Chapter 10: The Boy Who Called Another Man Father
"Bring me the key, Alexander.""
Michael's voice continued echoing through the underground facility even after the screen went black.
I stood motionless, staring at the dark monitor.
My son.
A fifteen-year-old boy I had never held, never taught to ride a bicycle, never watched blow out birthday candles.
He was standing beside a man who looked exactly like my dead brother.
And that man was telling him he was his father.
I turned toward Victoria.
"How do we get inside Blackstone?""
She moved to the computer console.
"There's an underground access tunnel beneath the old railway station. It connects directly to the original headquarters.""
Nathan shook his head.
"That tunnel was sealed.""
"Not completely.""
Victoria typed a sequence of commands.
A map appeared.
Three underground passages extended beneath the city. One ended at a security entrance. Another connected to the medical facility.
The third was marked in red.
*PROJECT BLUEBIRD — FAMILY ACCESS ONLY.*
Daniel leaned over her shoulder.
"How many guards?""
"Twenty-four on the upper levels. Possibly more underground.""
I looked at Nathan.
"How many men can you get?""
"Twenty.""
"Bring them.""
Victoria turned away from the screen.
"You're making a mistake.""
I looked at her.
"What mistake?""
"Thinking this is a rescue operation.""
She pointed at the red passage.
"Michael wants you inside. He's not trying to keep you away.""
"Then why threaten my son?""
"Because he wants you emotionally compromised. He wants you to make a decision before you understand what the final archive actually does.""
My father slowly approached.
"She's right.""
I turned toward him.
"Then tell me what it does.""
John looked at the blue key in his hand.
"The original archive contains the complete genetic and identity records of every person registered under Bluebird. But it also contains something Edward never intended anyone to find.""
"What?""
"The original succession protocol.""
I frowned.
"Explain.""
"Edward designed Bluebird to recognize a single biological heir. Whoever carries the correct genetic markers can inherit administrative control over the entire system.""
Nathan crossed his arms.
"And Edward wants Marcus to activate it.""
John nodded.
"Because Marcus is his biological son.""
I stared at the key.
"Then why does Michael need Daniel?""
"Because Daniel is the only person whose identity can override the original system.""
Victoria added quietly, "Your son was born with a genetic combination that Edward never anticipated. He can either shut down Bluebird permanently or give Michael control over every record inside it.""
I looked toward the photograph of Daniel.
"Then why would Michael call himself his father?""
Victoria's eyes filled with sadness.
"Because he raised him.""
The words landed heavily.
I looked at Nathan.
"How?""
Nathan sighed.
"After the warehouse fire, Michael escaped with the baby. Your wife was told the child had died. Michael took him to another state and raised him under a different identity.""
I closed my eyes.
Fifteen years.
My son had spent fifteen years believing another man was his father.
I had missed everything.
His first words.
His first steps.
His first day of school.
I had never even known his name.
"Daniel," I whispered.
Victoria nodded.
"That's what your wife named him.""
I looked at her.
"Then that's the name we're bringing home.""
Forty minutes later, we reached the old railway station.
Rain poured through holes in the abandoned roof.
The place smelled of rust, wet concrete, and old railway oil.
Nathan led the way down a narrow staircase behind the ticket office.
At the bottom was a steel door.
Victoria inserted the blue key.
A scanner illuminated.
*FAMILY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.*
She pressed her palm against it.
The door opened.
Daniel looked back at me.
"Boss, we're inside.""
I nodded.
"Nobody fires unless they have to. We're here for the boy.""
We moved through the tunnel in two groups.
After approximately three hundred yards, we reached a control room.
Victoria examined the monitors.
"Security cameras are looping.""
Nathan frowned.
"Someone's helping us.""
"Who?""
Victoria enlarged one of the feeds.
A young technician sat alone at a desk.
He was typing rapidly.
Then he turned toward the camera.
He raised one hand.
I recognized him immediately.
The little girl from the church had mentioned someone named Lucy.
But this was a man.
Victoria smiled faintly.
"That's Peter. He was one of the original technicians.""
A door opened behind us.
A man in his thirties stepped into the corridor.
"You're late," he said.
Nathan raised his weapon.
Peter lifted both hands.
"Relax. I'm on your side.""
I approached.
"Where's my son?""
Peter pointed toward a staircase.
"Level three. The final chamber.""
"Where's my wife?""
"Same place.""
"Then take us there.""
Peter hesitated.
"There's something else.""
I waited.
He looked toward Victoria.
"Michael has already activated the family succession ceremony.""
Victoria went pale.
"When?""
"Twenty minutes ago.""
I checked my watch.
The final activation was scheduled for midnight.
We had less than ten minutes.
Peter lowered his voice.
"And there's another person in the chamber.""
"Who?""
He swallowed.
"Edward Voss.""
My biological father.
The man who had built the machine that had destroyed my family.
I loaded my weapon.
"Then let's meet him.""
As we approached the stairs, a loudspeaker crackled.
Michael's voice filled the tunnel.
"Alexander, I see you've brought the entire family.""
A screen flickered on.
My wife appeared.
She was sitting in a chair.
Daniel stood beside her.
And Edward Voss was standing behind them.
The older man looked directly into the camera.
"Welcome home, son.""
Then he smiled.
"Let's find out whether you're worthy of being my heir.""
May you like
The staircase lights turned red.
And the door to Level Three began closing.
