Chapter 6: The Room Upstairs
“Mama!””
Olivia’s scream ripped through the house.
I dropped the document.
Every thought vanished.
I ran.
Marcus was only half a step behind me.
The hallway blurred as we rushed toward the staircase, with Noah, Ethan, and Sophia following close behind.
“Olivia!”” I shouted.
Another scream came from upstairs.
“I’m here!””
We reached the second floor.
The children’s voices were coming from a small sitting room at the end of the hall.
I pushed open the door.
Olivia stood beside the window, crying.
A tall man in a black sweater was crouched near her.
My heart stopped.
“Get away from my daughter!””
The man immediately stood.
“I didn't touch her.””
Marcus moved in front of me.
“Who are you?””
The stranger raised both hands.
“Easy. I’m Thomas.””
I recognized him.
Not personally.
From the photographs.
The private investigator.
The man who had been standing outside the hospital eight years ago.
The same face Richard had shown us.
My blood turned cold.
“You.””
Thomas looked at me.
“Yes.””
“Why are you here?””
He glanced at the children.
“Because I came to warn you.””
Marcus's voice sharpened.
“About what?””
Thomas pointed toward the window.
“The side entrance.””
I looked.
Snow covered the garden below.
A black SUV sat near the gate.
Its engine was running.
My stomach twisted.
“How long has that been there?””
“Ten minutes.””
“Who does it belong to?””
Thomas shook his head.
“I don't know.””
Marcus turned toward the children.
“Everyone downstairs. Now.””
Noah grabbed Ethan's hand.
Sophia took Olivia.
They started moving.
Then Thomas said,
“Wait.””
I turned.
“What?””
He pointed toward the floor.
A small black device lay beneath the radiator.
My breath caught.
“What is that?””
Thomas crouched and picked it up.
“A transmitter.””
Marcus stared at it.
“For what?””
“Audio.””
I looked at my children.
The room suddenly felt contaminated.
“How long has it been here?””
Thomas examined it.
“Hard to tell.””
“Who planted it?””
He looked at me.
“That's what I came here to find out.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You're the investigator my father hired.””
“Yes.””
“You watched my family.””
“I watched the hospital.””
“You followed my wife.””
Thomas looked at me.
“Only because Daniel ordered me to.””
I folded my arms.
“And now?””
“Now I'm working for myself.””
Richard appeared in the doorway.
“That's a dangerous answer.””
Thomas looked at him.
“Funny hearing that from you.””
Richard's expression hardened.
“You should have stayed away.””
“I tried.””
“What changed?””
Thomas glanced toward the children.
“You did.””
Richard stepped inside.
“What does that mean?””
Thomas pulled a folded photograph from his pocket.
He handed it to me.
It was old.
A hospital room.
My hospital room.
I was asleep in a bed.
My pregnant stomach was visible beneath the sheet.
Beside me stood Dr. Price.
And standing on the other side of the bed was another man.
I stared at the photograph.
I knew him.
Not from the present.
From memory.
A man I had seen once in the hospital hallway the night my children were born.
I never knew his name.
But I remembered his face.
“Who is he?””
Thomas answered.
“Elliot Crane.””
Marcus frowned.
“Who's Elliot Crane?””
“The founder of the genetics foundation.””
Claire's face appeared in the doorway.
She went pale.
“He wasn't supposed to be here.””
Thomas looked at her.
“Neither were you.””
Claire closed her eyes.
“I never knew what they planned.””
“You knew enough.””
Marcus turned toward her.
“Stop.””
Claire looked at him.
“I swear.””
“Then start talking.””
She took a breath.
“Elliot created the foundation with your father.””
Marcus stared.
“My father and Elliot?””
“Yes.””
“What was the purpose?””
She hesitated.
“Research.””
Richard scoffed.
“That's what they called it.””
Marcus looked at Richard.
“And what did you call it?””
“A business.””
I frowned.
“What kind of business?””
Richard's eyes met mine.
“Biological patents.””
I felt confused.
Richard continued.
“Certain genetic discoveries can be patented. The foundation was looking for inherited traits that could have commercial value.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You're telling me my family was trying to patent our grandchildren?””
“Not exactly.””
“Then exactly what?””
Richard looked toward the four children.
“Your children's genetic profile was unusually rare.””
Thomas interrupted.
“And that's why Daniel tried to shut the foundation down.””
I looked at him.
“He tried to stop it?””
“Yes.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Then why did he let me think she lied?””
Thomas stared at the floor.
“Because Daniel was dead before he could tell you.””
“What?””
“Your father knew the foundation was monitoring the pregnancy.””
“When?””
“Months before the divorce.””
Marcus took a step forward.
“Then why didn't he tell me?””
Thomas's expression darkened.
“He tried.””
“When?””
“The night before your divorce papers were served.””
Marcus froze.
“What happened?””
Thomas looked at Richard.
Richard answered.
“Daniel was poisoned.””
Silence.
My breath caught.
Marcus stared.
“My father died of a heart attack.””
“That was the official report.””
“Are you saying it wasn't?””
Thomas shook his head.
“Your father was murdered.””
Evelyn's hand flew to her mouth.
She sank into the chair near the wall.
“No.””
Marcus turned toward her.
“You knew?””
She shook her head.
“No. I knew he was afraid. I didn't know why.””
Thomas looked at me.
“Daniel's last instruction to me was simple.””
“What was it?””
“Find the woman carrying the four children.””
I stared at him.
“And protect her.””
My chest tightened.
“Then why didn't you?””
His eyes dropped.
“Because someone found me first.””
“Who?””
He didn't answer.
Marcus stepped toward him.
“Who?””
Thomas finally said,
“Elliot Crane.””
Claire covered her mouth.
Marcus looked at her.
“You knew him.””
Claire nodded.
“Yes.””
“Was he the one who sent the people after my wife?””
“I don't know.””
“You don't know?””
“No.””
“You worked for him.””
“I worked for the foundation.””
“For him.””
“Yes.””
“And you knew about her pregnancy.””
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
“I knew she was being monitored.””
“Did you know about the children?””
“No.””
“Did you know they were looking for custody?””
“No.””
Thomas interrupted.
“She learned.””
Claire looked at him.
“When?””
“The week after the children were born.””
Marcus turned to her.
“You knew.””
She whispered,
“Yes.””
He stared at her for several seconds.
“How?””
Claire's voice shook.
“Because Elliot showed me the files.””
“What files?””
“The babies' medical records.””
She looked at me.
“There were four separate dossiers.””
I felt sick.
“They had files on newborn babies?””
“Yes.””
“What was in them?””
Claire swallowed.
“Genetics. Growth predictions. Neurological projections. Potential medical risks.””
“Predictions?””
“They had mapped possible developmental outcomes.””
I looked at my children.
Noah had stopped listening.
He was holding Ethan's hand.
Sophia stood beside Olivia.
They were watching the adults talk.
They were too young to understand the words.
But old enough to understand fear.
I walked over to them.
“Let's go downstairs.””
Noah looked at me.
“Are we going home?””
“Yes.””
“Good.””
We started walking.
Then the lights went out.
Every bulb in the hallway died at once.
Olivia screamed.
I pulled all four children against me.
“Stay close.””
Marcus's voice came from the darkness.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
A crash sounded downstairs.
Glass shattered.
Someone shouted.
Thomas pulled a flashlight from his pocket.
“Back!””
He moved toward the staircase.
Richard grabbed his arm.
“Not alone.””
Marcus took a step forward.
“I'm going.””
I caught his sleeve.
“Don't.””
He looked back.
“They're down there.””
“My children are here.””
He looked at me.
For the first time, there was no argument.
He nodded.
“Stay upstairs.””
A man's voice echoed through the darkness.
“Marcus!””
Marcus went rigid.
The voice was familiar.
I could hear it too.
Cold.
Calm.
Confident.
Victor.
“Bring me the children.””
Marcus shouted back.
“You're not taking anyone.””
Victor laughed from downstairs.
“You still think this is a negotiation?””
Another crash.
Then footsteps.
Someone was coming up.
Thomas raised the flashlight.
The beam shook across the stairwell.
Victor appeared first.
But he wasn't alone.
Two men followed him.
One held a black case.
The other carried a tablet.
Victor looked directly at me.
Then at the children.
He smiled.
“Finally.””
Marcus stepped in front of me.
“No.””
Victor sighed.
“You continue to make this difficult.””
Thomas stood beside Marcus.
“Leave.””
Victor's expression changed.
“Thomas, you should have known better.””
“You're done.””
“No,” Victor said quietly.
“You are.””
One of the men lifted the tablet.
A soft electronic chime filled the hallway.
He looked at the screen.
“Vitals confirmed.””
I felt the blood leave my face.
Marcus heard it too.
“Vitals?””
The man nodded.
“Four subjects present.””
Marcus turned on Victor.
“You put trackers on my children.””
Victor didn't answer.
I immediately grabbed Noah's wrist.
A tiny red light blinked beneath the cuff of his sweater.
Then Ethan's.
Then Sophia's.
Then Olivia's.
Four lights.
Four trackers.
My children had been monitored without my knowledge.
For how long?
I ripped Noah's bracelet from his wrist.
His eyes widened.
“Mama?””
“Don't worry.””
I pulled Ethan's off.
Then Sophia's.
Then Olivia's.
The men moved forward.
Marcus stepped between us.
“Try it.””
Victor looked at him.
“Don't.””
Marcus's voice was deadly calm.
“You don't get to threaten my children.””
Victor smiled.
“You haven't even heard the threat yet.””
He lifted a remote.
The black tablet displayed four live signals.
Noah.
Ethan.
Sophia.
Olivia.
Then one more signal appeared.
A fifth.
I stared at the screen.
There was another blinking dot.
Not one of my children.
It was coming from downstairs.
Victor looked at me.
“You're wondering what that is.””
I couldn't speak.
He smiled.
“It's the reason your four children were never supposed to survive outside our program.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“What is it?””
Victor pressed a button.
The fifth signal moved.
Closer.
Upstairs.
Then the tablet displayed a name.
My heart stopped.
Because the fifth signal wasn't attached to one of the men.
It was attached to *me*.
I looked down.
A faint red light was blinking beneath the sleeve of my coat.
Victor smiled.
“You've been carrying a tracker too.””
And then Marcus reached for my arm.
His fingers touched my wrist.
May you like
His face suddenly changed.
Because beneath my skin, just above the scar from the surgery that had delivered our four children, there was a tiny raised mark neither of us had ever noticed.
