Chapter 7: The Mark Beneath My Skin
For eight years, I believed the scar on my body was the only reminder of the night everything changed.
The emergency surgery.
The fear.
The four tiny cries that filled a hospital room before sunrise.
I had looked at that scar hundreds of times.
When I got dressed.
When I showered.
When I remembered the day my entire life became bigger than I ever imagined.
But I had never once considered that someone had left something behind.
Not a memory.
Not a mistake.
A device.
A tracker.
Something hidden beneath my skin.
Marcus stared at my wrist.
The color had drained from his face.
“No.””
The word came out like he was refusing reality itself.
I pulled my sleeve down.
“No one touches me.””
Victor smiled.
“That reaction is exactly why you were never told.””
I turned toward him.
“Never told?””
My voice shook.
“Who knew?””
Victor looked at Richard.
Richard looked away.
My stomach dropped.
“You knew.””
Richard's silence was enough.
Marcus stepped toward him.
“You knew?””
Richard swallowed.
“Not at first.””
“But you knew eventually.””
“Yes.””
“And you didn't tell her?””
“I was trying to protect her.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
He pointed toward the children.
“Everyone says they were protecting them.””
His voice grew louder.
“But all anyone did was hide the truth.””
The hallway went quiet.
No one argued.
Because he was right.
Victor folded his arms.
“You're emotional.””
Marcus turned.
“No.””
His voice was cold.
“I am finally seeing clearly.””
Victor looked amused.
“After eight years?””
Marcus didn't answer.
Because there was nothing to say.
He had spent eight years believing a lie.
And now every person in this house seemed connected to it.
I looked at Richard.
“Tell me everything.””
He hesitated.
“Now.””
Richard glanced toward Victor.
Victor smiled.
“Go ahead.””
Richard's jaw tightened.
“You want the truth?””
“Yes.””
“Then understand this.””
He looked at my children.
“The tracker was not designed to locate you.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“It was designed to monitor biological changes.””
I felt sick.
“What biological changes?””
Richard looked at Victor.
“Tell her.””
Victor didn't respond.
Richard continued.
“Your pregnancy created a genetic pattern the foundation had never documented.””
I shook my head.
“My children are not a pattern.””
“No.””
Richard looked at me.
“They are people.””
For the first time, he sounded angry.
“You were right about that.””
Victor's expression darkened.
“Careful, Richard.””
Richard ignored him.
“Daniel realized what was happening too late.””
Marcus looked at him.
“My father knew about the tracker?””
Richard nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why didn't he remove it?””
“Because he couldn't.””
“Why?””
“Because it wasn't placed there after birth.””
The hallway went silent.
I felt my breathing change.
“What does that mean?””
Richard looked at me.
“It means the device was implanted during the pregnancy.””
I grabbed the railing.
“No.””
Marcus immediately moved toward me.
“Mia.””
I held up a hand.
“How?””
Richard's face was grim.
“During a medical procedure.””
My mind raced.
The appointments.
The tests.
The ultrasounds.
The countless times I had trusted doctors with my body.
“No.””
Marcus looked furious.
“Which doctor?””
Richard didn't answer.
I already knew.
“Dr. Price.””
Nobody spoke.
Because nobody had to.
I remembered him.
The calm voice.
The reassuring smile.
The man who told me everything would be okay.
The man who held my hand while I cried after Marcus left.
My knees felt weak.
“The person I trusted…”
I couldn't finish.
Marcus looked at me.
His anger softened.
“Mia.””
I looked at him.
For eight years, I had imagined him regretting leaving.
But I had never imagined him being angry for me.
“I trusted him,” I whispered.
Marcus nodded.
“I know.””
Victor interrupted.
“Dr. Price believed he was doing important work.””
I turned toward him.
“Do not defend him.””
“He believed the research could save lives.””
“My children are not research.””
Victor looked at Noah.
“Your son has an unusually strong immune response.””
Noah stepped closer to me.
I immediately moved between them.
“Stop talking about him like that.””
Victor sighed.
“You refuse to understand.””
“No.””
I stared at him.
“I understand perfectly.””
“You see a miracle.””
“Yes.””
“You see children.””
“Yes.””
“But there is more.””
“There is nothing more.””
Victor smiled slightly.
“That is where you're wrong.””
He lifted the remote again.
Marcus immediately moved.
“If you press that button—”
Victor looked at him.
“What?””
Marcus's voice became dangerous.
“You won't get another chance.””
Victor studied him.
Then laughed softly.
“You really have changed.””
Marcus didn't respond.
“You spent eight years running from responsibility.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“And now?””
“Now you stand between me and four children you barely know.””
Marcus looked at Noah, Ethan, Sophia, and Olivia.
Then back at Victor.
“I know enough.””
Victor's smile faded.
“Enough for what?””
“To know they deserve better than us.””
The words surprised me.
Maybe they surprised him too.
Because Marcus Reynolds, the man who once walked away from a pregnant wife, was now standing in front of danger without hesitation.
Not because he wanted forgiveness.
Because he wanted to protect what he had lost.
A loud noise came from downstairs.
Everyone turned.
Thomas moved toward the staircase.
“I'll check.””
Richard grabbed his arm.
“No.””
Thomas looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because we have a bigger problem.””
He pointed toward Victor.
Thomas understood.
“You knew he was coming.””
Victor smiled.
“Of course.””
Richard's face darkened.
“You were prepared.””
“I had to be.””
“For what?””
Victor looked at me.
“For tonight.””
A chill moved through me.
“You planned this?””
“Yes.””
“Christmas dinner?””
“Yes.””
Marcus stared.
“You invited her.””
Victor looked at him.
“Technically, you did.””
Marcus went silent.
I looked at him.
He looked horrified.
“You used me.””
Victor smiled.
“You finally understand.””
My anger burned.
“You manipulated him into inviting me here.””
“I provided an opportunity.””
“For what?””
Victor looked toward the children.
“To bring the family back together.””
I laughed.
A sharp, angry laugh.
“Family?””
“Yes.””
“You don't know what family means.””
Victor looked at me.
“Neither did Marcus.””
That hurt.
Because it was true.
But Marcus didn't look away.
“I know now.””
Victor shook his head.
“Too late.””
“No.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Not this time.””
Victor pressed the button.
A tiny alarm sounded.
The children's faces changed.
Sophia covered her ears.
Olivia grabbed my coat.
“What is that?””
I looked at Victor.
“What did you do?””
He glanced at the tablet.
“The trackers are communicating.””
Marcus grabbed the device from him.
Victor didn't resist.
Because he knew it was useless.
The screen displayed four names.
Then a warning.
*LOCATION CONFIRMED.*
Thomas looked at the screen.
“Oh no.””
Richard frowned.
“What?””
Thomas pointed.
“The signal isn't leaving.””
Nobody understood.
“What does that mean?”” I asked.
Thomas looked at me.
“It means they don't want to find the children.””
My heart pounded.
“Then what do they want?””
Thomas looked toward the ceiling.
“They want to find whoever is protecting them.””
Silence.
Marcus looked at me.
“No.””
Thomas nodded.
“The trackers were bait.””
Victor smiled.
“Exactly.””
I stared at him.
“You brought us here.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Marcus would invite me.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Richard would come.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Thomas would show up.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Victor's smile disappeared.
“Because there is one person who has been hiding from us for eight years.””
My blood ran cold.
“Who?””
Victor looked directly at me.
Not Marcus.
Not Richard.
Me.
“You.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“You were never just the mother.””
“I don't understand.””
“You think you survived because you were lucky.””
My heartbeat increased.
“What are you talking about?””
Victor stepped closer.
“You were the only person who could carry the pregnancy.””
“That doesn't make sense.””
“It does.””
Richard suddenly looked alarmed.
“Victor.””
But Victor continued.
“The doctors believed the babies inherited something from the father.””
He looked at Marcus.
“They were wrong.””
My body went cold.
“What?””
Victor stared at me.
“The reason the children survived…”
He paused.
“Was because of you.””
I felt dizzy.
Marcus grabbed my arm.
“Mia?””
Victor looked at the four children.
“They inherited something from their mother.””
My voice was barely there.
“What?””
Victor smiled.
“Something rare.””
Something about his expression terrified me.
Not because he sounded powerful.
Because he sounded certain.
Then the front windows shattered.
Everyone dropped.
Thomas shouted.
“DOWN!””
Marcus pulled me and the children to the floor.
Glass exploded across the room.
Someone outside fired a warning shot.
Victor didn't look surprised.
He simply smiled.
“They're here.””
Richard grabbed the children.
“Who?””
Victor looked toward the broken window.
“The people who created the program.””
A second shot hit the wall.
Marcus looked at me.
His face was filled with one emotion.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For us.
And then Thomas shouted the words that changed everything.
“We have to get out now.””
I grabbed Olivia's hand.
But before we reached the stairs, Victor spoke.
“Mia.””
I stopped.
Because his voice had changed.
No longer arrogant.
Almost serious.
“Before you leave…”
I looked back.
“What?””
He stared at me.
“You should know the tracker isn't the only thing they put inside you.””
The world seemed to stop.
Marcus looked at him.
“What are you saying?””
Victor's eyes stayed on mine.
“Ask yourself why, eight years later, you still haven't gotten sick.””
I felt a cold wave move through me.
“What?””
Victor whispered:
“Because whatever they put inside you…”
He paused.
“…was never meant to track you.””
The lights flickered again.
Then every screen in the house turned on at once.
A single message appeared.
*SUBJECT MIA REYNOLDS LOCATED.*
May you like
And beneath it:
*BEGIN EXTRACTION.*
