CHAPTER 29: NATHAN
The boy stared at Ava.
Ava stared back.
Neither spoke.
They looked like reflections altered by different lives.
Ava had Ethan’s dark hair and Claire’s gentle expression.
Nathan’s hair was longer and unevenly cut. His face was pale. A thin metal band circled one wrist.
Claire took one step forward.
“Nathan?”
The boy raised a small device.
Every helicopter light went out at once.
The aircrafts tilted dangerously in the air.
Pilots fought to regain control.
Nathan’s eyes remained fixed on Claire.
“You left me.”
Claire began crying.
“I didn’t know you were alive.”
“That is what she said you would say.”
“Who?”
Nathan looked toward the road.
“Grandmother Eleanor.”
Conrad’s voice became cold.
“She is not your grandmother.”
“She raised me.”
“She imprisoned you,” Evelyn said.
Nathan looked at her.
“You are Dr. Hart.”
“Yes.”
“You made the first subjects scream.”
Evelyn flinched.
“That was a long time ago.”
“But you remember.”
The searchlights returned.
Nathan pressed the device again.
This time nothing happened.
A red light flashed around his wrist band.
“Remote inhibitor,” Evelyn said. “Eleanor can control his abilities.”
Nathan suddenly collapsed.
Ava ran to him.
The moment she touched his hand, both children gasped.
Images flashed across the maintenance building’s security monitors.
A white laboratory.
Children sleeping inside glass rooms.
Eleanor standing beside a younger Dr. Hart.
Claire strapped to a medical chair.
Samuel carrying infant Ethan through a burning corridor.
Then another image appeared.
Dane was alive.
He stood inside Facility Twelve beside Eleanor.
Bianca stared at the screen.
“He survived the explosion.”
Dane looked directly into the facility camera.
“It was never my mission to destroy the database,” he said.
A digital folder opened behind him.
Hundreds of Northstar names appeared.
“I was ordered to send it to every government agency at midnight.”
Ward checked his watch.
“It is one minute before midnight.”
Nathan opened his eyes.
“He can stop it.”
“Who?” Ethan asked.
Nathan pointed toward Samuel.
“Subject N-01.”
Samuel shook his head.
“I need access to Facility Twelve’s central system.”
Nathan stood weakly.
“I know another entrance.”
May you like
He looked at Ava.
“But only the twins can open it.”
