PART 7: Kind CEO Gave Poor Begger His $1M Card… What She Did Next Was More Shocking
Part 7: The Original
The countdown continued.
71:59:42.
71:59:41.
71:59:40.
The red numbers reflected across Ethan’s face as he stood frozen in the underground laboratory.
Ariana held his hand tightly.
Neither of them spoke.
Across the room, Lucas watched them from the darkness.
Daniel stood several feet away, staring at his supposed brother with an expression Ethan had never seen before.
Fear.
Not confusion.
Not surprise.
Fear.
Ethan finally broke the silence.
“Stop the countdown.”
Lucas smiled.
“I can’t.”
“Then who can?”
Lucas pointed toward the screen.
“You.”
Ethan looked at the control panel.
“How?”
“You have the card.”
Ethan pulled the black card from his pocket.
The same card that had once seemed like a symbol of wealth.
The same card he had given Ariana when he believed he was dying.
Now he understood that the card had never been about money.
It had been about access.
And someone had deliberately placed it in his hands.
Ariana looked at it.
“Use it.”
Ethan walked toward the control panel.
He placed the card against the scanner.
Nothing happened.
The countdown continued.
71:58:51.
Ethan frowned.
“Why isn’t it working?”
Lucas laughed.
“Because you’re using the wrong hand.”
Ethan looked at him.
“What?”
“Your left hand.”
Ethan hesitated.
Then placed his left hand on the scanner.
The entire room shook.
Every monitor turned on simultaneously.
A computerized voice echoed through the laboratory.
“SUBJECT ONE VERIFIED.”
Ethan’s breathing stopped.
“GENETIC SEQUENCE ACCEPTED.”
Ariana stepped closer.
“What is it doing?”
Lucas answered.
“Opening the system.”
Suddenly another message appeared.
“SUBJECT TWO REQUIRED.”
Ariana stared at the screen.
“Me.”
Lucas nodded.
She placed her hand beside Ethan’s.
The system scanned both of them.
Then the room went silent.
The countdown disappeared.
For a moment, Ethan thought it had worked.
Then a new message appeared.
“FINAL PHASE INITIATED.”
Ariana stepped backward.
“What does that mean?”
Lucas smiled.
“It means the test has begun.”
Ethan turned toward him.
“What test?”
Lucas didn’t answer.
Instead, the lights changed.
A wall opened behind Ethan.
Inside was a long glass chamber.
Ethan stared at it.
Ariana whispered:
“What’s that?”
Daniel looked terrified.
“That’s where they kept the subjects.”
Ethan walked toward the chamber.
Inside were old medical instruments.
Straps.
Needles.
Monitoring equipment.
He suddenly felt sick.
“This was used on me?”
Daniel nodded.
“When you were a child.”
Ethan stared at the equipment.
“Why don’t I remember?”
“Because they erased your memories.”
“Who?”
Daniel looked at Lucas.
“Ask him.”
Lucas stepped closer.
“I didn’t erase them.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Then who did?”
Lucas smiled.
“Your father.”
Ethan froze.
“My father?”
Lucas nodded.
“Edward wanted to protect you.”
“By erasing my memories?”
“By making you forget what you had become.”
Ethan shook his head.
“What did I become?”
Lucas looked toward the glass chamber.
“The first successful Echo.”
Ariana stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Everyone looked at her.
She pointed at Lucas.
“You’re telling us pieces of the truth.”
Lucas smiled.
“That’s because you’re not ready for the whole truth.”
“Then tell us.”
Lucas shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Ariana’s expression hardened.
“You expect us to trust you?”
“No.”
“Then why are you here?”
Lucas looked at Ethan.
“Because you’re about to remember.”
The lights suddenly went out.
A loud mechanical hum filled the room.
Ethan grabbed Ariana’s hand.
“What is happening?”
Daniel shouted:
“Don’t let them connect him!”
“Connect me to what?”
Daniel pointed toward the glass chamber.
“That machine.”
Ethan turned.
The chamber had opened.
Mechanical arms extended from the ceiling.
Ariana pulled him backward.
“Get away!”
But the doors behind them slammed shut.
They were trapped.
A computerized voice spoke.
“SUBJECT ONE REQUIRED FOR MEMORY RESTORATION.”
Ethan looked at Lucas.
“What happens if I refuse?”
Lucas’s expression became serious.
“You don’t get to refuse.”
The machine activated.
Ethan suddenly collapsed.
Ariana screamed.
“Ethan!”
She tried to reach him.
The mechanical arms locked around his wrists.
Ethan shouted in pain.
“Get me out!”
Ariana grabbed the control panel.
“Stop!”
Nothing happened.
Lucas walked toward her.
“Don’t.”
“He’s going to die.”
“No.”
“Then what is happening?”
“He’s remembering.”
Ethan screamed again.
And suddenly the room disappeared.
He was no longer underground.
He was twelve years old.
Standing in a hallway.
He heard his father’s voice.
“Ethan, listen to me.”
Young Ethan looked up.
His father was kneeling in front of him.
“You have to forget this.”
“Forget what?”
Edward looked toward the door.
“They’re coming.”
“Who?”
“Your grandfather.”
Young Ethan began crying.
“I don’t want to forget.”
Edward hugged him.
“I know.”
Then a woman entered.
Ariana’s mother.
She was carrying a baby.
Young Ethan looked at the baby.
“Who is that?”
Edward whispered:
“Her name is Ariana.”
Young Ethan smiled.
“Can I hold her?”
His father nodded.
The little boy carefully took the baby into his arms.
Ariana’s mother smiled through her tears.
Then Edward whispered:
“One day, you may have to save her.”
The memory changed.
Ethan was older.
Sixteen.
He stood inside the same laboratory.
His grandfather was speaking to him.
“You don’t remember this place.”
Ethan shook his head.
“Should I?”
Nathaniel smiled.
“No.”
He placed his hand on Ethan’s shoulder.
“You are special.”
The memory changed again.
Ethan was twenty.
He was sitting in a chair.
Machines surrounded him.
A voice said:
“Subject One demonstrates emotional independence.”
Another voice answered:
“Then remove the emotional inhibitor.”
Ethan screamed.
The memory ended.
He woke up gasping.
Ariana was holding his face.
“Ethan.”
He looked at her.
“I remember.”
“What?”
“My grandfather.”
Ariana waited.
“He was testing me.”
Lucas nodded.
“Yes.”
Ethan looked at him.
“But there’s something else.”
Lucas smiled.
“What?”
Ethan’s expression changed.
“You were there.”
Lucas’s smile disappeared.
“You were in the laboratory.”
Daniel looked at Lucas.
“What?”
Ethan continued.
“You were standing beside my grandfather.”
Lucas said nothing.
“You weren’t a prisoner.”
Lucas’s face hardened.
“You were helping him.”
Ariana looked shocked.
“Lucas?”
He finally spoke.
“I was a child.”
“So?”
“I didn’t know what he was doing.”
“You knew enough.”
Lucas stepped backward.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
Lucas looked at Ethan.
“I was trying to save you.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You were helping them.”
“No.”
“You watched them experiment on me.”
“I tried to stop it.”
“But you didn’t.”
Lucas looked away.
“I couldn’t.”
Ethan stared at him.
“Why?”
Lucas whispered:
“Because I was afraid.”
Silence.
Then Daniel stepped forward.
“You’ve been lying to us.”
Lucas turned.
“About what?”
“Everything.”
Daniel pointed toward Ethan.
“He’s not Subject One.”
Lucas froze.
Ethan looked at Daniel.
“What?”
Daniel continued.
“Subject One was me.”
Lucas shook his head.
“No.”
“You know it’s true.”
“Daniel…”
“You were the second successful subject.”
Lucas’s face changed.
“And Ethan?”
Daniel looked at Ethan.
“He was never an experiment.”
Everyone froze.
Ethan stared.
“What?”
Daniel continued.
“Ethan was the control.”
Lucas shook his head.
“No.”
“He wasn’t created by Helix.”
“Stop.”
“He was born naturally.”
Lucas suddenly attacked Daniel.
Marcus fired a warning shot into the ceiling.
“Enough!”
Lucas stopped.
Daniel was breathing heavily.
Ethan stared at him.
“Then why do I look like Lucas?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Because that’s what Nathaniel wanted.”
“What does that mean?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Your grandfather used genetic material from Lucas to alter Ethan.”
Ariana’s face went pale.
“So Ethan is…”
“A hybrid.”
Lucas looked at Ethan.
“You’re part of me.”
Ethan stepped backward.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Lucas shook his head.
“Because I wanted you to live.”
“You’ve been manipulating us.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Lucas looked at Ariana.
“Because she’s the only person who can stop Nathaniel.”
Ariana frowned.
“How?”
Lucas pointed toward the black card.
“That card doesn’t just open doors.”
Ethan looked down.
“It activates people.”
Ariana’s eyes widened.
“Who?”
Lucas answered:
“Every Echo subject.”
Daniel suddenly looked terrified.
“No.”
Lucas nodded.
“Yes.”
“What happens if Ethan activates it?”
Lucas looked at Ethan.
“He can wake all of them.”
Ariana whispered:
“And if Nathaniel gets it?”
Lucas’s expression darkened.
“He can control them.”
The room became silent.
Ethan stared at the card.
“So this entire time…”
“Yes.”
“My grandfather wanted me to have it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Lucas looked at him.
“Because he knew you would eventually find Ariana.”
Ariana’s heart sank.
“You mean our meeting…”
“Was planned.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
Lucas nodded.
“Every part of it.”
“The homeless veteran?”
“Placed there.”
“The hospital?”
“Prepared.”
“The card?”
“Delivered.”
“My illness?”
Lucas hesitated.
Ariana looked at him.
“What about Ethan’s illness?”
Lucas lowered his eyes.
“The poison was real.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
Lucas continued.
“Your grandfather ordered it.”
Ariana covered her mouth.
“He wanted Ethan to believe he was dying.”
“Why?”
“Because dying people make desperate choices.”
Ethan felt sick.
“The card.”
Lucas nodded.
“Exactly.”
“He wanted me to give it away.”
“Yes.”
“And he wanted me to give it to Ariana.”
Lucas looked at her.
“Yes.”
Ethan’s voice became quiet.
“So even our first meeting…”
“Was engineered.”
Ariana’s eyes filled with tears.
“But I still chose to save you.”
Ethan looked at her.
“That’s what they didn’t expect.”
Lucas nodded.
“Your kindness was never part of the plan.”
Ariana wiped away a tear.
“They thought they could control everything.”
Lucas smiled faintly.
“They were wrong.”
Suddenly a loud alarm sounded.
Marcus looked at the monitors.
“Someone’s accessing the system.”
Lucas’s expression changed.
“Who?”
Marcus pointed toward the screen.
A name appeared.
NATHANIEL CARTER.
Ethan’s heart dropped.
“He’s here.”
The laboratory doors began unlocking.
One by one.
Marcus raised his weapon.
“We need to go.”
But Ethan didn’t move.
He looked at the screen.
A live video appeared.
Nathaniel stood inside another room.
Behind him were dozens of people.
Men.
Women.
Young adults.
All staring blankly at the camera.
Ariana whispered:
“Who are they?”
Nathaniel smiled.
“Your army.”
Ethan stepped toward the screen.
“Let them go.”
Nathaniel laughed.
“I don’t think you understand.”
He pointed at the people behind him.
“They’re waiting for your command.”
Ethan looked at Lucas.
“What does he mean?”
Lucas’s face had gone pale.
“He activated the network.”
Nathaniel looked directly at Ethan.
“You have thirty minutes.”
“For what?”
“Choose.”
Ethan frowned.
“Choose what?”
Nathaniel smiled.
“Save Ariana.”
A pause.
“Or save them.”
The screen displayed two options.
PROTECT SUBJECT TWO
ACTIVATE ECHO NETWORK
Ariana stared at the screen.
“No.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“There has to be another option.”
Nathaniel laughed.
“There’s always another option.”
“What?”
Nathaniel leaned toward the camera.
“Trust your brother.”
The screen went black.
Ethan turned toward Lucas.
“Which brother?”
Lucas looked terrified.
“That’s the problem.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“You have two.”
Ethan looked at him.
“What?”
Daniel pointed toward the hallway.
“One of us is lying.”
The lights suddenly turned red.
A voice announced:
“IDENTITY VERIFICATION REQUIRED.”
Three biometric scanners appeared.
One for Ethan.
One for Ariana.
One for Daniel and Lucas.
Ariana stared.
“What happens now?”
Daniel answered quietly.
“The system is going to decide which of us belongs here.”
Ethan looked at Lucas.
Lucas looked at Daniel.
For the first time, both brothers appeared afraid.
Then the screen displayed another message.
SUBJECT ZERO: LUCAS CARTER
SUBJECT ONE: UNKNOWN
SUBJECT TWO: ARIANA BROOKS
Ethan stared at the words.
“Unknown?”
The system continued.
IDENTITY OF SUBJECT ONE HAS BEEN ALTERED.
Ethan’s blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?”
No one answered.
Then another line appeared.
ORIGINAL SUBJECT ONE LOCATED.
Ariana stepped closer.
“Where?”
The system gave a location.
Everyone stared at the screen.
It was not another facility.
It was not a laboratory.
It was not a secret bunker.
It was the Carter mansion.
The home where Ethan had lived for years.
Ariana whispered:
“Someone has been there this entire time.”
The screen changed again.
A live camera feed appeared.
Inside Ethan’s mansion stood a man.
He was older.
Gray-haired.
Wearing a dark suit.
He slowly turned toward the camera.
Ethan’s face went completely white.
“Dad.”
Edward Carter looked directly into the camera.
Then he smiled.
But it wasn’t the warm smile Ethan remembered from childhood.
It was cold.
Calculated.
Almost identical to Nathaniel’s.
Edward lifted a phone.
Ethan’s phone immediately rang.
He answered.
“Dad?”
Edward’s voice was calm.
“I’m sorry, Ethan.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s something I’ve never told you.”
“What?”
Edward paused.
“You weren’t the one I was trying to protect.”
Ethan’s heart stopped.
“Then who?”
Edward looked toward the camera.
And behind him stood a woman.
Ariana’s mother.
Alive.
Edward continued:
“I was protecting Ariana from you.”
The call ended.
Ariana stared at Ethan.
Ethan stared back.
Neither spoke.
Then the laboratory doors slammed shut.
The countdown restarted.
29:59.
29:58.
29:57.
And somewhere inside the Carter mansion, Ariana’s mother whispered to Edward:
“They’re finally going to learn the truth.”
Edward looked at the camera.
“No.”
He shook his head.
“They’re going to learn what we want them to believe.”
Then he turned toward the hidden room behind him.
Inside stood a child.
A little boy.
Maybe ten years old.
He had Ethan’s face.
Lucas’s eyes.
And Ariana’s mother’s unmistakable smile.
Edward placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Tell them your name.”
The boy looked toward the camera.
And smiled.
“My name is…”
The screen suddenly went black.
The countdown continued.
29:41.
And Ethan realized the terrifying truth.
There wasn’t one hidden brother.
There wasn’t one secret experiment.
There wasn’t even one Carter heir.
There were more.
And somewhere in the world, someone had been creating them for decades.
But the biggest question remained unanswered.
Why had Ariana been chosen to save Ethan?
And why had Ethan’s father suddenly decided that she needed to be protected from him?
The answer was waiting inside the Carter mansion.
But Ethan had less than thirty minutes to reach it.
And this time, he couldn’t be sure which person he was running toward…
and which person was waiting to destroy him.
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