Chapter 31 - SEBASTIAN’S FAVORITE CHILDThe young Amelia had been pretending.
She did not believe she was Amelia Hart.
Her real designation was Ada.
She had spent years observing the continuity subjects and studying the security system.
Sebastian’s program had underestimated her because it classified children as assets rather than actors.
Ada disabled the weapons targeting Theodore.
The vault opened.
Helen’s continuity vessel remained inside.
She looked at Ada with betrayal.
“You said you were my daughter.”
“You said I was defective whenever I asked questions.”
Ada walked past her.
She stopped in front of Amelia.
“You are older than the recordings.”
Amelia looked at the child who carried her face.
“And you are not me.”
Ada nodded.
Relief passed through her expression.
No one had ever said it so simply.
The lower vault contained three suspended subjects.
A second Elias.
A younger Theodore.
And Sebastian Hart.
The original Sebastian had not died.
His body had been kept in medical suspension for twenty years while neural systems preserved his mind.
Theodore stared at the chamber.
“He built Orpheus to bring himself back.”
Helena examined the controls.
“Not exactly.”
Sebastian’s body was too damaged to recover. Orpheus had searched for a compatible successor capable of carrying his neural profile.
Successor A possessed leadership conditioning.
Successor B possessed aggression and correction.
Successor C possessed adaptability.
Successor D possessed the composite balance.
Lucy.
The final purpose had never been to make Lucy an heir.
It was to make her Sebastian’s vessel.
Lucy moved behind Nathaniel.
The Correction Protocol changed.
VESSEL RECOVERY PRIORITY ACTIVE
Every Hart Meridian operative received Lucy’s location.
Margaret sealed the estate.
“We have less than ten minutes.”
Julian arrived through the service tunnel with Cassandra and Samuel.
He stared at Ada.
Ada stared back at him.
“You are the one who changed the food schedule.”
Julian looked surprised.
He had secretly altered supply deliveries to help the vault children.
He had known about them.
Elias seized his coat.
“How long?”
“Three years.”
“You knew there was another me?”
“I knew subjects existed. I did not know their identities.”
The second Elias’s chamber began opening automatically.
Cold vapor filled the vault.
A man stepped out.
He looked exactly like Elias but carried none of his scars.
His eyes opened.
He looked at Theodore.
“Father.”
Elias released Julian.
The duplicate approached Theodore with the trust of a son raised through selected memories.
Then he saw Elias.
Confusion crossed his face.
The vault speakers activated.
Sebastian’s preserved voice said:
“Only one corrective heir is required.”
May you like
A weapon rose between the two brothers.
The duplicate reached it first.
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