جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 60

Something screamed inside Alexander.Not a human scream.Not entirely.It began deep in his chest, beneath his heartbeat, beneath the bones and muscles that made him Alexander Kane.The sound seemed to come from somewhere older.Somewhere that had been waiting.Evelyn grabbed him.“Alexander!”He collapsed to one knee.His hands pressed against his head.“Get away from me.”“No.”“Evelyn, get away!”“No!”She dropped beside him.His body was shaking violently.Silver veins of light moved beneath his skin, traveling from his neck toward his jaw.His eyes flashed black.Then silver.Then black again.The older man stood across from them.Calm.Almost amused.Evelyn stared at him.He looked like Alexander.Not similar.Not close.Exactly like him.The same face.The same eyes.The same mouth.Only older.More tired.And somehow much more dangerous.Alexander looked up.His breathing was ragged.“Who are you?”The man smiled.“I already told you.”“You said you were me.”“I was.”“That’s

The crying continued.A small sound.Fragile.Almost impossibly innocent.Evelyn stood in the middle of the ruined laboratory, staring at the screen.THE CHILD WAS EVELYN’S.The words remained there.Unmoving.Unforgiving.Her mind refused to understand them.Her child.No.It couldn’t be.She had never had a child.At least, she didn’t remember having one.Her hand moved instinctively toward her stomach.Nothing.Her body felt exactly as it always had.Alexander was beside her.He hadn’t moved.He was staring at the same message.“Evelyn.”She didn’t answer.“Evelyn, look at me.”She finally turned.“What did you see?”Alexander swallowed.“I don’t know.”“You said you remembered me.”“I do.”“At seventeen.”“Yes.”“With a baby.”“Yes.”Her voice shook.“Did you see me give birth?”“No.”“Did you see me pregnant?”“No.”“Then how do you know the child was mine?”“I don’t.”The answer hit her like a slap.Alexander stepped closer.“I only remember you holding the baby.”“Then it could

The scream came again.This time, it was closer.Evelyn stopped breathing.She stood on the other side of the first door with Alexander beside her and Elias a few steps ahead. Behind them, the doorway they had entered through was already disappearing, its edges dissolving into a darkness that looked less like shadow and more like space itself had forgotten how to exist.Afterlight’s voice whispered through Evelyn’s mind.“Evelyn.”She could barely hear her.“What?” Evelyn whispered.“Do not move.”Alexander immediately reached for Evelyn’s hand.She felt his fingers close around hers.Warm.Real.Human.That simple sensation steadied her.Elias turned slowly.His silver eyes reflected the darkness around them.“It’s awake.”Alexander’s expression hardened.“What is?”Elias looked past them.“The thing that screamed.”Another sound rolled through the darkness.Not a scream this time.A laugh.Soft.Almost playful.Evelyn’s stomach tightened.She had heard that laugh before.She knew it

“You finally came back for me.”Evelyn couldn’t breathe.The little girl stood in the middle of the impossible city, barefoot, wearing the same white dress Evelyn remembered from the earliest fragments of her childhood.Seven years old.The same age.The same face.The same eyes.But there was something different about her.Something Evelyn couldn’t explain.The girl looked happy.Not the artificial smile of the Echo.Not the empty expression of a memory.She looked genuinely relieved.As though she had been waiting for this moment for years.For decades.Perhaps longer.Evelyn took a cautious step forward.“Who are you?”The girl’s smile faded.“You know.”“I don’t.”“Yes, you do.”“No.”Evelyn shook her head.“I’ve seen you before.”The girl nodded.“Many times.”“In the Echo.”“Before the Echo.”Evelyn stopped.“What?”The girl looked around the city.“This place came after me.”Evelyn stared at her.“That doesn’t make sense.”“It will.”The girl turned and began walking.Evelyn fo

The laughter came again.A child.Somewhere beyond the walls.Somewhere beneath the memories.Somewhere inside the Echo.Evelyn stood frozen.Liora was still in her arms.Alexander stood directly in front of them, one hand raised protectively.Elias was beside him.Lucian had stopped moving.For the first time since Evelyn had known him, the man looked genuinely afraid.The system remained suspended above them.SUBJECT E: ELIAS VALE.SUBJECT F: LIORA VALE.SUBJECT G: ORIGIN UNKNOWN.Then the final line appeared again.SUBJECT G: ACTIVE.Evelyn stared at it.“Who is Subject G?”Lucian didn’t answer.“Lucian.”His eyes remained fixed on the darkness behind the nursery.“Who is Subject G?”“I don’t know.”Evelyn’s expression hardened.“You’re lying.”“I wish I was.”Alexander stepped closer to him.“You said there were two children.”“There were.”“You said one was born from the Echo.”Lucian nodded.“Then explain Subject G.”“I can’t.”“You always seem to know more than you’re willing t