Chapter 10 - The Boy Who Came Back
Jonah Bell appeared at St. Vincent Hospital at 3:12 the next morning.
He did not enter through the emergency room.
He came through a loading dock.
Security cameras captured him walking barefoot beneath a service light, wearing hospital pants and a gray sweatshirt that did not belong to him.
He collapsed beside a delivery cart before a security guard found him.
Emily learned about it twenty minutes later when Agent Cole knocked on Maya's door.
"What happened?"
"We found Jonah."
"Alive?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Here."
Emily stared.
"Here?"
Maya woke.
"What's going on?"
Cole looked at Emily.
She nodded.
"He is another person from the same project."
Maya sat up.
"The missing boy?"
Cole had told her there were survivors but not the details.
"Yes."
"Can I see him?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because he may be in danger."
Maya looked at Emily.
"So am I."
Cole didn't argue.
At six in the morning Jonah regained consciousness.
He asked one question.
"Where is seventeen?"
The doctors didn't understand.
Cole did.
He refused to tell Jonah Maya's room.
Jonah became agitated.
"She's next."
Cole leaned closer.
"Next for what?"
Jonah shook his head.
"He said she was the last door."
"Who?"
"Voss."
Cole's face hardened.
"Where is Voss?"
Jonah looked toward the window.
"Everywhere."
That answer was unsettling enough.
Then Jonah added, "He doesn't need to come inside."
At 6:40, hospital cybersecurity detected an intrusion.
Someone had attempted to access Maya's scans remotely.
The attacker failed.
At 6:52, another attempt targeted pathology records.
At 7:10, the entire radiology network went offline.
Cole ordered all project-related files disconnected from the hospital system.
Maya watched nurses remove a computer terminal from her room.
"This is insane."
Emily sat beside her.
"Yes."
"Can I meet Jonah?"
"No."
"Mom."
"He was with Voss."
"He escaped from Voss."
"We think."
Maya stared.
"So everyone gets to decide what's safe for me again."
The accusation landed hard.
Emily lowered her voice.
"That's not fair."
"Neither was Dad telling me my pain wasn't real."
Emily went silent.
Maya immediately looked guilty.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
Emily thought for a moment.
"I'll ask."
Cole hated the idea.
Dr. Harris hated it more.
But Jonah refused to provide meaningful information unless he saw Maya.
Eventually they agreed to a controlled meeting.
Two agents stood inside the room.
Two more guarded the hallway.
Jonah entered in a wheelchair.
He was thin.
Too thin.
Dark circles surrounded his eyes.
Maya stared at him.
Jonah stared back.
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then Jonah whispered, "You look normal."
Maya frowned.
"Thanks?"
He almost smiled.
"You don't hear him?"
Maya's face changed.
"Hear who?"
Jonah's expression fell.
"Never mind."
Maya leaned forward.
"No. What do you mean?"
Jonah glanced at Cole.
"Voss said seventeen would hear things."
"What things?"
"Memories."
Emily's blood chilled.
Maya looked at him.
"I dream about a blue house."
Jonah went still.
Emily noticed.
"You know it?"
Jonah nodded.
"I've seen it too."
Maya's breath caught.
"What else?"
"A staircase."
"Broken fifth step?"
Jonah stared.
Maya looked terrified.
"Stars on the ceiling?"
He nodded.
Emily stepped closer.
"How?"
Jonah rubbed his arms.
"He showed me recordings."
"Voss?"
"Yes."
"So he told you about the house."
Jonah shook his head.
"I knew it before he showed me."
The room fell silent.
Maya whispered, "What did they put inside you?"
Jonah looked down.
"Not the same thing as you."
"What?"
"Mine started near my spine."
Emily nearly sat down.
Jonah continued.
"They removed part when I was twelve."
"Who did?"
"My mom."
Cole frowned.
"Rachel Bell is alive?"
Jonah looked at him.
"She was."
"Was?"
Jonah's eyes filled.
"Voss killed her."
Nobody moved.
Cole stepped closer.
"When?"
"Three weeks ago."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
"Why?"
"She tried to get me out."
Jonah began shaking.
Maya reached across the space between their beds.
Emily almost stopped her.
Then didn't.
Jonah took Maya's hand.
His breathing steadied.
He stared at their joined fingers.
Then his eyes widened.
"Maya."
"What?"
"Do you remember a song?"
Maya's face drained.
"What song?"
Jonah hummed four notes.
Maya jerked her hand away.
"No."
Emily rushed toward her.
"What?"
Maya looked around wildly.
"I know that."
Jonah was crying now.
"So do I."
Cole stared between them.
Maya whispered, "My whole life. Sometimes when I'm scared, I hear it."
Emily remembered.
Maya had hummed the same melody as a child.
She had always assumed it was a nursery tune.
"Where did it come from?"
Jonah wiped his face.
"My mother said Malcolm Voss used to sing it to his son."
Lucas.
Maya turned pale.
Then Jonah reached into the waistband of his hospital pants.
An agent moved instantly.
"Hands where I can see them."
Jonah slowly removed a folded piece of paper.
"I stole this before I escaped."
Cole took it.
A diagram covered the page.
Twenty-three numbered circles.
Most were crossed out.
Several were connected by lines.
At the center was Subject 17.
Maya.
Beneath the diagram were two handwritten words.
FINAL ASSEMBLY.
Emily looked at Jonah.
"What does that mean?"
Jonah shook his head.
"I don't know."
May you like
Then he looked at Maya.
"But Voss said once he had you, he wouldn't need any of us anymore."
