Chapter 13 - The Fall of Ethan Lawson
Vale's men entered the underground theater.
Claire carried Red while Cassandra and Marcus covered the exit.
The child was light, almost weightless. Without the chamber, her breathing weakened rapidly.
"We need power," Claire said.
Red touched Claire's cheek.
"No machine."
"You said it was your heart."
"They wanted you to open the chamber."
Claire stopped.
Red's breathing suddenly became normal.
The weakness had been an act.
Before Claire could react, Red slipped from her arms.
The eight-year-old child stood upright.
Her posture changed.
Her expression became older.
Much older.
"You surrendered your authority," Red said.
Cassandra raised her weapon.
Red looked at her.
The gun's digital lock activated, freezing the trigger.
Every device in the room responded to the child.
"You are Phoenix," Claire said.
Red shook her head.
"Phoenix is the cage."
An explosion tore through the far wall.
Vale entered with six armed guards.
He smiled when he saw Red.
"My perfect child."
Red stared at him.
"You left me alone."
"I protected you."
"You listened while I begged."
Vale's smile faded.
"Return to the chamber."
"No."
He raised a control device.
Red screamed and collapsed.
Claire attacked.
She crossed the distance before Vale's guards could fire, drove one into the wall, seized his weapon, and shot the control device from Vale's hand.
Cassandra engaged the others.
Marcus pulled Red behind cover.
Vale escaped through the smoke.
Claire chased him through the hospital corridors, but a blast door dropped between them.
Vale's face appeared through the narrow glass panel.
"You think Ethan betrayed you because he was weak," he said.
"He betrayed me because you bought him."
"No. Ethan discovered what you are."
"What am I?"
"The first successful Mirror."
The blast door sealed.
Claire stood in silence.
Behind her, Red spoke.
"He is lying."
Claire turned.
"How do you know?"
"Because that is what he tells everyone."
...
By the time they returned to Los Angeles, Ethan's public empire had collapsed.
News channels reported allegations of fraud, money laundering, bribery, and corporate espionage.
Police surrounded Lawson headquarters.
Former partners competed to expose him.
Employees carried boxes from the building while reporters shouted questions.
Ethan watched it all from the underground room.
Claire entered alone.
He looked exhausted.
"Enjoying this?"
"No."
"You took everything."
"I took back what you never owned."
He laughed bitterly.
"You still think this is about money."
Claire placed a photograph of Red on the table.
Ethan's face changed.
"You found her."
"You knew."
"I saw her once."
"Where?"
"Before our wedding. Vale took me to the hospital."
"Why?"
"He said she could see the future."
Claire waited.
Ethan continued.
"She told me I would marry you. She told me you would make me powerful."
"And she told you to betray me?"
"No."
His eyes met Claire's.
"She told me that if I didn't make you hate me, Phoenix would kill you."
Claire's expression remained unreadable.
"You expect me to believe the affair was an act of love?"
"Not the affair."
For the first time, shame appeared on his face.
"Emily was my choice. Everything else began as a way to push you away from Phoenix."
"You stole from me."
"Vale said financial betrayal would trigger Protocol Zero."
"You knew what would happen?"
"I thought it would expose the system. I didn't know it would destroy me."
Claire leaned closer.
"You shoved me into a marble table."
Ethan looked down.
"That was not part of the plan."
"No."
Her voice became cold.
"That was the moment you revealed who you truly were."
Ethan's eyes filled with fear.
"What happens now?"
"You answer for every crime."
"Claire, I can help you find Vale."
"You already have."
She stood.
Ethan pulled against his restraints.
"What does that mean?"
Claire looked through the observation window.
Federal agents entered the corridor.
"It means I left his tracker inside your phone."
Ethan's face turned white.
"He'll kill me."
Claire opened the door.
"Then tell the agents everything before he arrives."
As she walked away, Ethan shouted after her.
"You don't understand! Vale isn't coming for me!"
Claire stopped.
Ethan's voice broke.
"He's coming for the child."
The mansion lights failed.
Red's room appeared on every security screen.
The bed was empty.
May you like
On the wall, written in black ink, were four words.
I WENT TO FIND MOTHER.
