Chapter 9: The Other Marcus Reed
The elevator doors opened on the top floor.
Marcus stepped out alone.
Behind him, the doors closed.
No Ortiz.
No Caldwell.
No Pike.
Exactly as the message had demanded.
The hallway was dark except for a line of recessed lights stretching toward a pair of glass doors at the far end.
His footsteps sounded unnaturally loud.
He kept one hand near his weapon.
The message remained on his phone.
COME TO THE TOP FLOOR ALONE.
I'LL SHOW YOU WHO YOU USED TO BE.
Marcus reached the glass doors.
They opened before he touched them.
Inside was an office he had never seen.
No furniture except a desk, two chairs, and a wall-sized screen.
A woman stood with her back to him.
The same woman from the mayor's office.
She wore the same gray suit.
Same red folder.
Same calm expression.
She turned.
“You came.””
Marcus stepped inside.
“Who are you?””
“You already know.””
“No.””
“You just don't remember.””
She pointed toward the chair.
Marcus remained standing.
“Talk.””
She smiled.
“You've spent your entire life believing memory is evidence.””
Marcus said nothing.
“It isn't.””
She touched the screen.
A video appeared.
A younger Marcus stood in a conference room.
He was perhaps thirty-five.
Beside him stood Captain Mercer.
And Caldwell.
And a man Marcus had never met.
Marcus stared at the screen.
“What is this?””
The younger version of himself spoke.
“If they agree, we proceed under the Riverside agreement.””
Marcus's face went pale.
He remembered the room.
Not clearly.
A hotel conference center.
Chicago, maybe.
But he had never worked in Riverside.
The woman watched him.
“You remember it now.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
The screen changed.
Another video.
Marcus again.
Older by a few years.
He was signing a document.
His signature.
Exact.
The woman said, “You were here.””
“No.””
“You were.””
“I would remember.””
“You remember what we allowed you to remember.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What did you do to me?””
“Nothing.””
“Then why don't I remember this?””
“Because you were never Marcus Reed.””
The words struck harder than any bullet.
Marcus stared.
The woman opened the red folder.
Inside were medical records.
Birth certificate.
School records.
Employment records.
Military documents.
A driver's license.
All carried the same name.
Marcus Reed.
But the dates didn't match.
He picked up the birth certificate.
Born in a small town in Ohio.
He knew that part.
He remembered the hospital.
His mother.
The smell of the room.
His father's hands shaking.
Real memories.
Weren't they?
He looked at the medical file.
“What's wrong with these?””
“Nothing.””
“They're mine.””
“Some are.””
She pulled out another document.
A second birth certificate.
Same name.
Different date.
Different parents.
Marcus stared.
“That isn't me.””
The woman smiled.
“Correct.””
She placed another photograph beside it.
Two young boys.
They looked almost identical.
Marcus's stomach dropped.
“One of them is you.””
“Who's the other?””
She didn't answer.
Marcus looked closer.
The boy on the left had a small scar beneath his right eye.
Marcus touched his own face.
He had the same scar.
A memory surfaced.
His mother had told him he got it falling from a bicycle.
He looked at the photograph again.
The boy with the scar was the one standing beside his mother.
The other boy was smiling.
Marcus whispered, “Twin.””
The woman nodded.
“Identical.””
“Where is he?””
“Dead.””
Marcus looked at her.
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
“How?””
“That depends which version you believe.””
Marcus slammed the documents onto the desk.
“Stop speaking in riddles.””
She remained calm.
“Your brother was involved with the Riverside Civic Trust.””
Marcus froze.
“My brother wasn't involved in anything.””
“He was.””
“He died three years ago.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“He was killed.””
Marcus stared.
“By who?””
“Someone trying to protect you.””
Marcus's voice dropped.
“Why would anyone need to protect me?””
“Because you had already agreed to replace him.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
She touched the screen.
A document appeared.
RIVERSIDE TRANSITION PROTOCOL.
Under it:
SUBJECT: MARCUS REED.
STATUS: ACTIVE.
Marcus read the date.
March 14.
Six months earlier.
But another line caught his eye.
ORIGINAL IDENTITY: ELIAS REED.
He stepped backward.
“That's impossible.””
The woman said nothing.
Marcus grabbed the page.
“Elias Reed.””
She nodded.
“Your brother's name.””
Marcus stared at her.
“No.””
“Your brother was Elias.””
“No.””
“You've spent eighteen months believing you were Marcus.””
“Stop.””
“You were born Elias.””
“Stop!””
His voice echoed through the office.
The woman remained unmoved.
Marcus's breathing became uneven.
His entire life seemed to shift.
His father.
His mother.
His childhood.
His academy years.
His marriage.
Every memory had suddenly become suspect.
He forced himself to focus.
“This is a fabrication.””
“It would be, if the records weren't already embedded in six separate systems.””
“Records can be changed.””
“Not memories.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You said they altered my memory.””
“I said they controlled what you remembered.””
“How?””
She reached into the red folder.
A photograph came out.
Marcus looked at it.
A hospital room.
A man lying unconscious.
His face was bruised.
Machines surrounded him.
Marcus recognized the man.
Himself.
Or the man he believed was himself.
The date was three years earlier.
The woman spoke quietly.
“Your brother was killed in a vehicle explosion.””
Marcus's fingers tightened around the photograph.
“You survived.””
“How?””
“Because your brother took your place.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What?””
“Elias was supposed to die.””
“But he didn't.””
“No.””
“You did.””
Marcus stared at the photograph.
She continued.
“Your brother had been investigating the Board. They discovered he knew too much. He was going to be eliminated.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Then who died?””
“Elias.””
“And who survived?””
She smiled.
“You.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Then why call me Elias?””
“Because you were Elias.””
His pulse hammered.
The woman placed another photograph on the desk.
Two brothers standing beside their parents.
One was Marcus.
The other was Elias.
A circle had been drawn around Elias.
Underneath:
SUBJECT A.
Marcus stared.
The second boy was him.
He knew it.
He remembered that face.
Not as a brother.
As himself.
He stepped away.
The room seemed to tilt.
“You switched identities.””
“No.””
“Then what?””
The woman's voice softened.
“You inherited his life.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because your brother was the one person the Board couldn't control.””
“And I could be controlled.””
“You were easier to convince.””
Marcus felt sick.
“What did you tell me?””
“That your life was different.””
“What did you erase?””
“Nothing.””
She smiled faintly.
“We replaced context.””
The phrase chilled him.
“Your memories remained. We simply gave them different meanings.””
Marcus looked toward the screen.
His mother's face appeared.
Then his father's.
Then his academy instructor.
Then his first wife.
All familiar.
All suddenly uncertain.
The woman said, “You weren't hypnotized.””
Marcus stared.
“You were conditioned.””
“How?””
“Repetition. Documents. Trusted witnesses.
Official records. Every institution around you confirmed the same story.””
Marcus looked at the photograph of the two brothers.
“So all of them lied?””
“Not all.””
“Who knew?””
She smiled.
“Caldwell.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Garrett knew?””
“Yes.””
“Pike?””
“Yes.””
“Ortiz?””
“No.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Mercer?””
“Yes.””
Marcus's voice hardened.
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
“Because the moment you learned who you were, the transfer would fail.””
“What transfer?””
She pointed to the command authorization.
“The archive.””
Marcus looked at the document.
“You used me to access it.””
“Correct.””
“And now?””
“Now you can destroy it.””
Marcus stared.
“Why would you want that?””
“Because you're the only person who can.””
He stepped closer.
“Who are you?””
She finally looked afraid.
Not much.
But enough.
“My name is Evelyn Shaw.””
Marcus recognized the surname.
“Eleanor Shaw?””
“My mother.””
Marcus frowned.
“The city attorney?””
“Yes.””
“Then you're part of the Board.””
“I was.””
“What happened?””
Evelyn looked at him.
“I discovered what they had done to you.””
Marcus remained silent.
“My mother wanted to preserve the system.””
“And you?””
“I wanted to break it.””
“So you became the seventh member.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“The seventh member was never a person.””
“The role.””
“Yes.””
“The person controlling the chief.””
Evelyn nodded.
“And that person is you?””
“No.””
Marcus stared.
“Then who?””
She looked toward the screen.
The image changed.
A security camera from the police department.
His command office.
Someone was standing inside.
The figure turned.
Marcus felt his blood run cold.
It was him.
Another Marcus Reed.
Same face.
Same build.
Same scar.
Wearing the same command uniform.
Evelyn whispered:
“That is the seventh member.””
Marcus couldn't speak.
The other man stood in his office, looking directly into the camera.
Then he smiled.
He picked up the phone.
Marcus's own phone immediately rang.
He answered.
His own voice spoke from the other end.
“You've been asking who I am.””
Marcus stared at the screen.
The other Marcus continued.
“I'm the version of you they kept.””
The call ended.
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“What does that mean?””
She was trembling now.
“It means they didn't just steal your identity.””
A loud noise came from the corridor.
Someone was coming.
Evelyn moved toward the door.
“There's no time.””
Marcus blocked her.
“You're not leaving.””
“You need to get downstairs.””
“Why?””
“Because your friends are in danger.””
“Caldwell?””
“Caldwell.””
“Ortiz?””
“Yes.””
“Pike?””
“Yes.””
“What about Mercer?””
Evelyn hesitated.
“He isn't coming with them.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
“Because he already knows.””
“Knows what?””
“That the man in your office isn't an artificial duplicate.””
Marcus stared.
Evelyn whispered:
“He's your brother.””
Marcus couldn't breathe.
“No.””
“The man you thought was Elias died three years ago.””
She swallowed.
“The man who survived that explosion was someone else.””
Marcus stepped backward.
“Who?””
“Your twin.””
The corridor door burst open.
Caldwell appeared.
Weapon drawn.
“Marcus!””
Marcus turned.
Caldwell froze when he saw Evelyn.
“You.””
She raised her hands.
“I can explain.””
“You're out of time.””
Caldwell looked at Marcus.
“What did she tell you?””
Marcus couldn't answer.
Caldwell saw the documents.
His face changed.
“Oh God.””
Marcus looked at him.
“You knew.””
Caldwell nodded slowly.
“I knew enough.””
“And you let me believe I was Marcus.””
“I was trying to keep you alive.””
“You lied to me.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Caldwell lowered his weapon.
“Because the truth would have gotten you killed before you could reach the archive.””
Marcus stared at him.
Then another voice sounded from the hallway.
Pike.
“Garrett!””
Caldwell turned.
Pike rushed in.
“It's happening now.””
“What?””
“The archive has begun purging itself.””
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
She nodded.
“They know you've discovered the truth.””
A deep mechanical rumble shook the building.
Caldwell looked toward the floor.
“They're destroying the department.””
Marcus straightened.
“No.””
He picked up the command badge.
“This ends now.””
Pike looked at him.
“What are you going to do?””
Marcus looked at the screen.
The other Marcus was still standing inside his command office.
Watching.
Waiting.
Marcus's face hardened.
“I'm going to meet myself.””
He started toward the door.
Caldwell caught up.
“You can't.””
Marcus didn't stop.
“Why?””
“Because if he's really your brother—”
“He is.””
“Then you don't know what he'll do.””
Marcus looked at him.
“I know exactly what he'll do.””
“What?””
Marcus opened the door.
“He'll tell me the truth.””
They reached the command floor.
Smoke was already beginning to rise from below.
Emergency alarms screamed.
Officers ran through corridors carrying boxes of evidence.
Some were trying to escape.
Others were destroying files.
Marcus pushed through the chaos.
At the end of the hall stood his office.
The door was open.
The other Marcus waited inside.
Same face.
Same uniform.
Same expression.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then the other man spoke.
“You finally remembered.””
Marcus stared at him.
“What is your name?””
The man smiled.
“You know.””
“No.””
“You've always known.””
He stepped closer.
“Elias.””
Marcus felt something break inside him.
A memory surfaced.
Two boys.
A river.
A summer afternoon.
One brother reaching for the other's hand.
A promise.
I'll come back for you.
Marcus closed his eyes.
When he opened them, he was crying.
“You're my brother.””
Elias nodded.
“And you're the reason all of this happened.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No.””
Elias smiled.
“The reason is much worse.””
He looked toward the burning department.
“They didn't appoint you, Marcus.””
May you like
He stepped closer.
“They brought you home.””
