Chapter 4 - What Marcus Knew

Marcus shoved June into the chute, then Clara. He dropped behind them as gunfire cracked through the storage room.

They landed in a mound of dusty sheets. Above, boots hammered along the corridor. Clara pressed a hand over June's mouth until the footsteps passed.

“You recognized Elena,” she whispered to Marcus.

He shut his eyes. “Yes.”

“How?”

“She was my little sister.”

Clara stepped back as if he'd struck her.

“Your sister?”

“Twenty-two years ago, Elena was a medical researcher. She came here to work on a treatment after a chemical spill. Then she called me. She said people were being held against their will. She begged me to get her out.”

“Did you?”

“I tried.” His jaw worked. “I came to the estate with a warrant that turned out to be worthless. They told me she had gone overseas. Six months later, I got a death notice.”

Clara looked toward June. “And you never noticed there were girls with her face living here?”

“Evelyn kept you out of sight until you were twelve. I didn't meet you until four years ago, when I started doing security consulting for the estate. By then you were a grown kid with her eyes, and I thought I was losing my mind.”

“You should have told me.”

“You're right.”

The honesty stole her next accusation. Marcus looked older than he had an hour ago.

June slid open a desk drawer. Inside lay a tiny voice recorder. Its label read E. REYES / PERSONAL. Clara pressed play.

A woman's tired voice filled the room. “My name is Elena Reyes. I did not consent to the creation of these children. If someone finds this, please tell my brother Marcus I didn't abandon him.”

Marcus covered his face.

Then the recording continued.

“And please, whoever you are, never trust a woman who says the oak tree is protecting you.”

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Something clicked inside the door lock.

Evelyn's voice sounded from the hall. “Marcus, you know that recording isn't the whole truth.”