Chapter 13 - Silver Crossing
Silver Crossing was not on most maps.
The town consisted of a gas station, two churches, one motel, and an abandoned psychiatric campus six miles north.
Daniel's coordinates pointed directly to the campus.
The sign at the gate read:
CEDAR VALE RECOVERY INSTITUTE
PRIVATE PROPERTY
Emma felt sick when she saw the word Vale.
"Coincidence?" Evan asked.
"No."
They parked in the woods.
Marcus had reluctantly come.
Detective Ortiz too.
Lydia remained at Jack's cousin's ranch after someone had attempted to trace her phone.
Jack studied the property through binoculars.
"Security cameras."
Marcus nodded.
"Modern."
Ortiz checked a satellite image.
"Three buildings. One active."
Emma looked at Evan.
"You stay with Jack."
"No."
"Evan."
"My mother is in there."
"If she's in there."
"Exactly."
Emma saw Daniel in his expression.
Stubborn.
Infuriating.
Brave.
"Stay behind me."
They entered through a drainage tunnel Ortiz located on older county plans.
The tunnel led beneath the main building.
Inside, the institute smelled like disinfectant.
No patients.
No nurses.
No sound.
They moved through empty corridors.
Rooms contained beds with restraints.
Emma found a cabinet full of photographs.
Children.
Not from 1998.
Recent photographs.
Some dates were only months old.
She felt rage rise.
"The program really restarted."
Marcus photographed everything.
Evan found a chart.
"Emma."
She approached.
PATIENT R. KEENE.
ROOM 204.
Evan ran.
"Wait!"
They followed upstairs.
Room 204 was locked.
Marcus broke it open.
Evan entered first.
A woman stood at the window.
Thin.
Gray streaks in her dark hair.
She turned slowly.
Evan stopped.
"Mom?"
Rachel Carter stared at him.
Then covered her mouth.
"Evan?"
The boy crossed the room in two steps.
Rachel held him.
Twenty-nine seconds passed without anyone speaking.
Emma watched.
Her anger toward Daniel twisted with relief.
Rachel was alive.
Finally Rachel looked over Evan's shoulder.
Her eyes found Emma.
"You."
Emma stiffened.
Rachel released her son.
"Daniel said they'd eventually bring you."
"They didn't bring me."
Rachel laughed bitterly.
"You still think you're choosing things?"
Emma frowned.
"Where is Daniel?"
Rachel's face changed.
"You don't know?"
"No."
Rachel looked at Marcus.
Then Jack.
Her eyes widened.
"Jack Turner."
Jack lowered his gaze.
"Rachel."
She slapped him.
Hard.
"You transported us."
"Yes."
"You knew."
"Not enough."
"You always knew enough."
Jack accepted it.
Rachel turned back to Emma.
"Daniel came here three months after his death."
Emma's pulse raced.
"Three months?"
"He stayed two weeks."
"Why?"
"He thought someone was following him."
"Who?"
Rachel looked toward the door.
"We need to leave."
A soft click sounded through the room.
Locks engaging.
Marcus tested the handle.
Locked.
Red lights came on.
A speaker crackled.
Then a woman's voice filled the room.
"Subject Fourteen."
Emma stared upward.
The voice continued.
"You've made this much more difficult than necessary."
Emma whispered, "Subject Four."
The woman laughed softly.
"No."
Rachel's face turned pale.
Emma looked at her.
"What?"
Rachel whispered, "That's Helen."
Emma stopped breathing.
The speaker clicked again.
"Hello, Elizabeth."
Emma's knees weakened.
May you like
Her mother.
Alive.
