CHAPTER 43 — THE MEMORY ROOM
The safehouse computer activated by itself.
Images appeared across every screen.
A red door.
An iron bell.
Children walking in a line beside the ocean.
Daniel stood among them.
He was older than the other children.
Sarah appeared behind him.
Both wore white uniforms marked with black numbers.
Daniel was Four.
Sarah was One.
Rose stared at her.
“You were the first subject.”
Sarah did not deny it.
A video began playing.
A younger Miriam Vane addressed the camera.
“Subject Four displays exceptional loyalty adaptation. He may be programmed to protect or destroy the same individual depending on the trigger.”
Claire looked at Daniel.
“Who was the individual?”
The video changed.
A little girl entered the room.
Claire recognized her own childhood face.
Daniel moved toward the screen.
“No.”
Miriam’s voice continued.
“Subject Four’s primary assignment will be Claire Bennett.”
Daniel stepped back.
Claire remembered Daniel appearing throughout different periods of her life—the hospital, the investigation, the night Lily disappeared.
“Were you sent to protect me?”
Sarah answered.
“Sometimes.”
“And the other times?”
“To observe whether you activated.”
Claire looked at the Vane registry resting on the table.
“What was supposed to activate?”
Before Sarah could answer, Dana collapsed.
Her body convulsed.
A blue light flashed beneath the skin behind her ear.
Rebecca rushed toward her.
“An implant.”
Dana grabbed Rebecca’s throat.
Mason pulled her away.
Dana fought with unnatural strength.
“Rose must return,” she said in a flat voice. “The Anchor must be preserved.”
Rose backed toward the door.
Dana turned to Claire.
“Claire Bennett must be terminated before maternal convergence.”
Then Dana’s expression broke.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Run.”
She slammed her head against the wall, trying to destroy the implant.
The safehouse doors locked automatically.
A countdown appeared.
BIOLOGICAL PURGE IN FIVE MINUTES.
Ward checked the air system.
“They are flooding the building with something.”
Sarah looked at the ventilation map.
“Not poison.”
“What is it?”
“A memory agent.”
Daniel began hearing the iron bell from his childhood.
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And somewhere deep inside his mind, a command awakened.
Kill Claire Bennett.
