Chapter 11: The Man Who Owned My Blood
The door slammed shut before we reached it.
Nathan immediately examined the control panel.
"Locked.""
Victoria stepped forward.
"Move.""
She placed her palm against the scanner.
The screen flashed red.
*ACCESS DENIED.*
She tried again.
Nothing.
Peter looked at the display.
"Michael has changed the authorization sequence.""
"Can you override it?"" I asked.
Peter shook his head.
"Not from here.""
I looked at Nathan.
"Other way in?""
He pointed toward a narrow maintenance passage.
"Ventilation shaft.""
Daniel examined the opening.
"That's barely wide enough for one person.""
"Then we'll go one at a time.""
Victoria grabbed my arm.
"Marcus, wait.""
I turned.
She was looking at the security screen.
A new message had appeared.
*SUBJECT: ALEXANDER HAYES.*
*PATERNAL AUTHORIZATION CONFIRMED.*
*HEIRSHIP TRANSFER PENDING.*
Victoria whispered, "He's already preparing your transfer.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"Edward wants to give you control of Bluebird.""
"Why?""
"Because the system requires an heir. He believes you'll accept his offer if he threatens your family.""
I looked at the screen.
"And if I refuse?""
She didn't answer.
Nathan did.
"Then he'll make sure nobody leaves that chamber alive.""
The maintenance shaft opened above a narrow observation gallery.
I climbed through first.
Below me was a massive circular room filled with computer terminals.
At its center stood a transparent enclosure.
Inside it was my wife.
Beside her stood Daniel.
And across from them was a man in an expensive black suit.
Edward Voss.
My father.
He looked remarkably healthy for a man in his seventies.
Silver hair.
Straight posture.
An expensive watch.
He looked like the kind of man who donated millions to hospitals and had his photograph taken beside presidents.
He also looked like the kind of man who could order an entire family erased without losing sleep.
A second man stood near him.
Michael.
My dead brother's identical twin.
I watched him lean toward Daniel.
"Your mother has lied to you," he said.
Daniel pulled away.
"Stop calling her that.""
Michael smiled.
"She gave birth to you. I raised you. Which one of us has actually been your parent?""
My wife's eyes filled with tears.
"Daniel, don't listen to him.""
Michael grabbed her chin.
"Be quiet.""
I felt rage rise through my chest.
I moved toward the staircase.
But Nathan caught my arm.
"Not yet.""
I looked at him.
"He's touching my wife.""
"Wait for the right moment.""
I forced myself to breathe.
Below us, Edward approached Daniel.
"Young man, do you know why you're here?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Because you want something.""
Edward smiled.
"You're intelligent. That's good.""
He gestured toward the computer terminals.
"This system has the ability to restore identities, recover missing people, and correct records that have been deliberately altered.""
Daniel looked at him suspiciously.
"Then why are people being held here?""
Edward's smile disappeared.
"Because people are often afraid of change.""
My wife shook her head.
"Daniel, he's lying.""
Edward turned.
"Your mother has always been emotional.""
He walked toward her.
"She stole fifteen years from me.""
My wife spat at his shoes.
"You stole our son.""
Edward looked down at the wet mark.
Then he calmly wiped his shoe with a white handkerchief.
"Your son was never yours to begin with.""
That was when I moved.
I climbed down the remaining steps and entered the chamber.
"Take another step toward her.""
Every head turned.
My wife gasped.
"Marcus!""
Michael slowly smiled.
"Alexander. There you are.""
Edward examined me.
For several seconds, he simply stared.
Then he nodded.
"You have my eyes.""
I raised my weapon.
"And you have my attention.""
Edward laughed softly.
"Put that away. You're pointing a gun at the man who gave you life.""
I took another step.
"You didn't give me anything.""
"I gave you an identity.""
"You stole mine.""
"I protected you.""
I almost laughed.
"Everybody in this family has a strange definition of protection.""
Edward gestured toward the computer system.
"Listen to me. Bluebird was never intended to hurt anyone. It was designed to preserve people.""
"By declaring them dead?""
"By allowing them to survive when their old identities became dangerous.""
"Then why did my wife have to disappear?""
"Because she discovered the succession protocol.""
I looked at Michael.
"Why does he want my son?""
Edward's expression changed.
"Because your son is special.""
Daniel stepped closer to my wife.
"I'm not going anywhere with you.""
Edward smiled.
"You don't understand. You're the key to something extraordinary.""
He pressed a button.
A large screen appeared.
It displayed a genetic comparison.
Three names.
ALEXANDER HAYES.
MICHAEL HAYES.
DANIEL HAYES.
The first two were marked as authorized.
Daniel's name was highlighted in blue.
*FINAL AUTHENTICATION REQUIRED.*
Edward looked at me.
"Your son can unlock the original archive. Together, we can restore every erased identity.""
"Then restore them.""
"I will.""
"Without controlling them.""
Edward's smile faded.
"Freedom is an expensive concept, Alexander.""
I looked at my wife.
She shook her head.
"Marcus, don't listen.""
Edward continued.
"Give me the blue key. Accept your position as my heir. I will release your wife and your son.""
"And everyone else?""
"They will be restored.""
"All twenty-seven thousand?""
He hesitated.
That was enough.
I raised my weapon slightly.
"You never intended to release them.""
Edward sighed.
"Your mother was right. You inherited her stubbornness.""
Then he pressed another button.
A second screen appeared.
It showed a hospital room.
An elderly woman lay in the bed.
Her face was pale.
Her hair was white.
But I recognized her.
My mother.
The real Elizabeth.
Edward looked at me.
"Would you like to speak to her?""
My breath caught.
"She's alive?""
"She has been waiting a very long time.""
The screen displayed a live connection.
A nurse leaned toward the woman.
"Mrs. Hayes? Your son is here.""
My mother slowly opened her eyes.
She looked directly at the camera.
Then she whispered:
"Alexander, don't let him activate the archive.""
Edward smiled.
"Unfortunately, darling, we're already past that point.""
A warning flashed across the chamber.
*FINAL SUCCESSION: 90 SECONDS.*
Michael grabbed Daniel.
My wife screamed.
I raised my weapon.
But Edward held up one hand.
"One wrong move, son, and the entire system will identify your boy as a hostile subject.""
Daniel struggled.
"Get your hands off me!""
Michael twisted his arm behind his back.
I aimed at him.
Then Daniel shouted something that stopped me.
"DAD!""
Not Michael.
Me.
May you like
For the first time in fifteen years, my son had called me Dad.
And I was not going to let anyone take that word away from him.
