Chapter 33 - The Last TunnelThe destruction sequence sealed the laboratory.
Celeste found an emergency tunnel on Thomas Hale’s old plans.
It led toward the river.
Marcus carried Lily while Victor guided Ethan and Noah through rising smoke.
Behind them, August shouted for Elias and Daniel to save the remaining samples.
Neither obeyed.
Elias reached the tunnel first.
Mara blocked him.
“You left us in the blue rooms.”
“I kept you alive.”
“You kept numbers alive.”
Elias raised a scalpel.
Celeste struck his arm with a pipe.
The blade fell.
Mara could have killed him.
Instead, she stepped aside as investigators entered through the upper platform.
Elias was arrested again.
Daniel attempted to escape through a maintenance shaft. Marcus locked the hatch before following the others.
August remained connected to the failing machines.
Victor stopped at the tunnel entrance.
August looked at him through the smoke.
“I gave you the Hale name.”
“Thomas gave me a family.”
“I gave you power.”
“Celeste gave me the truth.”
“I gave you life.”
Victor looked at both boys.
“No. You only decided how you wanted to use it.”
He sealed the door.
The tunnel ended beside the river just after sunrise.
Ambulances waited above the embankment.
Doctors took Lily into surgery.
Ethan sat between Victor and Celeste.
Noah remained several feet away.
He watched families reunite with people recovered from the tunnels.
Victor approached him.
“You are coming with us.”
“Where?”
Victor looked back at the burned mansion.
“Not there.”
Noah lowered his eyes.
“Do I have to call you Father?”
“No.”
“What should I call you?”
“Victor, until you decide.”
Noah considered this.
Then he quietly said, “Victor?”
“Yes?”
“Can I stay near Ethan?”
Victor placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Yes.”
Behind them, a final tremor shook the riverbank.
The Orchard Core collapsed.
But no one saw Daniel Wren emerge from a drainage tunnel farther downstream.
In his pocket was one unbroken vial.
May you like
Its label read:
ETHAN.
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