CHAPTER 45 — THE TRAIN TO BLACKWATER
The group had no safe route back to the surface.
Ward’s communication system was dead.
Gray Tide vehicles were already approaching through the subway tunnels.
Mason entered the train first.
“It may be a trap.”
Sarah looked into the darkness behind them.
“Everything is a trap. Choose the one with fewer guns.”
They boarded.
The doors closed.
The train moved without a conductor.
Claire sat beside Lily.
“Did Grandma Miriam ever tell you about Blackwater?”
Lily nodded.
“She said it was where families learned to love each other.”
Sarah heard her.
“That is what she called the conditioning rooms.”
Rose examined the bracelet Margaret had given her.
“You said I was born after Sarah.”
Margaret nodded.
“Why did Gray Tide take both of you?”
“Because Miriam believed my blood carried something she needed.”
“What?”
Margaret looked toward Claire.
“The ability to resist identity conditioning.”
Sarah laughed softly.
“I did not resist it.”
“You survived it.”
“That is not the same thing.”
Daniel stood near the front window.
The tunnel changed from concrete to natural rock.
Ocean water pressed against reinforced glass.
Blackwater Station was beneath the coast.
Rebecca monitored Olivia.
“The baby’s stable, but the remote connection remains active.”
Olivia looked at Sarah.
“Can Miriam control my child after birth?”
“If the Anchor protocol is complete.”
“How do we stop it?”
“Destroy the Origin Core.”
The train slowed.
A red house appeared inside an enormous underground cavern.
It had a red door.
An iron bell hung beside it.
Daniel stared at the house from his memories.
The train stopped.
The door opened by itself.
A little boy stood on the platform.
He looked exactly like Daniel at twelve years old.
He smiled.
“You came back.”
Daniel stepped toward him.
Claire grabbed his arm.
The boy pointed at Lily.
“Mother wants the singing child first.”
May you like
Hundreds of lights came on across the cavern.
Children were standing silently on every platform.
