Chapter 19: The Last Lie of the Vance Family
For one terrible second, nobody moved.
Daniel stood beside the elevator with a bandage across his shoulder and a black case in his hand.
Victoria stared at him.
"You were inside the laboratory.""
Daniel smiled.
"And you were foolish enough to believe the laboratory could hold me.""
James stepped between them.
"You killed my mother.""
Daniel looked at him with mild curiosity.
"Did I?""
James tightened his grip on the photograph.
"Don't pretend you don't know who Catherine was.""
"Oh, I know exactly who she was.""
Daniel opened the case.
Inside lay a small recording device and several sealed documents.
"Your mother wasn't killed by Margaret," he said.
"She was killed because she discovered something Robert couldn't allow her to reveal.""
Victoria looked at him.
"What?""
Daniel glanced toward the intensive care room.
"Ask Margaret.""
James started forward.
"Tell me!""
Daniel raised his free hand.
"Careful. You're not going to like the answer.""
Victoria moved closer.
"Put the case down.""
"Why? Afraid of what's inside?""
"Afraid you'll hurt someone else.""
Daniel laughed.
"You still think this is about hurting people. It's about what people are willing to sacrifice to protect their families.""
James pointed at the case.
"What's in there?""
"The original recording from the night Catherine died.""
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
"Where did you get it?""
"From the archive. Your little shutdown didn't destroy everything.""
Daniel pressed a button.
A woman's voice emerged from the device.
Catherine.
"If anything happens to me, the child must never be returned to Robert. Margaret knows what he intends to do. She knows about the second succession plan.""
Then another voice.
Margaret.
"Please, Catherine. We can still stop him.""
Catherine answered:
"You've said that before.""
A door slammed.
Then came the sound of a struggle.
A sharp impact.
Silence.
James's face drained of color.
"Keep playing.""
Daniel looked at him.
"There's more.""
A second recording began.
Margaret's voice sounded again, but this time it was different.
Cold.
Controlled.
"Robert, she's gone.""
Robert answered:
"Did you find the child?""
"Yes.""
"Good. Bring him to the facility.""
Margaret hesitated.
"What about the body?""
Robert replied:
"Leave it. By morning, everyone will believe she fell.""
The recording stopped.
James stared at Margaret's closed hospital-room door.
"She killed my mother.""
Victoria looked at Daniel.
"Why bring this here?""
Daniel smiled.
"Because I want something.""
"Of course you do.""
"The original succession document. The one Margaret kept hidden.""
Victoria shook her head.
"I don't have it.""
Daniel's eyes shifted toward the hospital room.
"She does.""
James lunged.
Daniel stepped aside and struck him across the face with the case.
James fell against the wall.
Victoria rushed forward, but Daniel caught her wrist.
"Don't.""
She looked directly into his eyes.
"You've lost, Daniel.""
He tightened his grip.
"Not until I have the document.""
A voice came from behind them.
"Let her go.""
Richard stood in the doorway of the intensive care unit, leaning on a walking frame.
Elena was beside him.
Daniel turned.
For a moment, something like shame crossed his face.
"Father.""
Richard's expression was exhausted.
"Don't call me that.""
Daniel released Victoria.
"You raised me.""
"I did.""
"You taught me how to survive.""
"I taught you how to be a man.""
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"And look what that got you.""
Richard stepped closer.
"It got me a son I failed to protect from becoming a monster.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Robert made me what I am.""
"No," Richard replied.
"Robert gave you excuses. You made your choices.""
The words landed harder than a blow.
Daniel looked toward Elena.
"And you. You watched me grow up. You knew what I was.""
Elena's eyes filled.
"I knew what they were doing to you. I didn't know what you would become.""
"You could have told me.""
"I tried.""
Daniel shook his head.
"You were a servant.""
"I was your mother.""
For a moment, the corridor went silent.
Then Daniel looked away.
"Where is the document?""
Margaret's voice came from the hospital room.
"Come inside, Daniel.""
Everyone turned.
Margaret stood in the doorway, pale but upright.
Victoria moved toward her.
"Mom, don't.""
Margaret held up one hand.
"It's time.""
Daniel entered.
Victoria followed, with James, Richard, Elena, and Veronica close behind.
Margaret sat on the edge of the bed.
"You want the succession document?""
Daniel nodded.
"Give it to me.""
"It's not what you think.""
"Then show me.""
Margaret opened the bedside drawer and removed a folded sheet of paper.
She placed it on the table.
Daniel snatched it.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then he stopped.
"What is this?""
"The original succession agreement.""
Daniel looked up.
"Matthew was supposed to inherit?""
"No.""
He read the next line.
His face changed.
*PRIMARY BENEFICIARY: SUBJECT 015 — JAMES MILLER.*
James stared at the document.
"What?""
Margaret looked at him.
"Catherine was Robert's first wife. Before me. James was their biological son.""
Victoria turned toward Margaret.
"Robert's son?""
Margaret nodded.
"Robert intended to make James the heir. Catherine refused to let him turn their child into an experiment. She tried to escape with him.""
James looked sick.
"Then why did you take me?""
"Because Robert wanted you returned to the facility. I thought hiding you would save you.""
"You erased my memories.""
"I know.""
"You let me believe I was nobody.""
Margaret began crying.
"I know.""
James looked at the document again.
"Why am I the beneficiary?""
"Because Catherine changed the agreement before she died. She made Robert sign a provision that transferred control of the Genesis assets to you if he ever harmed her.""
Daniel crushed the paper.
"So that's why he wanted the archive.""
Margaret nodded.
"He needed the original succession document destroyed. Without it, he couldn't claim the research legally.""
Victoria looked at Daniel.
"And you helped him.""
Daniel's face hardened.
"I didn't know.""
"That doesn't erase what you did.""
He glanced toward the door.
Two federal agents appeared.
"Daniel Vance," one said.
"Put down the case and raise your hands.""
Daniel looked around.
For the first time, there was nowhere to go.
He dropped the case.
The agents handcuffed him.
As they led him away, he turned toward Elena.
"Mother.""
Elena's face crumpled.
He looked as though he wanted to say something else.
But the doors closed between them.
James remained motionless.
Victoria approached him.
"The company is yours now.""
He shook his head.
"I don't want it.""
"Then what do you want?""
He looked at the photograph of Catherine.
"I want her name cleared. I want the truth about what happened to the children. And I want the people who did this to answer for it.""
Victoria nodded.
"Then we'll do that.""
Margaret lowered her eyes.
"And what about me?""
James looked at her.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then he answered:
"You'll have to answer for what you did.""
Margaret nodded.
"I know.""
Outside, sirens approached.
The federal agents had finally arrived to take Daniel away.
But before they reached the elevators, Samuel appeared at the end of the corridor.
He was carrying a tablet.
"Victoria.""
She turned.
"What is it?""
Samuel looked at James.
"There's a problem with the succession document.""
James frowned.
"What problem?""
Samuel held up the tablet.
"The document is authentic. But the transfer was never completed.""
Victoria stared.
"Why not?""
Samuel swallowed.
"Because Catherine's final instruction was never activated.""
James looked at him.
"What instruction?""
Samuel turned the screen around.
A line appeared beneath the original agreement.
*SUCCESSION SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ONLY UPON THE DISCLOSURE OF THE FINAL WITNESS.*
Victoria frowned.
"Who is the final witness?""
Samuel looked toward Margaret.
Margaret's face went white.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"Robert.""
