Novels by Ifefav112

The countdown continued.29:17.Ava stared at the woman standing across from her.For several seconds, neither of them moved.The woman looked almost like her.Not exactly.There were differences.Her eyes were darker.Her jaw was sharper.And there was something frighteningly familiar about the way she held herself—as though she had spent years learning how to survive in places where kindness was a weakness.But the resemblance was undeniable.Daniel stepped slightly in front of Ava.The woman smiled.“You don't need to protect her from me.”Daniel's jaw tightened.“I'll decide who she needs protection from.”The woman's eyes moved to him.“You're still doing that?”“Doing what?”“Standing between Ava and everything that wants to destroy her.”Daniel didn't answer.The woman laughed softly.“That's what your family has always done.”Daniel froze.Ava noticed.“You know his family?”The woman's gaze returned to Ava.“I know much more than that.”The Serpent's voice echoed through the

Gabriel's laughter echoed through the chamber.Ava couldn't move.She stared at Noah.Then at her father.Then at the screen displaying the impossible birth record.AVA — 25 YEARS OLD.NOAH — 25 YEARS OLD.Yet their birth dates were twenty-five years apart.Her mind refused to accept it.“You said you were my father's son.”Noah nodded.Ava's voice trembled.“Then why does that record say you were born twenty-five years ago?”Noah looked at her.“Because that's when I was born.”Ava frowned.“But my father was already—”She stopped.A terrible thought entered her mind.She slowly turned toward her father.“Dad?”He wouldn't look at her.“Dad, look at me.”His eyes finally met hers.And Ava saw the truth in them.Not surprise.Not confusion.Fear.“You knew,” she whispered.He lowered his head.“I knew Noah was alive.”Ava's heart cracked.“You knew?”“Yes.”“And you never told me?”“I couldn't.”“You couldn't?”Her voice rose.“You lied to me about everything!”“Ava—”“You let me beli

THUMP.THUMP.THUMP.The heartbeat echoed through the chamber.Ava stood completely still.Her eyes remained fixed on the screen.SEVENTH SUBJECT: UNKNOWN.Nobody spoke.Nobody seemed willing to breathe.Then Ethan whispered,“What the hell is underneath us?”Adrian stared at the readings.“I don't know.”“You're the one who understands this system.”“I said I don't know!”Adrian slammed his hands against the console.“The files for the seventh subject are completely erased.”Ava turned toward him.“Erased by whom?”“I can't tell.”“Then recover them.”“I've tried.”“Try again.”Adrian looked at her.Something in Ava's expression made him turn back to the console.His fingers moved rapidly.A few seconds passed.Then his eyes widened.“I found something.”Everyone moved closer.“What?” Daniel asked.Adrian stared at the screen.“There's a hidden directory beneath the original Serpent archive.”“Open it.”“I can't.”“Why?”“It requires seven genetic signatures.”Ava's heart sank.“Seve

The word hung in the air.Mother.Ava stared at Gabriel.Then at the woman standing beside him.Her grandmother.The woman who had supposedly died decades ago.The woman whose consciousness had lived inside the Serpent.The woman who had just walked out of its core as if she had been waiting for them.And now Gabriel had called her Mother.Ava's lips parted.“Gabriel…”He didn't look at her.His eyes remained fixed on the older woman.For the first time since Ava had seen him, there was no arrogance on his face.Only fear.Her grandmother smiled.“You're still afraid of me.”Gabriel swallowed.“I thought you were dead.”“You should know better than anyone.”She stepped closer.“Death has never been enough to stop me.”Amara moved backward.“No.”Her grandmother looked at her.“My daughter.”Amara's eyes filled with tears.“You're not my mother anymore.”The woman smiled.“That is what you told yourself for twenty years.”“You destroyed everything!”“I created everything.”“You created

The chamber stopped breathing.Ava couldn't move.She stared at the enormous red eyes glowing inside the ancient core.Her grandmother.Inside the Serpent.The words repeated in her mind.Your grandmother never died.Daniel slowly stepped in front of Ava.“Stay behind me.”But Ava barely heard him.Her eyes remained fixed on the creature.“Grandmother…”The red lights blinked.Once.Twice.Then the voice returned.“Ava.”Ava's entire body trembled.“Is that really you?”The creature shifted.Metal groaned.Something inside it moved like a living heart.“I have waited for you.”Amara suddenly screamed.“No!”She rushed toward the core.“Don't listen to her!”Ava turned.“Why?”“Because that's not your grandmother anymore!”The voice from the core laughed.It wasn't a human laugh.It sounded like thousands of voices whispering at once.“Still lying to her, Amara?”Amara froze.The voice continued.“Even after all these years?”Ava stared at her mother.“What is she talking about?”Amara

The symbol beneath Ava's feet burned brighter.She screamed.“AVA!”Daniel lunged toward her.The moment his hand touched her arm, a violent shockwave threw him backward.He crashed against the metal wall.“Daniel!”Ava tried to run toward him.She couldn't.Her feet were frozen to the floor.Not physically.Something else was holding her.Something inside her.The Serpent.It was awake.“PROJECT EVE: ACTIVATION BEGUN.”“No!” Adrian shouted.He attacked the console, desperately trying to shut the system down.Nothing happened.“It's locked!”Ethan grabbed him.“Then unlock it!”“I'M TRYING!”Sparks exploded from the console.Aria rushed toward Daniel.“Are you hurt?”Daniel pushed himself up.“I'm fine.”His eyes immediately found Ava.She was trembling.“Daniel…”“I'm coming.”He tried to approach her again.This time, the mysterious woman stopped him.“Don't.”Daniel glared at her.“Move.”“If you touch her now, the system may kill you.”“I don't care.”“I do.”Daniel froze.The wom