CHAPTER 48 — THE DEAD FATHER
Claire had buried Thomas Bennett fourteen years earlier.
She remembered touching his cold hand in the hospital.
She remembered the funeral.
She remembered Margaret standing beside the grave.
Now Thomas walked into the red house.
He had gray hair and a thin scar along his jaw, but it was him.
“Claire.”
She could not move.
“You’re dead.”
“The man you buried was assigned my face.”
Margaret aimed at him.
“You let us mourn you.”
Thomas looked at Rose and Sarah.
“I was trying to find them.”
Sarah laughed.
“You knew where I was.”
“I knew where they moved you. I never found the entrance.”
Miriam poured tea as though the reunion were ordinary.
“Thomas always preferred excuses to confession.”
Claire forced herself to speak.
“Did you work for Gray Tide?”
Thomas looked at Lily.
“I helped create the registry.”
Claire stepped between them.
“Do not look at her.”
“The registry was supposed to identify stolen children.”
Miriam smiled.
“And then Thomas discovered it could identify useful bloodlines.”
Thomas struck the cup from Miriam’s hand.
“You corrupted it.”
“I completed it.”
Mason helped Elias out of the medical chair.
Elias whispered, “The Origin Core is beneath the house.”
Thomas heard him.
“No. It was moved.”
Miriam’s expression changed.
“To where?”
Thomas looked at Olivia.
“Inside the Anchor.”
Olivia covered her stomach.
“What does that mean?”
“The fetal-support system has been building a biological copy of the Core inside your child’s neural tissue.”
Rebecca stared at the monitor.
“The network will exist inside the baby.”
“Unless we remove it before birth,” Thomas said.
Olivia’s voice broke.
“Can the baby survive?”
No one answered.
The iron bell rang again.
The children outside began marching toward the house.
Four-B stood at the front.
He pointed at Thomas.
“False father detected.”
Thomas drew a hidden weapon.
Ward aimed at him.
Miriam remained seated.
“Only one version of Thomas Bennett knows where the true registry is.”
Claire stared at the man claiming to be her father.
May you like
Miriam looked at her gently.
“Would you like to know whether you are speaking to him?”
