Chapter 13 - THE FIRST CHILD
Daniel survived surgery.
Barely.
Victor was arrested.
But his lawyers arrived before the blood on his shirt had dried.
We had hours.
Maybe less.
Evelyn opened M-01.
My father had hidden a copy beneath the floorboards.
I read the first page.
SUBJECT M-01.
CLAIRE BENNETT.
I sat down.
“I was first.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Your father developed the treatment for you.”
“Not Luka?”
“No.”
Luka looked stunned.
“Then why was I told I was the first?”
“Because Samuel needed Victor watching you instead of Claire.”
The truth was almost impossible to process.
I had been born with a fatal immune disorder.
My father created an experimental treatment.
He tested it on me because I was dying.
It worked.
Then Luka became sick.
My father treated him too.
Victor discovered what Samuel had created.
And everything changed.
“So my father used Luka as camouflage.”
Evelyn nodded sadly.
“Samuel hated himself for it.”
Luka looked at the old photograph of us.
“He saved me anyway.”
“Yes.”
Then we found the final recording.
My father appeared on-screen.
“If both Claire and Luka survive to adulthood, there is a possibility their altered genetic sequences will complement one another.”
I looked at Emma.
My father continued.
“A child created from both sequences may possess complete immunity to the original disorder.”
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Emma wasn't valuable because she was an experiment.
She was valuable because she proved the cure could be inherited naturally.
Victor wanted to patent it.
Own it.
Sell it.
Control it.
Luka stared at the screen.
“He wanted to own our daughter.”
“Yes.”
I stood.
“Then we destroy him.”
Price looked at me.
“We still need proof tying Victor personally to the operation.”
Daniel had that proof.
When he woke after surgery, I was waiting.
He looked surprised.
“You came.”
“Don't make this sentimental.”
He looked away.
“What do you want?”
“Everything.”
He gave me passwords.
Bank accounts.
Emails.
Names.
Politicians.
Doctors.
Executives.
And one final recording.
Victor ordering Daniel to authorize Emma's transfer.
It was enough.
Before I left, Daniel said my name.
“Claire.”
I stopped.
“Is she beautiful?”
I looked back.
He meant Emma.
“Yes.”
His eyes filled.
“Can I see her?”
“No.”
The answer hurt him.
It was supposed to.
“You don't get to betray a child before she's born and then ask for the privilege of being part of her life.”
He nodded.
“I understand.”
I reached the door.
Then Daniel said, “Victor has one more insurance policy.”
I turned.
“What?”
“He knows where Samuel's original samples are.”
“Where?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Inside Moretti Memorial Hospital.”
The same hospital where Emma had been born.
May you like
And according to Daniel, Victor had ordered the entire archive destroyed at midnight.
We had ninety-three minutes.
