Chapter 19 - Samuel CaldwellThomas remembered a crib.
Not clearly.
A white crib near a blue window.
A baby who cried whenever Thomas left the room.
A woman humming.
Not Catherine.
Thomas had always assumed the memory belonged to another kidnapped child whose life had bled into his own.
But Samuel’s voice had reopened it.
Tommy.
Only one child at St. Orison had ever called him that.
Samuel.
Edward listened without interrupting.
Thomas remembered protecting Samuel during medical examinations.
Remembered a handler saying:
Cohort One protects Cohort Two.
Remembered Samuel disappearing.
Then being told he had died.
Edward sat slowly.
Catherine looked at him.
“You knew nothing?”
“Nothing.”
Marcus began searching the Caldwell medical archive.
Twenty minutes later, he found a sealed file attached to William’s private trust.
Infant S.C.
Male.
Birth date approximately five years after Thomas.
Mother listed only as Subject C-9.
Father:
Edward Caldwell.
Catherine stopped breathing.
Edward stared at the record.
“No.”
Thomas stood.
Edward looked physically ill.
“No. I never—”
Catherine touched his arm.
“I know.”
The file contained fertility clinic records.
Samples Edward had provided during testing after Catherine experienced two miscarriages.
Material had been retained illegally.
Used without consent.
Samuel was genetically Edward’s son.
But Catherine was not his biological mother.
The maternal donor was unidentified.
Lily stared at Edward.
“So William manufactured another heir.”
Thomas looked sick.
“No.”
He reread the dates.
Samuel was conceived only months after Thomas disappeared.
William had not known whether Thomas would survive conditioning.
Samuel was insurance.
A backup Caldwell heir.
Edward stood and walked away from the screen.
He pressed both hands against the wall.
His father had turned reproduction into inventory.
Thomas approached him.
Edward whispered, “He stole another child from me before I knew the child existed.”
Thomas said nothing.
Edward turned.
“And from his mother.”
Catherine’s eyes hardened.
“That’s who we find next.”
The countdown read 09:18:22.
Marcus received a secure message.
Third House had accepted the transfer proposal.
William demanded Edward personally deliver Archive Zero.
One vehicle.
Thomas allowed.
Lily forbidden.
Edward smiled without humor.
“He’s afraid of her.”
May you like
Lily leaned against the desk.
“He should be.”
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