The screen went black. \u201cSince before I was born.\u201d<\/p>\n My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n \u201cThat doesn’t make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn’t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at Diego.<\/p>\n \u201cHe remembers now.\u201d<\/p>\n Diego was still on his knees.<\/p>\n His hands were trembling.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember everything.\u201d<\/p>\n My father stepped toward him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou said you killed Laura.\u201d<\/p>\n Diego looked up.<\/p>\n \u201cI did.\u201d<\/p>\n My mother screamed:<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n Diego closed his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause she asked me to.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence.<\/p>\n I stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked directly at me.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the first timeline, Laura discovered what Project Zero really was.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe discovered that the program wasn’t trying to create superhuman children.\u201d<\/p>\n My father frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cThen what were they creating?\u201d<\/p>\n Diego answered:<\/p>\n \u201cA person who could remember every possible future.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Adriana.<\/p>\n She lowered her eyes.<\/p>\n Diego continued.<\/p>\n \u201cLaura discovered that Subject Zero wasn’t the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n I whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThen what was?\u201d<\/p>\n Diego looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cLaura.\u201d<\/p>\n My heart stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou were the original.\u201d<\/p>\n I shook my head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou were Subject Zero before Adriana ever existed.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at my father.<\/p>\n He said nothing.<\/p>\n That silence was enough.<\/p>\n My entire life suddenly felt like a lie built on another lie.<\/p>\n \u201cMy childhood\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWas real,\u201d my father said.<\/p>\n \u201cMy memories?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy parents?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why was I Subject Zero?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause you didn’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cKnow what?\u201d<\/p>\n He swallowed.<\/p>\n \u201cThat you had already lived this life.\u201d<\/p>\n The room seemed to spin.<\/p>\n Adriana stepped closer.<\/p>\n \u201cMom.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cYou brought me back.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cBut why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause you died.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAgain?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana looked at Diego.<\/p>\n He whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of me.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou killed me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause you told me to.\u201d<\/p>\n I shook my head.<\/p>\n \u201cI would never ask you to kill me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause if I didn’t\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou would’ve become her.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cBecome who?\u201d<\/p>\n Diego’s face went pale.<\/p>\n \u201cThe woman on the screen.\u201d<\/p>\n I remembered the image.<\/p>\n My older face.<\/p>\n Cold eyes.<\/p>\n The laboratory.<\/p>\n Adriana as a newborn.<\/p>\n Diego standing behind me.<\/p>\n I whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThat was me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I created Project Zero.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n Diego looked down.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause you believed the only way to save the future was to control it.\u201d<\/p>\n My mother shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cMom?\u201d<\/p>\n She stepped backward.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone turned toward her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you remember?\u201d<\/p>\n She began crying.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first timeline.\u201d<\/p>\n My father closed his eyes.<\/p>\n My mother continued.<\/p>\n \u201cI remembered after Adriana brought us back.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cYou remember?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn’t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I promised your father.\u201d<\/p>\n My father looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had to let the timeline unfold naturally.\u201d<\/p>\n I laughed bitterly.<\/p>\n \u201cNaturally?\u201d<\/p>\n I pointed at the monitors.<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty-three deaths are natural?\u201d<\/p>\n Nobody answered.<\/p>\n Then Adriana said:<\/p>\n \u201cThere were twenty-three.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n She corrected herself.<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty-four.\u201d<\/p>\n My blood turned cold.<\/p>\n \u201cYou said twenty-three.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don’t make mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen what is the twenty-fourth?\u201d<\/p>\n She walked toward the main monitor.<\/p>\n Her fingers touched the screen.<\/p>\n It suddenly turned on.<\/p>\n A new recording appeared.<\/p>\n A woman was sitting in a chair.<\/p>\n Older.<\/p>\n Tired.<\/p>\n Scarred.<\/p>\n I stared at her face.<\/p>\n My heart stopped.<\/p>\n It was me.<\/p>\n But this version of me looked much older than the woman I had seen before.<\/p>\n She looked directly into the camera.<\/p>\n And spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you’re watching this, then Timeline Twenty-Four has started.\u201d<\/p>\n I stepped closer.<\/p>\n My older self continued.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know who you are.\u201d<\/p>\n I whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s me.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana nodded.<\/p>\n The recording continued.<\/p>\n \u201cBut if you’re Laura\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The woman paused.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026then listen carefully.\u201d<\/p>\n I held my breath.<\/p>\n \u201cDo not trust Diego.\u201d<\/p>\n Diego looked at the screen.<\/p>\n His face went white.<\/p>\n My older self continued.<\/p>\n \u201cDo not trust your father.\u201d<\/p>\n My father froze.<\/p>\n \u201cDo not trust your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n My mother covered her mouth.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd most importantly\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The recording flickered.<\/p>\n My older self leaned closer to the camera.<\/p>\n \u201cDo not trust Adriana.\u201d<\/p>\n I turned slowly.<\/p>\n Adriana was standing behind me.<\/p>\n She looked completely calm.<\/p>\n The recording ended.<\/p>\n Silence.<\/p>\n I looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that true?\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana didn’t answer.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you dangerous?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you lying?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why did she tell me not to trust you?\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana looked at the screen.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause she didn’t know what I had become.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you become?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cThe thing she was trying to prevent.\u201d<\/p>\n My father stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cAdriana\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She turned toward him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should have told her.\u201d<\/p>\n He frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cTold her what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat you’re the reason the first timeline failed.\u201d<\/p>\n My father went still.<\/p>\n I stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n He didn’t answer.<\/p>\n \u201cDad.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, he whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n My chest tightened.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at me with tears in his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI tried to destroy Subject Zero.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cHer.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana smiled sadly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou tried.\u201d<\/p>\n My father lowered his head.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought she was dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you were wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou knew enough.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked between them.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana answered.<\/p>\n \u201cHe killed me.\u201d<\/p>\n My heart stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBefore the first timeline ended.\u201d<\/p>\n My father looked broken.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn’t know she would come back.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cI always come back.\u201d<\/p>\n A strange sound came from the hallway.<\/p>\n Three knocks.<\/p>\n Everyone froze.<\/p>\n Knock.<\/p>\n Knock.<\/p>\n Knock.<\/p>\n My father raised his weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cWho’s there?\u201d<\/p>\n No answer.<\/p>\n Another three knocks.<\/p>\n Adriana smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThey’re early.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cThe people from Timeline Twenty-Four.\u201d<\/p>\n I felt a chill.<\/p>\n The door slowly opened.<\/p>\n Nobody was standing there.<\/p>\n Only darkness.<\/p>\n Then a small object rolled across the floor.<\/p>\n A red child’s toy.<\/p>\n Adriana stared at it.<\/p>\n Her face changed.<\/p>\n For the first time, I saw genuine fear.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is that?\u201d<\/p>\n She whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cMy first memory.\u201d<\/p>\n The toy began playing music.<\/p>\n A child’s voice came through the speaker.<\/p>\n \u201cMommy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n The voice sounded like Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cMommy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Then another voice.<\/p>\n Mine.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m here.\u201d<\/p>\n The recording continued.<\/p>\n \u201cMommy, why are we running?\u201d<\/p>\n My blood went cold.<\/p>\n Another voice answered.<\/p>\n My voice.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause they’re coming.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana covered her ears.<\/p>\n \u201cStop.\u201d<\/p>\n The recording continued.<\/p>\n \u201cWho are they?\u201d<\/p>\n My voice whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cYour father.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at my father.<\/p>\n He looked horrified.<\/p>\n The recording stopped.<\/p>\n Then the toy spoke again.<\/p>\n This time in a man’s voice.<\/p>\n My grandfather.<\/p>\n \u201cWelcome back, Laura.\u201d<\/p>\n The lights went out.<\/p>\n Someone screamed.<\/p>\n A gunshot exploded.<\/p>\n Then another.<\/p>\n I grabbed Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cStay with me!\u201d<\/p>\n My father shouted:<\/p>\n \u201cGET DOWN!\u201d<\/p>\n Glass shattered somewhere behind us.<\/p>\n Valeria screamed.<\/p>\n My mother grabbed my arm.<\/p>\n We dropped to the floor.<\/p>\n More gunshots echoed through the room.<\/p>\n Then silence.<\/p>\n I couldn’t see anything.<\/p>\n \u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n No answer.<\/p>\n \u201cMom?\u201d<\/p>\n Nothing.<\/p>\n \u201cAdriana?\u201d<\/p>\n A tiny hand grabbed mine.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m here.\u201d<\/p>\n I pulled her close.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere’s everyone else?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Then a man’s voice came from the darkness.<\/p>\n \u201cLaura.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n That voice.<\/p>\n I knew it.<\/p>\n It wasn’t my father’s.<\/p>\n It wasn’t Diego’s.<\/p>\n It wasn’t Elias’s.<\/p>\n It was mine.<\/p>\n My own voice.<\/p>\n \u201cLaura\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cDon’t answer.\u201d<\/p>\n The voice spoke again.<\/p>\n \u201cYou already did.\u201d<\/p>\n A light flickered on.<\/p>\n At the far end of the room stood a woman.<\/p>\n She looked exactly like me.<\/p>\n Older.<\/p>\n Scarred.<\/p>\n And holding a photograph.<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n The woman smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou’ve seen me before.\u201d<\/p>\n I shook my head.<\/p>\n She held up the photograph.<\/p>\n It showed me.<\/p>\n Adriana.<\/p>\n And Diego.<\/p>\n But behind us stood a fourth person.<\/p>\n A man I had never seen.<\/p>\n The woman pointed at him.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the person you were trying to find.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared at the photograph.<\/p>\n \u201cWho is he?\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThe creator.\u201d<\/p>\n My blood ran cold.<\/p>\n \u201cCreator of what?\u201d<\/p>\n She answered:<\/p>\n \u201cMe.\u201d<\/p>\n The room seemed to disappear.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n She stepped closer.<\/p>\n \u201cI am Timeline Twenty-Four.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana stepped in front of me.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n The woman smiled at her.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, Subject Zero.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana’s eyes filled with tears.<\/p>\n \u201cYou weren’t supposed to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n The older woman laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cNeither were you.\u201d<\/p>\n My father suddenly appeared from the darkness.<\/p>\n His weapon was raised.<\/p>\n \u201cStep away from my daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n The older woman looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n He froze.<\/p>\n She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have two.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at my father.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does she mean?\u201d<\/p>\n The older woman pointed at Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s the daughter you remember.\u201d<\/p>\n Then she pointed at me.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that’s the daughter you forgot.\u201d<\/p>\n My father lowered his weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The woman smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cTell her.\u201d<\/p>\n He couldn’t.<\/p>\n I stepped toward him.<\/p>\n \u201cTell me.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cYou had a sister.\u201d<\/p>\n My heart stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe was born before you.\u201d<\/p>\n My mother appeared behind him.<\/p>\n She was crying.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thought she died.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThought?\u201d<\/p>\n My father nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cShe didn’t.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at the older woman.<\/p>\n She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cShe survived.\u201d<\/p>\n I whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n She answered:<\/p>\n \u201cYour sister.\u201d<\/p>\n The room went silent.<\/p>\n My mind couldn’t process it.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy sister died.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat is what they wanted you to believe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause she was the first successful version.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cThen what is Adriana?\u201d<\/p>\n The older woman answered:<\/p>\n \u201cThe final version.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n The older woman smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou still don’t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou were never the cure.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana froze.<\/p>\n \u201cYou were the reset.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n The older woman looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery time the world reaches the wrong future\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed at Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cShe resets it.\u201d<\/p>\n My stomach turned.<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe kills the timeline.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence.<\/p>\n I stared at Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that true?\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana’s eyes filled with tears.<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n My heart broke.<\/p>\n \u201cYou killed everyone?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo save you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow many times?\u201d<\/p>\n She whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty-three.\u201d<\/p>\n I stepped backward.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI tried to make it better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou killed millions?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI had no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou always have a choice!\u201d<\/p>\n She began crying.<\/p>\n \u201cNot when you’re the only person left who remembers them.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared at her.<\/p>\n The child I had protected.<\/p>\n The child I had carried.<\/p>\n The child I had called my daughter.<\/p>\n She had been carrying twenty-three worlds inside her.<\/p>\n Twenty-three endings.<\/p>\n Twenty-three versions of me.<\/p>\n Twenty-three versions of everyone I loved.<\/p>\n Then the older woman whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cAnd now she has one final choice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe can reset Timeline Twenty-Four.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Adriana.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happens if she does?\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cYou disappear.\u201d<\/p>\n My heart stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI disappear too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd everyone else?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey survive.\u201d<\/p>\n I shook my head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana cried.<\/p>\n \u201cMom\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf I don’t reset it, everyone dies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen we’ll find another way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere isn’t one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere has to be.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cThere wasn’t in the other twenty-three.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut this is different.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n I looked around the room.<\/p>\n \u201cAt least now I know the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n The older woman laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou still don’t know the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n I turned.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat else?\u201d<\/p>\n She stepped closer.<\/p>\n \u201cTimeline Twenty-Four wasn’t created by Adriana.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen who?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked directly at me.<\/p>\n \u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou created it the moment you decided not to die.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared at her.<\/p>\n She continued.<\/p>\n \u201cIn every previous timeline, Laura dies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn this one, you survive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat difference created a new branch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that branch became Timeline Twenty-Four.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at Adriana.<\/p>\n She nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThe moment you survived, everything changed.\u201d<\/p>\n My father whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cSo this timeline was never supposed to exist.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Adriana said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled through her tears.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the first timeline where we had a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n Suddenly the floor shook violently.<\/p>\n The monitors came alive.<\/p>\n One after another.<\/p>\n Hundreds of screens.<\/p>\n Every one displaying the same message.<\/p>\n TIMELINE 24 COLLAPSING.<\/strong><\/p>\n My father shouted:<\/p>\n \u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana looked at the clock.<\/p>\n \u201cThirty-seven minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n My mother cried:<\/p>\n \u201cUntil what?\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana answered:<\/p>\n \u201cUntil the world resets.\u201d<\/p>\n I grabbed her hand.<\/p>\n \u201cThen we have thirty-seven minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo do what?\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at my father.<\/p>\n \u201cDestroy Project Zero.\u201d<\/p>\n He shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don’t know where it is.\u201d<\/p>\n I looked at the older woman.<\/p>\n She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed downward.<\/p>\n \u201cUnder this house.\u201d<\/p>\n My blood ran cold.<\/p>\n \u201cThis house?\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first facility wasn’t destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen what was destroyed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA copy.\u201d<\/p>\n My father stared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re lying.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed toward the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s beneath us.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana suddenly whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cMom.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere’s something else.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked frightened.<\/p>\n \u201cThe facility isn’t empty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is inside?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA version of you.\u201d<\/p>\n The floor suddenly cracked.<\/p>\n A deep mechanical sound came from beneath us.<\/p>\n Then a voice echoed through the underground chamber.<\/p>\n My voice.<\/p>\n Older.<\/p>\n Colder.<\/p>\n Angrier.<\/p>\n \u201cLaura\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n I froze.<\/p>\n The voice continued.<\/p>\n \u201cCome home.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana grabbed my hand.<\/p>\n \u201cDon’t listen.\u201d<\/p>\n The floor opened.<\/p>\n A staircase appeared beneath us.<\/p>\n And at the bottom\u2026<\/p>\n A light turned on.<\/p>\n I could see a laboratory.<\/p>\n A bed.<\/p>\n Machines.<\/p>\n Screens.<\/p>\n And someone lying beneath a glass chamber.<\/p>\n Someone who looked exactly like me.<\/p>\n I whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is that?\u201d<\/p>\n The older woman answered:<\/p>\n \u201cThe Laura who created Project Zero.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared down at the chamber.<\/p>\n The woman inside slowly opened her eyes.<\/p>\n And smiled.<\/p>\n Then she spoke through the speakers:<\/p>\n \u201cYou finally came back.\u201d<\/p>\n Adriana began crying.<\/p>\n My father raised his weapon.<\/p>\n Diego stepped backward.<\/p>\n My mother whispered a prayer.<\/p>\n And I\u2026<\/p>\n I walked down the stairs.<\/p>\n Because for the first time in my life\u2026<\/p>\n I wasn’t running from my past.<\/p>\n I was walking directly toward it.<\/p>\n Toward the woman I had once been.<\/p>\n Toward the truth about Adriana.<\/p>\n Toward the beginning of Project Zero.<\/p>\n And toward the one decision that could determine whether any of us survived.<\/p>\n As I reached the bottom of the stairs, the woman inside the chamber lifted her hand.<\/p>\n A screen beside her turned on.<\/p>\n One sentence appeared:<\/p>\n ONLY ONE LAURA CAN LEAVE.<\/strong><\/p>\n Then another sentence appeared beneath it.<\/p>\n CHOOSE.<\/strong><\/p>\n I looked at Adriana.<\/p>\n She was crying.<\/p>\n \u201cMom\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n I reached for her hand.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m not leaving you.\u201d<\/p>\n The chamber opened.<\/p>\n The other Laura stepped out.<\/p>\n She looked directly at me.<\/p>\n And whispered:<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s exactly what you said the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n Then the countdown began.<\/p>\n
\nFor several seconds, nobody moved.
\nNobody breathed.
\nNobody spoke.
\nI could still see those four words in my mind.
\nPROJECT ZERO BEGINS AGAIN.
\n<\/strong>I looked at Adriana.
\nShe was staring at the dead monitor.
\n\u201cAdriana\u2026\u201d
\nShe didn’t answer.
\n\u201cLook at me.\u201d
\nSlowly, she turned.
\nHer eyes were filled with tears.
\nNot fear.
\nSomething worse.
\nRecognition.
\n\u201cYou knew this would happen,\u201d I whispered.
\nShe nodded.
\n\u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n