CHAPTER 63 — THE CHAPEL BELOW
Jonah moved with frightening precision.
He disarmed two guards before they could fire and opened a path toward the chapel.
Mason carried Olivia.
Claire, Lily, Rose, and the others followed.
Sarah remained behind long enough to fire at Silas’s wheelchair.
“Go!”
They entered the chapel and sealed the doors.
Jonah stood outside, fighting Gray Tide alone.
Mason tried to return for him.
Elias stopped him.
“The trigger will not release until the command is completed.”
“What was the command?”
“First brother falls.”
Mason stared at him.
“You programmed him to die.”
“I was forced to.”
“You always say that.”
They found the service entrance beneath the altar.
Stone stairs descended into a hidden surgical facility.
The walls were covered with photographs of pregnant women.
Margaret recognized several.
“They recruited us from the same clinic.”
Rose found Margaret’s photograph.
Two newborn girls had been placed beside her.
ROSE and IRIS.
A third crib stood behind them.
Its label read ANCHOR ZERO.
Olivia looked at Iris.
“Was the third baby your first Anchor?”
Iris shook her head.
“The baby belonged to Miriam.”
Sarah stopped walking.
Margaret looked at her.
“No.”
Sarah stared at the photograph.
“Miriam told me she never had children.”
Elias examined the date.
“This was taken the year Sarah was born.”
Claire understood.
“Sarah is not Margaret’s biological daughter.”
Sarah turned toward Margaret.
“You knew?”
Margaret was crying.
“I believed you were mine.”
Silas’s voice came through hidden speakers.
“Margaret’s first child died. Miriam replaced her with Sarah to test maternal attachment.”
Sarah lowered her weapon.
Her entire identity had been built around being Margaret’s stolen daughter.
Claire approached her.
“You are still our family.”
Sarah stepped away.
“No. I am another role.”
A door opened at the end of the surgical corridor.
Miriam stood inside.
She was holding a newborn infant.
Olivia looked down at her stomach.
It was suddenly flat.
May you like
Miriam smiled.
“The Anchor has been delivered.”
