean?”

Elias answered.

“The child carries something Elena needs.”

“What?”

“The Carter bloodline.”

I shook my head.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“It will.”

Elias pulled himself away from the machine.

He looked at Lucy.

“Your child may be the first Carter heir born outside Elena’s control.”

I looked at him.

“So?”

“So Elena loses control of the succession.”

I understood.

“She needs the baby.”

“Yes.”

“Alive?”

“Yes.”

“For what?”

Elias hesitated.

“To continue the bloodline.”

A terrible realization hit me.

“She doesn’t want to kill us.”

“No.”

“She wants us alive.”

Elias nodded.

“Especially Lucy.”

I looked at Lucy.

Then at Adrian.

Then at the screen.

Elena had spent decades manipulating our family.

But now she needed something from us.

Something she couldn’t manufacture.

A child.

Our child.

I felt anger replace fear.

“She won’t get it.”

Adrian smiled.

“Now you’re thinking like a Carter.”

Suddenly, alarms began screaming.

Red lights flashed.

Elias looked toward the ceiling.

“They’re here.”

Marcus checked the corridor.

“How many?”

Elias looked at the monitors.

“Too many.”

The screens filled with security footage.

Men entering the archive.

Men entering the hospital.

Men surrounding the courthouse.

Then one camera showed something else.

A black helicopter landing on the roof.

Someone stepped out.

Elena Vale.

I stared.

“She came herself.”

Elias nodded.

“She doesn’t usually.”

“Why now?”

He looked at Lucy.

“Because she knows about the baby.”

The door behind us began to shake.

Someone was trying to break through.

Marcus raised his weapon.

Adrian stood beside him.

I stood in front of Lucy.

The door shook again.

Then a voice came through.

Elena.

“Nathan.”

I looked at the door.

“You wanted me.”

“Yes.”

“You wanted my brother.”

“Yes.”

“You wanted Lucy.”

“Yes.”

“And now you want my child.”

Silence.

Then Elena answered.

“No.”

I frowned.

“No?”

“I want something much more valuable.”

“What?”

The door shook again.

Elena’s voice became almost gentle.

“I want you to choose which person in this room dies.”

Everyone froze.

I looked at Adrian.

Then Lucy.

Then Marcus.

Then Elias.

The door began opening.

Elena continued.

“You have sixty seconds.”

A countdown appeared on the monitor.

60

59

58

My grandfather appeared on another screen.

Daniel stood behind him.

“Choose.”

57

56

55

I looked around the room.

There had to be another way.

There always was.

My father had prepared this archive.

He had hidden the evidence.

He had anticipated Elena.

I searched the walls.

The floor.

The machines.

Then I saw it.

A small red light blinking beneath the glass chamber.

I walked toward it.

“What are you doing?” Marcus asked.

“Trusting my father.”

I opened the panel.

Inside was a button.

One word was written above it.

RESET.

The countdown reached:

30

I pressed it.

Everything went dark.

The door opened.

Elena stepped inside.

Daniel followed.

But before either could speak—

the entire building shook.

A massive explosion erupted somewhere above us.

Elena stumbled.

Daniel turned.

Marcus fired.

Chaos exploded.

I grabbed Lucy.

Adrian grabbed Elena.

For one brief second, everyone was fighting everyone.

Then the lights came back.

The glass chamber was empty.

Elias was gone.

And Elena was smiling.

She looked directly at me.

“You pressed the reset.”

I stared.

“Yes.”

“You don’t understand what you just activated.”

“What?”

She smiled.

“The original system.”

The floor began opening beneath us.

A deep mechanical rumble filled the room.

Then a hidden elevator rose from beneath the laboratory.

The doors opened.

Inside stood one person.

A man.

Older.

Scarred.

Holding a gun.

I knew him immediately.

My father.

Alive.

He looked at me.

Then at Adrian.

Then Lucy.

And finally at Elena.

His voice was barely a whisper.

“It’s over.”

Elena smiled.

“No.”

She looked at me.

“It’s finally beginning.”

My father raised his weapon.

And then he said the words that changed everything:

“Nathan…”

He pointed his gun at me.

“I’m sorry.”

BANG.