Chapter 9 - claire mercer)
Daniel crawled through the passage.
Owen followed before anyone could stop him.
The tunnel opened into a chamber.
A woman stood on the other side of a thick glass wall.
Daniel stopped.
Claire Mercer looked older.
That was the first thing he noticed.
Four years had touched her.
Her dark hair was longer.
A pale scar ran along her forehead.
She was thinner than she had been.
But she was Claire.
Daniel knew before she spoke.
Not because of her face.
Because of the way she touched two fingers to her lips when frightened.
Lily did the same thing.
Claire stared.
“Daniel?”
His knees nearly failed.
“Claire.”
She pressed both hands against the glass.
Daniel crossed the room.
Their palms met with glass between them.
Claire began crying.
“So much time.”
Daniel couldn't speak.
“I tried.”
“Claire.”
“I tried to get back.”
He touched the glass.
“I watched them bury you.”
“I know.”
His face twisted.
“How?”
“They made someone else look like me.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Why?”
“Because I found the Circle.”
Owen emerged from the tunnel.
Claire saw him.
Her hands fell.
“Oh my God.”
Owen stopped.
Claire stared at the ten-year-old boy her six-year-old son had become.
“Owen?”
He began crying.
“Mom?”
Claire sank to her knees.
Owen ran to the glass.
She pressed her hand against it.
“My baby.”
“Are you really Mom?”
The question broke her.
“Yes.”
“How do I know?”
Claire nodded through tears.
“You were born during a thunderstorm. The hospital lost power for eleven seconds. Your father screamed louder than I did.”
Daniel laughed despite himself.
Owen smiled through tears.
Claire continued.
“You hated mashed carrots. You called elephants effalumps until you were five. You broke the blue lamp and blamed Uncle Marcus.”
Owen looked at Daniel.
Daniel nodded.
Nobody else knew about the lamp.
Owen pressed his forehead against the glass.
Claire whispered, “You got so big.”
Evelyn and Marcus entered.
Claire's face changed when she saw Evelyn.
“You.”
Evelyn stopped.
“Claire.”
“You left me.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
Claire pointed at Evelyn.
“She locked the outer chamber.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“I had no choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
“If I didn't seal it, the Hollow would escape.”
“You left me down here.”
“I believed the Circle would retrieve you.”
“They did.”
Claire stood.
“And then Vanessa took control.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What did Vanessa do?”
Claire wiped her face.
“She wasn't just one of them.”
“What was she?”
“The heir.”
Evelyn stiffened.
“To whom?”
Claire looked toward the red door.
“The man who created the Ash Circle.”
Daniel's father?
The thought appeared instantly.
Claire saw it.
“No.”
“Then who?”
“The first person who figured out the Hollow could be used.”
“When?”
“1946.”
Marcus frowned.
“That person would be dead.”
Claire stared at him.
“Not if the Hollow keeps making replacements.”
Silence.
Daniel approached the glass door.
“How do I open this?”
Claire pointed toward a panel.
“Mercer blood.”
Daniel placed his hand on it.
Nothing.
Claire shook her head.
“Not yours.”
Owen stepped backward.
Daniel understood.
“No.”
Claire looked at their son.
“Daniel.”
“No.”
“Owen inherited a different part.”
“I said no.”
Owen walked forward.
“Dad.”
“You're ten.”
“Mom is in there.”
“You don't know what that panel does.”
Claire said, “Neither do I.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Then absolutely not.”
Owen removed the hidden camera from his blazer.
“Dad.”
“What?”
“Vanessa knew about this camera before the breakfast.”
Daniel frowned.
“So?”
“She could have destroyed it.”
“Maybe she didn't have time.”
“She had two days.”
Claire's expression changed.
Owen continued.
“She wanted us to record her.”
Evelyn whispered, “Why?”
Owen looked toward the red door.
“Because she wanted Dad angry.”
Daniel felt heat behind his eyes.
“She wanted my eyes to change.”
“Yes.”
Claire understood first.
“Daniel, get away from the red door.”
The corridor lights turned off.
Darkness.
Then Vanessa's voice came through hidden speakers.
“Very good, Owen.”
Daniel spun.
“Vanessa!”
Her laughter echoed.
“You always were the clever one.”
Claire struck the glass.
“Don't listen to her.”
Vanessa continued.
“The camera. The locks. Lily hearing Claire. Evelyn's escape.”
Daniel stared.
“You planned all of it?”
“Not everything.”
A pause.
“Children are wonderfully unpredictable.”
Owen's camera light blinked.
Vanessa whispered.
May you like
“But fear is predictable.”
The red door began opening behind them.
