Chapter 4 - The DoubleThe cathedral fell into a terrifying, absolute stillness. The only sound was the heavy thud of tactical boots marching up the center aisle.
The man standing beside Director Vance looked up. He had the exact same face, the exact same posture, and the exact same terrified yet calculating expression as the man sprawled on the altar floor.
Max—the groom—scrambled backward on the marble floor like a cornered animal, his eyes wide with utter dread as he stared at the newcomer.
"Don't let them near me!" the groom screamed, pointing a trembling finger at the man in the doorway. "He's the anomaly! He's the rogue unit! I'm the real one!"
"Shut your mouth, Unit 409," Director Vance’s voice cut through the nave like a blade of ice. She didn't even look at him as she walked past the terrified wedding guests, her heels clicking rhythmically against the stone. She stopped at the base of the altar and looked up at Elena.
"Elena," the Director said softly, her voice carrying a profound, sorrowful weight. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. We tried to intercept him before today, but he was too fast."
Elena looked from the Director to the two identical men. Her mind felt like it was fracturing into a thousand pieces. "Director Vance... what is going on? Who is that man on the floor? And who is that?" she pointed to the newcomer.
The man who had just entered stepped forward into the light of the stained glass. He reached up, his fingers sliding under the collar of his shirt, and unclipped his red collar. He held it out.
"Because we are both wearing the same tracking device, Elena," the newcomer said, his voice deeper, calmer, and infinitely more weathered than the groom's. "I am Max. The real Max. And the man bleeding on your altar is the synthetic clone designed to replace me."
May you like
A collective gasp echoed through the church. Several bridesmaids fainted into the arms of the groomsmen.
"Lies!" the groom on the floor shrieked, lunging forward with a hidden surgical scalpel flashing in his hand. He sprinted toward Elena, his face contorted into a mask of pure fury. "If I can't have the primary directive, nobody will!"
Related Stories
