Chapter 14 - the brother who died before daniel could remember him)
Samuel Mercer was born four years before Daniel.
The official family story had always been short.
Samuel was premature.
He survived eleven months.
Then pneumonia took him.
Charles and his wife, Margaret, rarely spoke about the child.
There were only three photographs of Samuel in the Mercer family albums.
Daniel remembered seeing them as a boy.
A baby with dark hair.
Large eyes.
A white knitted blanket.
By the time Daniel was born, Samuel had already been dead for nearly three years.
Or so they had been told.
Ruiz searched public records.
Death certificate.
Burial record.
Hospital documentation.
All apparently legitimate.
But the registry said Subject 7194 was active.
Arthur sat silently.
Then he finally spoke.
"I remember now."
Daniel turned.
"You knew?"
"I knew the number. Not the name."
"What was 7194?"
"One of Haven's earliest child relocations."
Michael looked sick.
"Child relocations?"
Arthur nodded.
"Families involved in the original program sometimes moved children under new identities after threats, kidnappings, custody disputes."
Daniel stared.
"You're saying my father gave away his son?"
"I don't know."
"Then what are you saying?"
"I'm saying Subject 7194 was important enough that the original records were sealed before I joined Mercer Heritage."
Daniel checked the clock.
Eleven twelve.
He had to leave for the station soon.
But every answer created another question.
Why had Emily known about Samuel?
Why did she teach Lily the number?
What did Samuel have to do with Haven now?
Ruiz searched the registry metadata.
A note appeared.
AUTHORITY LEVEL EXCEEDS MERCER CHAIR.
Arthur leaned toward the screen.
"That's impossible."
"What?"
"The Mercer chair had one of the highest Haven access levels."
"Then who outranked Charles?"
Arthur looked at Daniel.
"Founding subjects."
"Meaning?"
"People whose identities are built into the legal structure."
Michael whispered, "Samuel."
Arthur did not answer.
At eleven twenty, Daniel left.
Vanessa traveled separately.
Old St. Jude Station had been abandoned for twelve years.
Broken windows lined the upper walls.
Rainwater dripped from the iron roof.
Daniel entered carrying the duplicate registry drive.
Midnight arrived.
Nothing happened.
Then footsteps echoed across the platform.
Richard Bell emerged from the darkness.
He looked exactly as Daniel remembered.
Gray suit.
Silver hair.
Calm eyes.
No weapon visible.
"Daniel."
"Where is Emily?"
Richard looked at the drive.
"You brought it?"
"Where is my wife?"
Richard smiled faintly.
"You still call her that."
"She is my wife."
"You were prepared to marry another woman yesterday."
Daniel took one step forward.
"Where is she?"
Richard gestured.
A side door opened.
Emily appeared.
Daniel stopped breathing.
She looked thinner.
Older.
But real.
No screen.
No photograph.
Emily.
Her eyes found him.
Everything in Daniel's face broke.
"Em."
She covered her mouth.
For several seconds neither moved.
Then Daniel stepped forward.
Richard raised a pistol.
"No."
Daniel froze.
Emily shook her head.
"Don't."
Daniel looked at her.
"I thought you were dead."
"I know."
"I buried you without a body."
Tears filled Emily's eyes.
"I know."
"Lily waited by the window for months."
Emily began crying.
"I know."
Daniel's anger disappeared beneath grief.
"Why didn't you come home?"
Richard answered.
"Because she understood consequences better than you do."
Daniel looked at him.
"You stole three years from my daughter."
Richard remained calm.
"I preserved her life."
"You threatened her."
"Threats maintain order."
Vanessa entered from the opposite side.
Richard's expression finally changed.
"Vanessa."
She stepped into the light.
"Let Emily go."
Richard sighed.
"You never learned patience."
"You promised my father would be safe."
"He is alive."
"Because he escaped you."
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"You saw him."
Vanessa smiled bitterly.
"That frightens you."
Richard aimed the gun toward her.
Daniel used the distraction.
He threw the flash drive across the platform.
Richard turned instinctively.
Emily dropped.
Daniel rushed him.
The gun fired.
Glass shattered above them.
They hit the ground.
Vanessa kicked the pistol away.
Police flooded the station.
Richard was pinned within seconds.
Daniel crawled toward Emily.
She looked at him.
He touched her face.
Real skin.
Warm.
"You're here."
Emily sobbed.
Daniel pulled her into his arms.
Three years collapsed in one moment.
Outside, tactical officers arrested two additional men.
Richard Bell was placed in handcuffs.
For the first time, Daniel believed the nightmare might actually be ending.
Then Richard began laughing.
Ruiz turned.
"Something funny?"
Richard looked toward Daniel and Emily.
"You think this was about the registry?"
Nobody answered.
Richard smiled.
"The registry is obsolete."
Arthur appeared with federal agents.
Richard's smile widened.
"Hello, Arthur."
Arthur said nothing.
"You always were difficult to kill."
Ruiz pushed Richard toward the exit.
He stopped.
"Daniel."
Daniel looked at him.
"Ask Emily why she taught Lily Samuel's number."
Emily's entire body stiffened.
Daniel noticed.
Richard laughed again.
There it was.
A new secret.
And Emily knew it.
Daniel slowly turned toward her.
"Why?"
Emily looked at Richard.
Then at Arthur.
Then at Daniel.
Her face filled with fear.
"Not here."
"Emily."
"Please."
"For three years everyone has told me not now, not here, not yet."
"I know."
"Who is Samuel?"
Emily whispered, "We need Lily first."
Daniel stared at her.
"Why?"
May you like
Emily's voice became almost inaudible.
"Because Samuel knows who she is."
