CHAPTER 7 – The Woman Who Claimed to Be Her Mother
Every sniper lowered their rifles.
Not because they were ordered to stand down.
Because the woman in black had arrived.
She walked through the warehouse with absolute confidence, as though everyone inside belonged to her.
Her eyes never left Amelia.
"Hello... my daughter."
Amelia stepped back.
"No."
"My mother died when I was five."
The woman smiled sadly.
"No."
"That's the woman who raised you."
"I gave birth to you."
Silence.
The federal agents immediately aimed their weapons at the mysterious woman.
"Identify yourself!"
Instead of answering, she tossed a small silver pendant toward Amelia.
Amelia caught it instinctively.
The moment she opened it...
Her knees nearly gave out.
Inside was a faded photograph of a young woman holding a newborn baby.
The woman in the picture was standing beside Richard Carter.
And the baby...
Was wrapped in the exact same blanket shown in Project Phoenix – File 27.
"I've been searching for you for twenty-six years," the woman whispered.
"My name is Evelyn Cross."
"I'm the scientist who created Project Phoenix."
Amelia stared at her in horror.
"You... created it?"
Evelyn closed her eyes.
"I also destroyed it."
Before Amelia could ask another question...
A deafening explosion shook the warehouse.
The ceiling collapsed.
Dust filled the air.
Nathan emerged from the smoke wearing body armor, surrounded by heavily armed mercenaries.
He was smiling again.
"You people never learn."
He slowly applauded Evelyn.
"Twenty-six years..."
"And you're still lying to her."
Amelia looked from Nathan to Evelyn.
"One of you is lying."
Nathan laughed.
"Only one?"
He threw a thick folder onto the floor.
The cover read:
PROJECT PHOENIX – ORIGINAL FOUNDERS
There were three photographs attached.
Richard Carter.
Evelyn Cross.
And...
Nathan Brooks.
Amelia's hands trembled.
"You were partners?"
Nathan nodded.
"We built Phoenix together."
Evelyn shouted,
"Don't believe him!"
Nathan ignored her.
"The experiment failed."
"So Richard stole the only successful child..."
"...and raised her as his own."
Amelia's heartbeat pounded in her ears.
"Successful?"
Nathan smiled.
"You still don't know what you are."
He reached into his pocket and pressed a small remote.
Every monitor in the warehouse flickered to life.
A medical scan of Amelia appeared on the screens.
Then came the words that froze everyone in the room.
SUBJECT X-12
STATUS: ACTIVE
GENETIC AGING RATE: 47% SLOWER THAN NORMAL
PROJECTED HUMAN LIFESPAN: 170 YEARS
The warehouse fell silent.
Even the mercenaries stared in disbelief.
Nathan looked Amelia straight in the eyes.
"You were never created to live a normal life."
"You were created to change the future of humanity."
Before Amelia could process those words...
A calm electronic voice echoed through every speaker.
"DNA CONFIRMATION COMPLETE."
"SECOND SURVIVING SUBJECT DETECTED."
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
A young man stepped out of the shadows.
He looked no older than thirty.
But the security system identified him as...
SUBJECT X-01
Age: 71
He smiled at Amelia.
Then spoke the words that made her blood run cold.
May you like
"Little sister..."
"I've been waiting for you for half a century."
