Chapter 8: The Girl They Erased
Nobody spoke.
The alarm continued pulsing through the base.
Ruby stared at the dead monitor.
“That was him.””
Harris turned toward her.
“Michael Reed?””
She nodded.
“He came to our apartment.””
“When?””
“A few months ago.””
Amelia closed her eyes.
“Ruby…”
“He gave Mom money.””
Harris looked at Amelia.
“You never told me.””
“I didn't know what to tell you.””
Ruby's voice rose.
“You knew him!””
Amelia flinched.
“He helped us.””
“He was in our house.””
“I know.””
“You told me never to open the door.””
“I know.””
“But you let him in.””
Amelia looked at her daughter.
“Because I trusted him.””
Harris stepped closer.
“And now?””
Amelia's eyes moved toward the dark monitor.
“Now I don't know.””
Mercer suddenly turned toward the exit.
Harris noticed.
“Where are you going?””
Mercer stopped.
“I'm leaving.””
“You're not going anywhere.””
“You don't have authority to detain me.””
Harris blocked his path.
“You arrived in a uniform that hasn't been used in eight years.””
Mercer stared at him.
“You're making a mistake.””
“No.””
Harris pointed toward the document.
“You've been using old identities.””
Mercer smiled.
“Careful.””
“Why?””
“Because the truth you're looking for will destroy more than your career.””
Harris leaned closer.
“My career survived your lie about Daniel.””
Mercer's smile faded.
“You think Daniel was innocent?””
“I know he was.””
“No.””
Mercer looked at Ruby.
“You don't know anything.””
He reached for his phone.
Lewis stepped forward.
“Hands where I can see them.””
Mercer slowly raised his hands.
“Colonel, you really don't understand what you're doing.””
Harris replied, “Then explain it.””
Mercer looked at Ruby.
“Her birth was recorded under another name.””
Amelia shook her head.
“No.””
Mercer continued.
“She wasn't Ruby Harris when she was born.””
Ruby looked at her mother.
“What was my name?””
Amelia began crying.
“Baby…”
“What was my name?””
Mercer answered for her.
“Subject R-08.””
Ruby shook her head.
“That isn't a name.””
“No.””
Mercer looked at Harris.
“It's a designation.””
Harris felt sick.
“What happened to the other children?””
Mercer said nothing.
Harris's voice became harder.
“What happened?””
Mercer finally answered.
“They disappeared.””
Ruby backed away.
“Mom?””
Amelia pulled her into a hug.
“You are not a subject.””
Mercer laughed.
“You've spent eight years running because you know she is.””
Harris stepped between them.
“That's enough.””
Mercer looked at him.
“You still don't know what Daniel found.””
“Tell me.””
“He found evidence that the program wasn't controlled by the military.””
Harris froze.
“Then who controlled it?””
Mercer's eyes moved toward the command building.
“People with money.””
“That's not an answer.””
“People who could buy identities. Judges. Doctors.
Records officers. Contractors.””
Harris stared.
“And children?””
“Were useful.””
Ruby whispered, “Useful for what?””
Mercer looked at her.
“For disappearing.””
Amelia grabbed Ruby's face.
“Don't listen to him.””
Ruby pushed her mother's hands away.
“I want the truth.””
Amelia froze.
Ruby's tears rolled down her cheeks.
“You always say you're protecting me.””
“I am.””
“Then tell me.””
Amelia took a trembling breath.
“When you were born, someone tried to take you.””
“Who?””
“People working for the program.””
“Why?””
“Because of who your father was.””
Ruby looked at Harris.
“Daniel?””
Amelia shook her head.
“No.””
Harris's eyes narrowed.
“You said Daniel was your father.””
“I said Daniel protected you.””
“That's different.””
“Yes.””
Ruby looked between them.
“Then who is my father?””
Amelia couldn't answer.
Mercer smiled.
“He's closer than you think.””
Harris turned toward him.
“What does that mean?””
Mercer looked at the old photograph.
“Look at the soldier's uniform.””
Harris did.
Then he saw it.
The insignia on the shoulder.
It wasn't Daniel's unit.
It belonged to a classified special operations division.
Harris stared.
“Daniel wasn't assigned to that unit.””
Mercer nodded.
“Correct.””
“Then who was?””
Mercer didn't answer.
Amelia whispered, “Harris…”
He turned.
“You knew.””
“I suspected.””
“Who wore that insignia?””
Amelia looked down.
“Your father.””
Harris stopped breathing.
His father had died years before Ruby was born.
Mercer said quietly, “That's why Daniel had to disappear.””
Harris shook his head.
“My father died twenty years ago.””
Mercer smiled.
“That's what the records say.””
The room went silent.
Ruby looked at Harris.
“Your dad is alive too?””
“No.””
Mercer said, “Not anymore.””
Harris stared at him.
“Then what are you saying?””
“I am saying your family has been living inside a manufactured history.””
A phone rang.
Everyone turned.
It was Ruby's backpack.
She looked confused.
“I don't have a phone.””
Harris opened the side pocket.
Inside was a small black burner phone.
It was ringing.
Amelia's face went pale.
“Don't answer.””
Ruby looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because I know who it is.””
Harris took the phone.
The screen showed one word.
*DAD.*
Ruby stared.
Her lips parted.
“That's impossible.””
The phone kept ringing.
Harris answered.
For three seconds, there was only breathing.
Then a man's voice whispered:
“Ruby.””
She grabbed Harris's arm.
“Who is that?””
The voice continued.
“Tell Colonel Harris to look under the gate.””
Harris immediately looked toward the entrance.
“What did you leave there?””
The man whispered,
“The proof he buried.””
The call ended.
Lewis ran outside.
He dropped to one knee beside the concrete foundation.
Then shouted:
“Colonel!””
Harris rushed over.
Lewis was pointing at a small metal plate hidden beneath the gate.
Engraved into it were two letters.
*D.H.*
And beneath them was a date.
The same date Daniel had disappeared.
Harris touched the metal.
Then the gate began moving.
Slowly.
May you like
From the other side.
Without anyone touching the controls.
