Chapter 13 - THE FALL OF LAZARUSThe revelation hit me like a physical blow.
Mark wasn't a greedy, evil brother who hated me. He was a broken, defective prototype—a discarded victim of our "father's" insane quest for immortality. He had been living in my walls, watching me live the life he was supposed to have, driven insane by jealousy and brain degradation.
"Mark..." I stepped closer, lowering my weapon. "I didn't know."
"He treated us like disposable code!" Mark screamed, tears streaming down his face. "He made us, used us, and replaced us when we showed flaws! Vance was his head of security! They built an empire selling cloned bodies to the highest bidder on the black market!"
"Then help me stop it," I pleaded, extending my hand toward him. "We don't have to carry out his legacy. We can destroy the Lazarus Syndicate together."
Mark looked at my extended hand, then at Rick, who slowly took a step forward and laid his head gently on Mark’s knee—the exact same comfort gesture he always gave me when I was stressed.
Mark’s chest heaved with heavy sobs. "It's too late for me, Leo... my neural stability is at 4%. I only have hours left before my brain completely shuts down."
Suddenly, the red emergency lights flashed above us.
CRITICAL WARNING: SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ACTIVATED BY EXECUTIVE OVERRIDE. TIME REMAINING: 3 MINUTES.
On the main monitor wall that was still flickering, a face appeared—a face I recognized instantly.
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It was Dr. Leo Sr. His real body wasn't dead. He was alive, broadcasting from a luxurious high-rise penthouse in Tokyo.
"Disappointing," the old man's voice echoed through the speaker systems. "Clone #1 was defective, Clone #3 was compromised by sentimentality, and the Cerberus unit developed an emotional attachment. I am purging Sub-Level 4. Goodbye, my failures."
