Chapter 8: The Brother Nobody Remembered
The photograph slipped from Nia’s fingers.
It landed on the wooden table.
Nobody reached for it.
Nobody needed to.
The image had already burned itself into her mind.
Her father.
Her mother.
Cole.
And a child standing beside them.
A child with her eyes.
Her face.
Her blood.
Nia looked at Elias.
“You’re lying.””
The words came out automatically.
Because the alternative was impossible.
Elias didn’t look offended.
He looked tired.
“I expected you to say that.””
“Because it’s not true.””
“Because it’s easier.””
Cole stepped between them.
“Enough.””
Elias looked at him.
“You still don’t want her to know.””
Cole’s expression darkened.
“I want her alive.””
“And I want her to know why everyone around her keeps making decisions.””
Nia looked at Cole.
“What is he talking about?””
Cole looked away.
That was enough.
Again.
Another silence.
Another secret.
Nia’s voice sharpened.
“No.””
Everyone looked at her.
“No more.””
She picked up the photograph.
“I am done watching people exchange looks like I’m not standing here.””
Her eyes locked on Cole.
“You knew about a brother.””
Cole didn’t answer.
“You knew.””
A long pause.
Then:
“Yes.””
The word hurt.
Nia stepped back.
“How long?””
“Since that night.””
“Since I was five?””
“Yes.””
She laughed quietly.
A broken sound.
“So my father had another child.””
“Yes.””
“And everyone decided I shouldn’t know.””
Cole swallowed.
“Your father decided.””
Nia looked at him.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Cole looked at the photograph.
“Because your brother was dangerous.””
Nia turned to Elias.
“Are you my brother?””
Elias stared at her.
Then slowly nodded.
“Yes.””
Her knees almost gave out.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“No.””
She looked at her mother.
“Tell me he’s lying.””
Her mother was crying.
“I can’t.””
Nia’s breath caught.
“You knew too?””
The woman nodded.
“I knew there was another child.””
“But not where he was?””
“No.””
Nia looked back at Elias.
“Then who are you?””
Elias walked toward the table.
He touched the photograph.
“My name was supposed to be Daniel.””
The name sounded strange.
Almost familiar.
“My father chose it.””
Nia stared.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did everyone call you Elias?””
The man smiled sadly.
“Because Daniel died.””
She frowned.
“What?””
“Your grandfather needed me erased.””
Nia looked confused.
“Why?””
Elias looked at Cole.
“Ask him.””
Cole’s jaw tightened.
“I already told her enough.””
“No.””
Elias stepped closer.
“Tell her the part you left out.””
Nia looked at Cole.
“What part?””
Cole was silent.
Then Elias spoke.
“The night your father disappeared, he wasn’t running from Calvin.””
Nia waited.
“He was running from me.””
The words hit like a wave.
Cole closed his eyes.
Nia stared.
“Why?””
Elias looked down.
“Because I found out what I was.””
“What were you?””
He looked at her.
“A mistake.””
Nobody spoke.
Elias continued.
“Calvin believed children could be controlled if they were raised without knowing who they were.””
Nia felt sick.
“He experimented?””
Her mother whispered:
“Yes.””
Nia looked at her.
“With us?””
The woman nodded.
“Not with medicine.””
“Then what?””
“With fear.””
Silence.
Elias continued.
“Calvin raised me differently.””
“How?””
“He told me I was chosen.””
Nia looked at him.
“And I wasn’t?””
Elias shook his head.
“He told me you were the replacement.””
The room went cold.
Nia stared.
“Replacement for what?””
Elias looked at the floor.
“For me.””
A memory flashed through Nia’s mind.
A little boy.
A hallway.
A voice saying:
You were never supposed to be here.
She grabbed the table.
Cole noticed.
“Nia?””
“I remember something.””
Everyone froze.
“What?””
She closed her eyes.
“When I was little…”
Her voice shook.
“There was a boy.””
Elias stared.
“What did he look like?””
Nia swallowed.
“I don’t know.””
“Try.””
She pressed her fingers against her forehead.
“He was angry.””
Elias looked away.
“He hated me.””
The words hurt.
Nia opened her eyes.
“Did he?””
Elias didn’t answer.
“Did you hate me?””
His face changed.
For the first time, the anger disappeared.
“No.””
The answer came immediately.
“No.””
Nia searched his expression.
“Then why?””
“Because I was a child.””
The room became quiet.
“I was five years old too.””
Nia froze.
“What?””
Elias looked at her.
“Your grandfather lied to me.””
He pointed at the photograph.
“He told me you were the reason my life was destroyed.””
Nia felt tears forming.
“He made you hate me.””
“Yes.””
“And then?””
Elias looked toward the window.
“Then your father found us.””
Cole looked down.
Elias continued.
“He realized what Calvin had done.””
“What did my father do?””
“He chose both of us.””
Nia stared.
“What?””
“He tried to save both children.””
A painful silence followed.
“But Calvin wouldn’t allow that.””
Nia looked at her mother.
“What happened at Black Pine?””
Her mother closed her eyes.
“That night…”
Her voice cracked.
“Calvin came for you.””
“And Elias?””
“He wanted Elias back.””
Nia looked at Elias.
“Why?””
“Because Calvin believed he owned me.””
Elias laughed quietly.
“He never saw me as his grandson.””
“Then what did he see?””
Elias looked at his hands.
“A project.””
The word made everyone uncomfortable.
Nia looked at Cole.
“What happened after?””
Cole answered this time.
“Your father got you out.””
“And Elias?””
Cole’s face tightened.
“Elias stayed.””
Nia looked at Elias.
“You stayed?””
Elias nodded.
“I thought I was helping.””
“You were a child.””
“Yes.””
“What happened?””
Elias looked at the floor.
“Calvin made me choose.””
Nia’s heart sank.
“Choose what?””
“Between following him…”
He paused.
“And losing my family.””
Nia whispered:
“You chose him?””
Elias looked at her.
“I was scared.””
The honesty surprised her.
“I was a child who wanted someone to tell me I mattered.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Cole quietly said:
“Your father came back.””
Nia turned.
“What?””
Cole looked at Elias.
“After he got Nia safe, he came back for you.””
Elias’s eyes filled.
“But I wasn’t there.””
“Where were you?””
Elias looked at the floor.
“Gone.””
A loud crack interrupted them.
Everyone turned.
The sound came from outside.
A gunshot.
Cole immediately moved.
“Down.””
They dropped.
Another shot.
The window shattered.
Nia covered her head.
Cole crawled toward the door.
“They found us.””
Elias grabbed the photograph.
“Not them.””
Cole looked at him.
“What?””
Elias stared outside.
His face changed.
“They’re not here for her.””
Nia looked up.
“Then who?””
Elias looked directly at Cole.
“They’re here for me.””
The door exploded inward.
Smoke filled the hallway.
A group of armed men rushed inside.
Cole fired toward the floor, forcing them back.
Nia and her mother moved behind the table.
Elias stood frozen.
One of the men shouted:
“Daniel!””
Nia heard the name.
Daniel.
Not Elias.
The man pointed.
“Come home.””
Elias’s face went pale.
“No.””
Cole looked at him.
“Who are they?””
Elias whispered:
“My father’s men.””
Nia froze.
“Calvin?””
Elias shook his head.
“No.””
The man outside stepped forward.
Older.
Calm.
Familiar.
Nia felt her stomach drop.
Because she had seen that face before.
In the old photographs.
A face she thought belonged only to the past.
The man smiled.
“Hello, Daniel.””
Then he looked at Nia.
“Hello, little sister.””
Her blood turned cold.
Because behind him stood another person.
A man everyone believed was dead.
A man who had written the warning.
A man whose name had haunted them all night.
Calvin Brooks.
May you like
Alive.
And smiling.
