Chapter 14 - The Hospital Built Over Aurelia)
Marcus had donated seventy million dollars to build the Thorne Children's Medical Center.
He had believed it was his greatest act of charity.
Now he learned why Senator Wren had supported the project from the beginning.
The hospital stood on land once owned by Aurelia Biomedical.
Its lowest basement had never appeared on public construction plans.
Daniel Frost told him that with a smile.
Marcus grabbed Daniel by the collar.
"If he touches her..."
Daniel laughed.
"He doesn't want to hurt Lily."
"Then what does he want?"
"To know what she remembers."
Elena moved forward.
"About Thomas?"
Daniel's eyes flickered.
Marcus saw it.
"Thomas Wren."
Daniel's smile weakened.
Elena looked at Marcus.
"That's leverage."
Daniel shook his head.
"You don't understand Jonathan."
"I understand fathers," Marcus said.
He threw Daniel into the chair.
"Especially fathers who protected murderers."
Daniel's expression changed.
"He protected Adrian."
Marcus smiled.
"Adrian confessed."
Lie.
But Daniel did not know that.
Daniel went pale.
Marcus continued.
"He admitted killing Thomas Wren."
Daniel looked toward the door.
Elena caught it.
"You knew."
Daniel said nothing.
Marcus leaned close.
"Where is the basement entrance?"
Daniel laughed nervously.
"You'll never get through security."
Marcus stepped back.
"This is my hospital."
Twenty minutes later, every public entrance to the hospital was locked down under the pretext of an electrical safety emergency.
Marcus controlled the board.
Nathan controlled the building security once Daniel's access credentials were revoked.
And Rebecca knew the original Aurelia floor plans.
They found the hidden elevator behind a supply room in the oncology wing.
Marcus, Elena, Rebecca, Nathan and Victoria descended.
Level B4.
The doors opened.
A hallway stretched ahead.
Bright.
Sterile.
Active.
Marcus felt nauseated.
His charity hospital had hidden Aurelia beneath sick children for six years.
Rooms contained equipment.
Files.
Observation spaces.
But no staff.
"They evacuated," Nathan said.
Rebecca shook her head.
"Too fast."
Then a child's voice echoed.
"Daddy?"
Marcus ran.
"Lily!"
The sound came from a room at the end of the corridor.
He opened it.
Lily sat on a chair.
Unhurt.
Senator Jonathan Wren stood behind her.
Silver-haired.
Elegant.
Calm.
He held no weapon.
That frightened Marcus more.
"Lily."
She ran to Marcus.
He lifted her.
Wren did not stop her.
Marcus stared at him.
"You made a mistake."
Wren smiled.
"I've made several."
Elena entered.
Wren looked at her.
"Subject Seven."
"My name is Elena Thorne."
"Of course."
Victoria raised her weapon.
Wren barely glanced at it.
"You won't shoot me."
Victoria's jaw tightened.
"Try me."
Wren looked toward Lily.
"Not in front of the child."
Marcus handed Lily to Elena.
"Why bring her here?"
Wren gestured toward the observation room.
"Because this is where she saw my son die."
Lily whispered, "No."
Everyone turned.
Wren's expression shifted.
Lily looked at him.
"Your son didn't die here."
Silence.
Marcus crouched.
"What do you remember?"
Lily pointed toward the wall.
"There was a door."
Rebecca checked the plans.
"No door."
Lily walked to the wall.
She pressed a painted fish tile.
Click.
A concealed panel opened.
Behind it was another corridor.
Wren stared.
He had not known.
Lily said softly:
"Mommy ran this way."
Elena's face changed.
"I don't remember that."
Lily looked at her mother.
"You were hurt."
Marcus felt his heartbeat accelerate.
They entered the hidden corridor.
At the end was a storage chamber.
Inside were old medical containers.
Broken furniture.
And a sealed freezer.
Rebecca approached.
The freezer had been disconnected years ago.
She opened it.
Empty.
Except for dried blood.
Nathan swept his flashlight across the floor.
A metal surgical retractor lay beneath a cabinet.
Adrian's weapon.
But beside it was a watch.
Wren stopped.
He recognized it.
"Thomas."
Marcus looked at him.
"Your son's?"
Wren nodded slowly.
Lily stood near Elena.
"He wasn't dead."
Everyone turned.
"What?" Marcus asked.
Lily squeezed her eyes shut.
"He woke up."
Wren stared at her.
"Thomas?"
Lily nodded.
"A man carried him away."
"What man?"
Lily pointed toward Rebecca.
"Her friend."
Rebecca went pale.
"I don't understand."
Lily looked at the old Aurelia photograph lying inside Marcus's folder.
She pointed to Elias Vale.
"That man."
Rebecca whispered, "Vale took Thomas."
Wren's entire expression collapsed.
For four years he had believed his son dead.
For four years he had helped imprison Elena for a murder that had never happened.
Marcus stared at him.
"You knew she didn't kill him?"
Wren shook his head.
"No."
Elena stepped forward.
"You never cared enough to verify."
Wren looked suddenly old.
Nathan examined the room.
"Why would Vale fake Thomas's death?"
Rebecca answered.
"Leverage."
Everyone looked at her.
"If Senator Wren believed Elena killed Thomas, Vale could control him through revenge."
Wren whispered, "He used me."
Victoria laughed bitterly.
"Welcome to Aurelia."
Then alarms sounded.
Nathan checked his phone.
"System breach."
"What system?"
"Hospital records."
Every monitor in the hidden facility turned on simultaneously.
Elias Vale appeared.
Older than in the photographs.
Alive.
He smiled into the camera.
"Congratulations."
Rebecca recoiled.
Vale continued.
"You finally found the room."
Marcus stepped toward the screen.
"Where is Thomas Wren?"
The senator looked up sharply.
Vale smiled.
"Alive."
Wren staggered.
"Where?"
"Where he's been useful."
Marcus's hands curled.
Vale continued.
"But Thomas was never the important subject."
His eyes seemed to look directly at Marcus.
"You were."
Marcus froze.
Vale smiled.
"Charles spent millions keeping you outside Aurelia because he knew what you were."
"What am I?"
"Ask your mother."
Marcus turned.
Victoria had gone white.
Vale laughed softly.
Then the screens went dark.
Marcus stared at Victoria.
"What did he mean?"
Victoria looked at Lily.
May you like
Then at Marcus.
"Your father wasn't your biological father."
