Chapter 4 - THE SECOND CHILD
Adrian couldn't sleep.
The message haunted him.
Lily isn't the only survivor.
He spent the night investigating.
Hospitals.
Orphanages.
Missing children.
Adoption records.
Nothing.
Then Emma woke.
She whispered,
“There was another.”
Adrian sat beside her.
“Who?”
“My mother mentioned him.”
“A boy?”
“Yes.”
“How old?”
“About my age.”
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
“What's his name?”
Emma closed her eyes.
“Thomas.”
Adrian searched every database.
Thomas Bell.
Nothing.
Then he found a medical record from fifteen years earlier.
A boy named Thomas Reed.
Age two.
Abnormal blood markers.
Transferred from an unknown clinic.
The record ended there.
Adrian followed the transfer.
It led to a private school in New Jersey.
He sent Marcus.
The school was closed.
But a teacher remembered.
“Thomas?”
“Yes.”
“He was adopted.”
“By whom?”
She hesitated.
“An influential couple.”
“Names.”
She gave him the name.
Victor Blackwell.
Adrian stared.
Thomas had been raised by the man hunting Lily.
That meant the second child wasn't simply surviving.
He was inside the enemy organization.
Adrian returned to the estate.
Lily was asleep.
Emma sat beside her.
“We found him.”
Emma looked up.
“Who?”
“The other child.”
She looked relieved.
“Where?”
“With Blackwell.”
Her expression changed.
“Oh no.”
“What?”
“My mother said he was dangerous.”
“Why?”
“Because they changed him.”
Adrian didn't understand.
“They made him different.”
“From what?”
“He has the opposite reaction.”
“Opposite reaction?”
“He can carry the disease.”
Adrian stared.
Lily had resistance.
Thomas had susceptibility.
Together, their blood could theoretically create the treatment.
Vale needed both.
That was why they had survived.
Lily wasn't the final subject.
She was half of the equation.
Thomas was the other half.
And Vale had both pieces.
Adrian realized what this meant.
They were going after Thomas.
Not to rescue him.
To stop Vale.
That night, Adrian went to New Jersey.
The Blackwell estate was heavily guarded.
He entered with six men.
They reached the main hall.
A young man stood there.
Sixteen.
Dark hair.
Pale eyes.
He held a gun.
“Adrian Moretti.”
Adrian froze.
“Thomas.”
The boy smiled.
“My father told me about you.”
“Victor.”
“Yes.”
“You know what they did to Lily.”
“I know.”
“You helped them?”
“I didn't have a choice.”
Adrian lowered his gun.
“Neither did Lily.”
Thomas looked away.
“They made me believe she was dead.”
“She's alive.”
He froze.
“Where?”
“Safe.”
Thomas lowered his gun.
“Can I see her?”
“Yes.”
Then an alarm sounded.
Victor Blackwell appeared on the balcony.
“Thomas.”
The boy turned.
“You're not leaving.”
Victor raised his gun.
Adrian stepped forward.
“Try me.”
Victor smiled.
“I've been waiting fifteen years.”
“What happened to my father?”
Victor laughed.
“Your father betrayed me.”
“No.”
“He betrayed himself.”
“What does that mean?”
“He created the research.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“He tried to stop you.”
“Too late.”
Victor looked at Thomas.
“Bring him.”
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
Victor's expression changed.
“You're choosing him?”
Thomas looked at Adrian.
“I choose freedom.”
Gunfire erupted.
Thomas ran.
Adrian followed.
They escaped through the rear corridor.
But Victor had one final weapon.
He detonated explosives beneath the property.
The estate shook.
Thomas fell.
Adrian pulled him up.
“Run!”
They escaped minutes before the house collapsed.
Outside, Thomas stared at the burning building.
“He'll come after Lily.”
“I know.”
“Then we need to move.”
“No.”
May you like
Adrian looked toward the flames.
“We need to finish it.”
