Chapter 12 - The Other Daniel Mercer)
Evelyn Mercer appeared on a secure video call six hours later.
David recognized her instantly.
The woman from the Frankfurt elevator.
The woman who asked whether he had children.
His biological mother.
She looked at him for a long time.
“You have Jonathan’s eyes.”
David felt nothing warm.
“Did you put me in the program?”
Evelyn’s expression tightened.
“No greeting?”
“No.”
“You spent thirty-six years believing another woman was your mother.”
“Answer the question.”
“Yes.”
Maya inhaled sharply.
Eleanor looked away.
David stared at Evelyn.
“Why?”
“Because I believed in the research.”
“You gave them your child.”
“I believed you would be protected.”
“You were wrong.”
“Yes.”
“Jonathan tried to stop you.”
“Yes.”
“And they killed him.”
Evelyn’s face changed.
“They did not kill Jonathan.”
David froze.
“What?”
“He killed himself.”
Richard immediately interrupted.
“That’s a lie.”
Evelyn looked toward the camera.
“Hello, Richard.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“You always were a convincing liar.”
“And you always confused loyalty with intelligence.”
David slammed his hand against the table.
“Enough.”
Both stopped.
“Who is Daniel Mercer?”
Evelyn looked at David carefully.
“You.”
“Then why did you tell police you’re hiding from him?”
“Because you are not the only one.”
Silence.
David remembered the photograph.
The boy who looked exactly like him.
His supposed twin.
Eleanor had seen it.
Richard had denied knowing.
David turned toward Richard.
“You told me I didn’t have a twin.”
Richard looked pale.
“I believed you didn’t.”
Evelyn smiled faintly.
“Richard was never told everything.”
David looked back.
“Who is he?”
“Your brother.”
“Name.”
“Daniel.”
“My name was Daniel.”
“No.”
Evelyn’s answer came softly.
“Your name was Nathan.”
David stopped breathing.
Eleanor whispered, “No.”
Richard stared.
Evelyn continued.
“You were twins.”
David felt the room tilt.
“Then why was I called Daniel in the basement?”
“Because after Daniel was removed, they assigned you his identity.”
Hall leaned forward.
“Identity replacement.”
Evelyn nodded.
“The researchers wanted to know whether one twin could be conditioned to believe he was the other.”
David felt sick.
“Where is my brother?”
“I don’t know.”
“Lie.”
“I have not seen him in twenty years.”
“What happened to him?”
“He was the first successful transfer.”
“To where?”
Evelyn’s eyes lowered.
“A family.”
“What family?”
“I never knew.”
“You gave away your son and didn’t ask?”
“You think I was free to ask?”
“You authorized the program.”
“In the beginning.”
“And later?”
“I tried to leave.”
“Jonathan?”
“He tried first.”
David searched her face.
“Who killed him?”
Evelyn’s expression became distant.
“Daniel.”
Everyone went still.
“My brother killed our father?”
“He was nine.”
David stared.
Evelyn continued.
“He had been conditioned.”
“To kill?”
“To obey.”
Richard shook his head.
“I never heard this.”
“You were security, Richard. You were not research.”
“What happened?”
Evelyn’s voice trembled for the first time.
“Jonathan came to take the boys. Daniel attacked him.”
David felt nausea rising.
“A nine-year-old killed his father?”
“He pushed him down the service stairs.”
“Did Jonathan die?”
“Not immediately.”
Richard whispered, “Jesus.”
Evelyn continued.
“They used it as proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That identity could override attachment.”
David stood.
“I’m done.”
“David.”
“That’s my name.”
Evelyn studied him.
“Yes.”
He turned away.
Then she said:
“Your brother has used it too.”
David stopped.
“What?”
“He has lived under several identities.”
“Which ones?”
“I know only two.”
Hall prepared to write.
Evelyn spoke.
“Daniel Mercer.”
She paused.
“And Peter Knox.”
Hall’s pen stopped.
The man from the fake hospital protection team.
The man Richard claimed had worked for Northstar.
The man who tried to take Maya.
David slowly turned.
“My brother tried to take my wife and son.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.”
“Richard recognized him.”
“Richard recognized Peter Knox.”
“Same person.”
“No.”
Evelyn leaned toward the camera.
“The real Peter Knox died twelve years ago.”
David’s skin went cold.
“My brother took his identity.”
“Yes.”
Hall asked, “Why?”
“To enter Northstar.”
“As an infiltrator?”
May you like
Evelyn’s answer was worse.
“As its director.”
