CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO: DON'T GIVE ME AWAY

“Mommy, don’t give me away again.”

Elena stopped breathing.

The voice came from somewhere beyond the darkness.

Small.

Frightened.

Familiar.

“Alexander?”

Damien reached for her hand.

“Stay behind me.”

But Elena pulled away.

“That was my son.”

Victor looked toward the darkness.

“Alexander!”

A child's footsteps sounded.

Then a small figure appeared beneath the emergency light.

Elena's heart broke.

He was older than the baby in the photograph.

Perhaps seven or eight.

Dark hair.

Pale skin.

And eyes that looked painfully familiar.

He stared at Elena.

She stared back.

Neither moved.

Then the boy whispered, “Mommy?”

Elena's knees nearly gave way.

She walked toward him.

“Alexander?”

He nodded.

Tears filled his eyes.

She dropped to her knees.

Alexander ran into her arms.

Elena held him tightly.

“I've got you.”

The words came out broken.

“I've got you.”

The boy buried his face against her shoulder.

“You came back.”

Elena closed her eyes.

“I never left you.”

“Yes, you did.”

Her heart shattered.

“I didn't know.”

Alexander pulled back.

“They told me you forgot me.”

“I did.”

She touched his face.

“But not because I wanted to.”

He studied her.

“Do you remember me now?”

Elena shook her head.

“Not everything.”

He lowered his eyes.

“But you will.”

She froze.

“Who told you that?”

Alexander looked toward Victor.

“He did.”

Victor remained silent.

Elena stood.

“You knew where he was.”

“Yes.”

“You knew he was alive.”

“Yes.”

“And you let me believe I had only two children.”

Victor's jaw tightened.

“I was trying to keep him alive.”

“You should have told me!”

“If I had, your grandfather would have killed him.”

Elena's voice trembled.

“You don't get to decide what I deserve to know.”

“I know.”

Victor looked at Alexander.

“But I was trying to protect him.”

Damien stepped forward.

“Then why did you tell us he was with my father?”

Victor looked at him.

“Because he was.”

Damien's face hardened.

“My father had him?”

“Not directly.”

“Then who?”

Victor hesitated.

“The Foundation.”

Gabriel's expression changed.

“Helix.”

Victor nodded.

“They've been moving Alexander between facilities since he was born.”

Elena tightened her arms around the boy.

“Why?”

Victor looked at Caleb.

“Because of the twins.”

Damien's eyes narrowed.

“What do they want from them?”

Victor's answer came quietly.

“The same thing they've always wanted.”

He looked at Elena.

“To create the perfect heir.”

---

A loud metallic sound came from the corridor.

Victor immediately turned.

“They're here.”

Damien stepped closer to Elena.

“Who?”

“Helix.”

Gabriel checked the entrance.

“We need another exit.”

Victor pointed toward a stairwell.

“Down there.”

They moved quickly.

Elena carried Caleb while Alexander held her hand.

Damien stayed beside her.

Gabriel led the way.

Victor followed behind.

Halfway down the stairs, Alexander stopped.

“Wait.”

Elena turned.

“What is it?”

He pointed upward.

“They're coming.”

Everyone heard the footsteps.

Several people.

Moving quickly.

Damien looked at Victor.

“How many?”

“Enough.”

“Can we fight them?”

“No.”

Victor shook his head.

“They aren't here to fight.”

“Then what?”

“To take the children.”

Elena's grip tightened.

“No one is taking my children.”

They reached the basement.

Victor pushed open a hidden door.

A narrow tunnel stretched ahead.

“Where does this lead?” Damien asked.

“Outside.”

“Why was there a tunnel under a hospital?”

Victor didn't answer.

Elena looked at him.

“You've used it before.”

“Yes.”

“To move Alexander.”

Victor nodded.

The footsteps grew louder above them.

“Go,” he said.

They entered the tunnel.

---

The passage was cold.

Water dripped from the ceiling.

Alexander walked beside Elena.

After several minutes, he whispered, “Mommy?”

“Yes?”

“Are you angry with me?”

Elena stopped.

“Never.”

“Because I was hiding.”

She crouched.

“You were a child.”

“I didn't know where you were.”

“I know.”

“I waited for you.”

Elena's eyes filled with tears.

“I know.”

He looked at Caleb.

“Is that my brother?”

Elena nodded.

“Yes.”

Alexander smiled faintly.

“He looks like me.”

Damien glanced at him.

“He does.”

Alexander looked at Damien.

“Are you Daddy?”

Damien froze.

Elena looked at him.

He swallowed.

“Yes.”

Alexander stared at him for a long moment.

“You don't remember me either.”

Damien's eyes softened.

“No.”

“Why?”

“I don't know.”

Alexander lowered his head.

“That's what they said.”

“What?”

“That they took your memories because Daddy wouldn't tell them where I was.”

Damien looked at Victor.

“You knew this?”

Victor nodded.

“Not all of it.”

Damien's expression hardened.

“What did you do seven years ago?”

Victor looked away.

“Something I regret.”

“What?”

“I helped Elena escape.”

Elena frowned.

“You helped me?”

“Yes.”

“From whom?”

Victor stopped walking.

“Your grandfather.”

Elena stared at him.

“Why would you help me?”

Victor's voice dropped.

“Because I loved you.”

Silence filled the tunnel.

Damien's expression changed.

Elena didn't speak.

Victor continued.

“I knew what your grandfather planned.”

“What did he plan?”

“To take all three children.”

Elena's eyes widened.

“All three?”

Victor nodded.

“Alexander first. Then the twins.”

“Why?”

“Because the twins carried the sequence.”

He looked at Caleb.

“And Alexander carried the key.”

Elena looked down at her son.

“What key?”

Victor didn't answer.

A sound came from behind them.

Gabriel turned.

“Lights.”

Everyone froze.

Far down the tunnel, several lights appeared.

“They found us.”

Victor looked ahead.

“Keep moving.”

---

They reached the end of the tunnel.

A steel door blocked the exit.

Victor entered a code.

Nothing happened.

He tried again.

Still nothing.

Damien looked behind them.

“They're close.”

“It's been changed,” Victor said.

“Then open it.”

“I can't.”

Elena's heart raced.

“What do we do?”

Victor looked at Alexander.

The boy stepped forward.

“I can open it.”

Everyone stared.

Alexander placed his hand against the panel.

The lock immediately turned green.

ACCESS GRANTED.

The door opened.

Elena stared at her son.

“How did you do that?”

Alexander shrugged.

“They taught me.”

“Who?”

He looked frightened.

“The doctors.”

Damien looked at Victor.

“What exactly did they do to him?”

Victor didn't answer.

Alexander suddenly grabbed Elena's hand.

“Mommy.”

“What?”

“They said I'm not the key.”

Elena frowned.

“Then what are you?”

Alexander looked at Caleb.

“I'm the lock.”

The words sent a chill through the room.

Gabriel stared at him.

“What does that mean?”

Alexander shook his head.

“They never told me.”

A gunshot exploded behind them.

Everyone ducked.

Victor pushed Elena toward the exit.

“Run!”

They rushed outside.

Damien grabbed the door and slammed it shut.

More gunshots struck the metal.

Elena held the children close.

“Where are we going?”

Victor pointed toward a waiting vehicle.

“There.”

They ran.

But before Elena could reach it, another vehicle screeched to a stop ahead of them.

The door opened.

Her grandfather stepped out.

He wasn't alone.

Two men stood beside him.

And between them was a woman.

Elena stopped.

She knew her.

Her mother.

Alive.

Elena's breath caught.

“Mom?”

Her mother looked at her with tears in her eyes.

Then she whispered:

“I'm sorry, Elena.”

Her grandfather smiled.

“You wanted the truth.”

He pointed toward Alexander.

“Now you have it.”

Then he looked at Caleb.

“But you still don't know which child is actually yours.”

Elena stared at him.

“What are you talking about?”

Her grandfather's smile disappeared.

“Because one of those boys isn't your biological son.”

Damien went still.

Alexander looked at Caleb.

Caleb began to cry.

And Elena suddenly remembered something she had forgotten for seven years.

A nurse standing over two newborn babies.

A baby being carried away.

And her own voice screaming:

“That's not my son.”