By sunrise, we had a plan.
It wasn’t a good plan.
It was barely a plan at all.
But we had one advantage Dr. Shaw didn’t know about.
My mother’s original research hadn’t been destroyed.
Margaret had hidden it.
She led us to a small room beneath her house and opened a steel box.
Inside were notebooks.
Dozens of them.
My mother’s handwriting covered every page.
Lily sat beside me as I read.
Most of it was scientific research I couldn’t understand.
Then I found a page marked:
THE FINAL PROTOCOL
I read it aloud.
“The treatment cannot be made safe by changing the drug.”
Michael leaned over my shoulder.
“Then how?”
I continued.
“It must be changed by changing the patient.”
Margaret nodded.
“Your mother discovered that the treatment could only work safely in people who carried a particular genetic combination.”
Lily touched the page.
“Me.”
“Yes.”
I looked at Margaret.
“Why didn’t my mother tell me?”
“Because she knew Shaw would come for you.”
Then I found another line.
The final subject must never be treated.
I stared at it.
“What does that mean?”
Margaret’s expression became serious.
“It means Lily isn’t supposed to receive the treatment.”
“Then what is she?”
“The key to destroying it.”
Silence.
Michael understood first.
“Her blood can neutralize the treatment.”
Margaret nodded.
“Your mother discovered a way to reverse the process.”
Lily looked at me.
“So I can destroy everything.”
“Yes.”
“And Shaw knows?”
“Not yet.”
Michael stood.
“Then we have to make sure she never finds out.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Dr. Shaw.
“You found the research.”
I said nothing.
She laughed.
“Your mother was brilliant.”
“Where is my mother?”
A pause.
“You still don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
“She didn’t die when you thought she did.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
“She survived.”
I couldn’t breathe.
“Where is she?”
“Come to the old Mercer laboratory.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s been waiting for you.”
The call ended.
I stared at everyone.
Margaret was crying.
“She’s lying.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I buried your mother.”
“But what if—”
“I saw her body.”
Michael shook his head.
“Shaw could have used a substitute.”
Margaret looked at him.
“You think my daughter is alive?”
“I don’t know.”
I grabbed my coat.
“We’re going.”
The old laboratory was abandoned.
Or so we thought.
The moment we entered, the doors locked behind us.
Screens flickered on.
Dr. Shaw appeared.
“Welcome.”
Lily stepped forward.
“Where is my grandmother?”
Shaw smiled.
“Safe.”
“And my mother?”
Shaw’s expression changed.
“That depends on what you mean by mother.”
A door opened.
Someone walked out.
An elderly woman.
Gray hair.
Thin face.
But those eyes.
I knew them.
My knees nearly collapsed.
“Mom?”
She stopped.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Emily.”
I couldn’t move.
Then I ran.
We held each other.
Twenty-five years disappeared in an instant.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I wanted you to.”
“Why?”
She looked at Lily.
“Because I needed you to have a life.”
Lily approached slowly.
“Are you my grandmother?”
My mother smiled.
“Yes.”
Lily hugged her.
And my mother began to cry.
Then Dr. Shaw appeared on the screen.
“Beautiful.”
My mother turned toward it.
“You haven’t changed.”
Shaw smiled.
“Neither have you.”
My mother looked at me.
“Emily, listen carefully.”
“What?”
“Shaw doesn’t want Lily’s blood.”
I frowned.
“Then what does she want?”
My mother looked terrified.
“She wants Lily herself.”
The lights went red.
A siren began.
My mother grabbed Lily.
“Run.”
But the laboratory doors opened.
Armed guards entered.
And Dr. Shaw’s voice echoed through the room:
“Take the girl.”
Michael raised his weapon.
Margaret shouted.
I grabbed Lily’s hand.
We ran.
But before we reached the exit, the floor beneath Lily opened.
She fell.
I screamed.
“LILY!”
I reached for her hand.
Our fingers touched.
Then slipped apart.
She disappeared into the darkness below.
And Dr. Shaw’s voice whispered:
“Now we can finally begin.”
