sometimes what you’re carrying isn’t in your arms it’s in your past Terminal C at Red Hollow International Airport in Ohio buzzed louder than usual on that gray March morning between muffled loudspeaker announcements and the Screech of suitcase Wheels officer Thatcher malun a seasoned airport security agent kept his eyes sharp at his side Bishop a Belgian malinoa with an almost Supernatural nose and a Restless Spirit sniffed the polished L like he was chasing something only he could sense for seven years Thatcher had trusted Bishop’s instincts more than any

partner on the force but today something about the dog’s Behavior felt off then she appeared a tall blonde woman moving slowly through the crowd balancing two paper bags in her hands her pregnant belly pressed against the white blouse beneath a dark navy coat clearly in her final trimester her name was Marlo Ashford and everything about her seemed carefully constructed oversized sunglasses too dark for indoor lighting Flats chosen for comfort her face calm too calm for a place filled with hells and goodbyes but the second Bishop laid

eyes on her everything shifted he froze then growled and then He barked loud sharp Relentless not with aggression but with warning Thatcher tightened the leash trying to keep Bishop steady but the dog’s back was arched muscles tensed for standing on end he never reacted like this to pregnant women never Marlo didn’t Flinch she didn’t stop but behind those dark glasses her eyes were locked on the dog and there was something chilling in her stare not fear not confusion but something closer to recognition as if she knew exactly why Bishop was barking am I need you to

stop for a moment Thatcher called out his voice firm but respectful Marlo hesitated then she took two more steps and collapsed the sound of her body hitting the floor echoed like a Thunderclap the bags spilled open papers small bottles a sealed envelope and a tiny stuffed bear scattered across the cold tiles people around her froze time held its breath Hatcher dropped beside her instantly calling for medical backup through his radio Bishop wouldn’t stop barking but it wasn’t aggression anymore it was Panic like he was trying to say something no one could understand that’s

when Thatcher noticed the envelope near her hand now slightly crumpled and stained on it written in deliberate shaky cursive was a single word sorry this wasn’t just a letter it was was a warning and in that moment as the distant sound of sirens began to close in Thatcher had the sinking feeling that this woman and whatever she was carrying was never meant to reach this airport but it was already too late some names stay buried for a reason the paramedics arrived within minutes but to Thatcher it felt like hours Marlo lay unconscious

her breathing shallow her skin pale as the airport’s tile floor a thin trickle of sweat rolled down her Temple Bishop had finally stopped barking but now sat glued to her side ears low eyes locked on her face like he was guarding something only he could understand as one EMT lifted her wrist to check her pulse Thatcher noticed her left hand clutching something tightly a necklace but not just any necklace it was a military tag scratched aged and with a name he hadn’t heard in over two decades Thatcher froze Hollis rer the name

slammed into his chest like a punch memories came flooding back uniforms heat sand and gunfire echoing in a desert far from here Hollis was more than a name he was someone Thatcher had tried hard to forget the tag should have been buried years ago with its owner what the hell was it doing in the hand of a woman he’d never seen before Marlo Ashford the EMT read aloud from her ID clipping it to the stretcher as they prepared to move her Thatcher’s mind raced the envelope the necklace the name something wasn’t lining up he picked up the sealed

envelope she dropped and slipped it into his coat pocket without a word he didn’t know why maybe Instinct maybe guilt maybe because whatever was inside wasn’t meant to be opened by just anyone as the gurnie rolled away Bishop pulled against his leash whining softly it wasn’t his usual Behavior Thatcher knelt beside the dog Hand firm on his collar you knew something he whispered didn’t you Bishop let out a low broken whimper one Thatcher had only heard once before the day Hollis didn’t come back back in the

staff office Thatcher stared at the envelope under the harsh fluorescent light the handwriting was unmistakable it wasn’t Marlo’s it was hollis’s slanted rushed and all uppercase like he always wrote Under Pressure but Hollis was dead Kia confirmed funeral held coffin closed how could this letter exist now in 2025 Thatcher sat down hard in the metal chair the noise echoing through the empty break room he he reached into his coat and slowly carefully opened the envelope inside was a single page yellowed at the edges his hands shook as

he unfolded it the first line read if you’re reading this it means I failed to keep my promise some ghosts don’t haunt they guide Thatcher read the first line again this time slower if you’re reading this it means I failed to keep my promise his heart pounded against his ribs as if trying to push the truth away the rest of the letter was written in the same frantic tone half confession half warning Hollis spoke of someone he had met during their last tour in Kandahar a woman named Lena a civilian translator

and a secret he swore to protect until the day he died she was carrying more than just her own past the letter read and I was carrying more than just gear Thatcher remembered Lena not well she was quiet always in the shadows Never Too Close to the soldiers but Hollis had looked at her differently now 22 years later a woman named Marlo Ashford had collapsed in an airport clutching hollis’s dog tag and carrying his letter the math was horrifying but it made sense if Lena had been pregnant when Hollis died Marlo could be the child but if that was true why was she here why

now his thoughts were cut short by a sharp knock at the door officer Dorian Fay Thatcher’s young but sharpey partner stepped inside with a tight expression she woke up Dorian said she’s asking for you Thatcher stood slowly folding the letter and sliding it back into his coat pocket the chill in his spine had nothing to do with the cold what’s her condition stable confused but she said your name specifically Thatcher didn’t remember ever meeting Marlo before today but something about the way Bishop had

reacted and now her asking for him it wasn’t a coincidence he followed Dorian down the sterile hallway toward the airport Clinic where they’d stabilized her the hum of the fluorescent lights above seemed louder than normal every step toward her door felt like walking into to a chapter of his past he never wanted to reopen he paused outside the room through the glass he could see her sitting up pale lips dry hands fidgeting with a hospital blanket she looked younger now vulnerable like someone barely holding herself together her eyes lifted their

gazes met and for a second just one he saw Hollis in her expression the shape of the eyes the weight of unspoken truth she mouthed something not a greeting not a name it was a question do you know who I am you can hide a secret for decades until it looks you in the eyes Thatcher stepped into the room and the silence felt heavier than the air itself Marlo didn’t speak at first her hands were clenched around the hospital blanket Knuckles pale her eyes though they never left his they weren’t just looking at him they were searching him measuring something

you knew him didn’t you she asked her voice horse but steady Hollis rer she didn’t say my father and Thatcher didn’t answer right away because part of him still couldn’t say it out loud I served with him Thatcher finally replied his voice quiet we were in the same unit until the last tour she nodded once as if confirming something only she could see he wrote about you she said and her eyes welled with tears that didn’t fall said you were the only man he trusted said if something happened to him you’d know what to do Thatcher’s throat

tightened he didn’t feel worthy of that kind of trust not after the decisions he’ made not after how Hol died Marlo reached under her pillow and pulled out a second letter worn creased almost falling apart he wrote this to me before I was born my mother kept it hidden my whole life said it was too dangerous that it would only bring pain she handed it to him with trembling fingers Thatcher took it feeling the weight of it like it was lined with lead he didn’t open it he couldn’t not not yet I only found it after she passed Marlo

continued a few weeks ago and then things started happening people watching me following me someone tried to break into my apartment they didn’t take anything just searched as if they were looking for something specific her voice cracked now and she pressed her hand against her belly instinctively protective that’s why I came here to find you to find out who he really was and why someone still wants whatever he left behind Thatcher sat down slowly in the chair by her bedside the letter resting on his knee like it might catch fire at any moment there were things Hollis never told anyone he said not

even me but if someone’s still after his Secrets it means whatever he buried didn’t stay buried Marlo turned her head staring at the blank wall and now I’m the one carrying it Thatcher didn’t correct her because deep down they both knew she wasn’t just talking about the baby some things are stolen to protect the world others to protect a soul that night Thatcher sat alone in his apartment the letter from Marlo still unopened on the table in front of him the lamp cast a dull yellow light over the edges of the paper making the words to my daughter if I’m gone look even

heavier Bishop lay at his feet ears twitching eyes half open alert even in rest the air felt thick with memory and guilt there were things Thatcher remembered from that final mission with Hollis things no one else was supposed to know things that had haunted his sleep for over 20 years he finally opened the letter hollis’s handwriting shaky and rushed spilled across the page like a man trying to outrun time he spoke of government files hidden documents and a flash drive taken during a covert recovery operation one that wasn’t in any official report they told

us we found weapons the letter read but what I saw wasn’t designed for the battlefield it was information personal names coordinates and something else something they were willing to kill for Thatcher’s stomach dropped he remembered that mission the night Hollis disappeared for nearly 4 hours and came back with blood on his shirt and fear in his eyes he’d never explained never told anyone what he’ done just handed off a sealed Satchel to someone from Langley and pretended it never happened until now now that Satchel’s contents had

likely never reached its destination or worse it had and someone wanted it back a knock on the door snapped him out of his spiral three sharp wraps not random not hesitant Bishop stood in a Flash growling low Thatcher approached the door cautiously gun at his side he opened it just enough to see the hallway empty but something was taped to the door a photo grainy black and white it showed Marin standing at a bus stop visibly pregnant on the back a single typed message you’re not the only one who got the letter Thatcher’s blood went cold it

wasn’t just about Marlo anymore someone else out there had received the same warning the same knowledge and they were watching her which meant she wasn’t safe not in the airport not in the clinic not anywhere he turned back to Bishop get your vest he muttered we going back whatever Hollis had stolen Marlo was now the key to finding it and someone out there wanted her silenced before she realized it sometimes your arrival was predicted long before you packed your bags by the time Thatcher arrived back

at the airport Clinic it was just past midnight the Halls were quiet most Travelers long gone replaced by janitors and over night staff who barely glanced at him but something in the air felt wrong Bishop moved ahead of him with purpose nose twitching ears forward the clinic doors were unlocked that alone was a red flag security never left those rooms open after hours he reached for his badge pushing the door slowly the lights were off no nurse at the desk and Marlo’s room empty her blanket lay folded on the chair a plastic cup of water still sat untouched on the

nightstand thatchers got Twisted she wouldn’t have left without telling someone not after the conversation they had not unless he turned to Bishop the dog was locked in on something the air vent sniffing furiously then he growled deep angry someone had been there recently ly and whoever it was they didn’t want Marlo to stay his phone buzzed in his pocket unknown number he answered no one spoke for 3 seconds then a voice distorted male calculated she’s safer with us than with you officer malun stay out of this you’ve already

failed her father don’t fail her too the line went dead Thatcher stood Frozen his hands clenched around the phone the room around him felt colder now whoever had taken her knew who he was knew about Hollis knew about the past and they weren’t some street level thugs this was coordinated precise planned he replayed the message in his mind you already failed her father the guilt dug deeper now but the anger was Stronger he hadn’t been able to save Hollis but he wouldn’t lose Marlo too back at security HQ Thatcher pulled the footage from the

clinic hallway and there it was 11:46 p.m. two men dressed as paramedics pushing a gurnie come professional Marlo unconscious strapped in no struggle they even nodded at the night staff f fake credentials real uniforms and gone in less than 90 seconds he paused the screen zoomed in a patch on the gurnie bag barely visible Rion a name from a past he’d hoped was buried a name tied to operations He was ordered never to speak of Thatcher stared at the screen jaw clenched heart racing they hadn’t just predicted she’d come

they were waiting for her some files are never meant to be opened unless you’re the one they buried them for Thatcher sat in the dim light of his kitchen a steaming mug of black coffee untouched in front of him Bishop lay by the door alert but still the name ra o n echoed through his mind like a warrum that was no ordinary group Rae o n had been a black cell a shadow operation that technically didn’t exist on paper born out of a post 9/11 Intel initiative dissolved publicly in 2011 but rumored to still operate under Deep Cover Hollis

had hinted at them once in Whispers during a patrol in Helmand they don’t extract people Hollis had said they erase them Thatcher needed Intel and he knew only one person crazy enough to still keep an off-grid archive of Declassified dirt Alby crane a conspiracy Theory junkie and former NSA analyst who’d gone Rogue years ago he lived Off the Grid in an old trailer in the Hills outside Columbus Thatcher hadn’t seen him in over a decade but if anyone still had something on ra a o n it’ be Albi driving through the night

Thatcher kept replaying the footage in his head the calm Precision of the impostor Medics the badge the message they weren’t improvising they were executing a plan that had Pro probably been in place for years if Hollis left behind something powerful enough to wake up our a again it had to be more than just a list of names it had to be proof of something they’d kill to keep hidden Al’s Trailer looked like something out of a sci-fi movie solar panels wires hanging from satellite dishes and a sign on the door that read smile you’re already compromised when Alby opened the

door Barefoot and wearing a t-shirt that said I don’t trust me either he didn’t even Flinch at the sight of Bishop or Thatcher told you this day would come he muttered I’ve got two backups of the ghost file but if you’re here it means one of them is already in motion Thatcher raised an eyebrow you knew about Hollis Alby grinned grimly didn’t know him but I tracked the operation the asset extraction gone wrong the sudden blackout in coms that wasn’t just a mission that was a coverup and your friend he wasn’t just a soldier he was the last man standing between that file

and the world inside Alby slid open an encrypted hard drive and pulled up a folder marked with a skull icon the screen flickered before revealing a single video file this is what they buried Alby whispered and what they’ll kill to bury again Thatcher leaned in the screen showed a dark interrogation room a shadowy figure sat across from a man bound to a chair bruised barely conscious Marlo’s eyes hollis’s face and a voice off camera tell us where you hit it or your child disappears some rescues aren’t planned on Maps they’re built on regret the

grainy footage from Al’s monitor played over and over in Thatcher head as he drove back toward red Hollow Hollis battered and broken refusing to give up the location of what they wanted the man off camera never showed his face only his voice cold and commanding but what haunted Thatcher most wasn’t the violence it was the moment Hollis looked up and whispered she’s innocent you don’t touch her ever that single phrase told him everything he needed to know Hollis had planned planned for this he knew they’d come not for him but for his

daughter Thatcher had seen enough covert Toops to know the signs our hadn’t just resurfaced they had rebuilt and Marlo’s appearance pregnant vulnerable searching for answers had triggered something a protocol an alert something buried deep within systems that no longer had names and now she was in their hands what they wanted was either still inside her or worse they believed she was the key to finding what Hollis hid two decades ago back at the airport security Hub Thatcher pulled in favors accessed

closed flight logs surveillance records vehicle exits in less than 6 hours he traced the van that took Marlo to a decommissioned military Warehouse 14 Mi outside the city it was listed under a dummy logistics company curus Solutions which according to Albi had been linked to raeo n black funding during the early 2000s everything lined up the Trap was built and Marlo was at the center of it he couldn’t go through official channels not with Rae o n involved they had reach influence possibly even moles inside law

enforcement so he went underground pulled out the burner phone he swore never to use again dialed a number two rings then a voice answered didn’t think I’d hear from you again malun it was Cassandra vas a former Recon specialist turned ghost operative she owed him her life and she never forgot debts I need extraction he said one Target high risk immediate Cassandra didn’t ask questions she only said send coordinates I’ll bring the silence Thatcher ended the call and looked down at Bishop the dog sat alert as if sensing what was coming you ready for one more he asked Bishop’s

tail thumped once then again it was all the answer he needed as he loaded his weapon and secured the hard drive with the footage into a locked case Thatcher’s mind returned to the words in hollis’s letter if you find her protect her even from the truth he strapped on his vest checked his watch and whispered to himself time’s up Hollis I’m getting her out you don’t realize how dark the world is until someone locks the door behind you the warehouse loomed in the distance like a dead giant wide low silent Thatcher

parked two blocks away under an overpass the city lights barely reaching the Rusted structure Cassandra Vos arrived minutes later dressed in black tactical gear her eyes hidden behind infrared lenses she didn’t waste time with greetings just handed him a calm and nodded toward the building two guards at the rear entrance third one smokes every 18 minutes by the generator we’ll go in on his next break Thatcher nodded impressed she hadn’t lost her edge but he could feel the tension in his chest this wasn’t just another operation Marlo was inside they

moved in silence weaving through Shadows Bishop led the way his movements fluid precise at exactly 213 a.m. the third guard lit a cigarette just like Cassandra said they slipped through a side panel that had been pried open long ago forgotten by whoever last inspected the place inside it smelled of oil metal and something older Decay the corridors were narrow lined with crates that bore No Labels Thatcher’s flashlight passed over them revealing only dust and locks and then they heard it a faint voice

weak female they followed the sound through a winding path until they reached a locked room with a small window Marlo sat inside cuffed to a chair her hair matted lips cracked but her eyes eyes her eyes lit up the moment she saw him Thatcher’s chest tightened she tried to speak but her voice was barely audible Cassandra began working the lock but Bishop let out a low growl hold Thatcher said he turned slowly from the Shadows behind them footsteps two men armed one of them held a silencer the other a stun baton step away from the door the taller one

said calm as if rehearsed you weren’t supposed to find her this soon Thatcher didn’t hesitate and yet here we are in a single move Cassandra dropped the first guard with a shot to the leg while Bishop lunged at the second knocking the Baton loose Thatcher tackled the taller man slamming him against a crate the fight was brief but brutal seconds later both guards were down and the Silence of the warehouse returned heavier than before they freed Marlo her voice cracked as she tried to sit up they kept asking about a code something my father

gave me but I don’t have it I don’t know what they mean Thatcher helped her stand you do he said softly you just don’t realize it yet as they moved through the warehouse toward their exit Point Cassandra covering the rear a monitor flickered on behind them unseen a security feed a camera none of them noticed and behind it in a dark room somewhere far away a woman with silver hair and a cold stare leaned forward she’s active she whispered to someone offscreen the child is waking up then she smiled let them run we’re just getting started some answers don’t come

from the living they Echo from those who stayed silent too long the motel room was quiet almost unnaturally so Marlo sat on the edge of the bed a blanket wrapped around her shoulders her fingers tracing the outline of the dog tag still hanging from her neck Thatcher stood near the window watching the rain slide down the glass Cassandra slept in the chair one eye always half open Bishop exhausted lay curled at Marlo’s feet his breathing slow and steady the warehouse raid had taken its toll physically and

emotionally but the real weight now came from what hadn’t been answered I don’t remember her ever talking about him Marlo whispered breaking the silence my mother Lena she kept everything locked away literally she had this wooden box with a broken latch I was never allowed to touch it Thatcher turned do you still still have it Marlo nodded it’s at my apartment they tore the place apart but I doubt they found it she hid it inside an old piano the kind no one thinks works anymore her voice cracked typical

of her she made everything seem Out Of Tune when in fact she was the one carrying the melody the next morning with new identities and an unmarked car provided by Cassandra’s contacts they headed toward Marlo’s apartment the building had been taped off but thatcher knew how to get around tape inside it was worse than she expected every drawer overturned every picture frame smashed but the piano was untouched hidden in plain sight Marlo lifted the lid revealing the Aged wooden box inside she opened it slowly like breaking open a tomb inside were photographs black and

white time worn of Lena with Hollis laughing beside a military Jeep documents in farsy a warn cassette tape labeled only to her when she’s ready and finally a small velvet pouch inside it a key old brass ornate with a number etched in the side 0471 Marlo stared at it like it was radioactive I’ve seen this this number before she murmured in her handwriting on a map of Arlington Thatcher eyes narrowed that’s not just a key that’s a location a safe deposit box back at the motel they listened to the cassette Lena’s voice was older than Marlo remembered slower

more deliberate if you’re hearing this it means you’re in danger and I’m sorry I tried to protect you from him from them from the truth but you were always going to find your way back you were born too Marlo’s hands trembled I never told you about what they did to Hollis or to me but what’s in that box it doesn’t just belong to them it belongs to you and they’ll do anything to keep it buried outside the rain had turned to thunder lightning lit the sky for a single second and in that flash through the motel window Thatcher saw something

a figure watching he stood up instantly they found us Cassandra opened her eyes Bishop growled and Marlo whispered as if the truth had finally surfaced it was never about the file it was about me some truths don’t fit in in a box they break everything around them the train to Arlington was quiet the rhythmic hum on the tracks barely audible beneath the weight of what they were about to do Marlo sat between Thatcher and Cassandra the key clutched tightly in her hand like a Lifeline Bishop lay under the seat unusually still as if sensing the

gravity of their destination none of them spoke much the air between them was thick with anticipation fear and questions that had no easy answers for Thatcher the silence was a battlefield in itself he could feel the war returning not the one fought with guns but the one fought with memory they arrived just past noon the sky was gray matching the stone streets and heavy Federal buildings that surrounded the historical district the bank was old made of granite with brass doors and guards that looked more ceremonial than functional inside they were greeted by a

receptionist who barely looked up from her screen until she saw the key her face changed instantly recognition alarm she stood and called for the manager without another word moments later a man in a sharp navy suit appeared introducing himself as Mr Lon he led them through a long Corridor passed rows of Steel deposite boxes box 0471 he said stopping in front of a vault with dual locks this box hasn’t been accessed in over 20 years the account was sealed By Request of a Miss Lena V Ashford you must be her designated Heir Marlo nodded her voice

was steady I am lton inserted his master key Marlo inserted hers together the locks clicked and the heavy drawer slid open with a metallic groan inside there was Noone no jewelry just a thick manila envelope marked Eyes Only and a small antique pocket watch still ticking Marlo picked up the envelope first inside were classified documents marked with military seals some in English others in farsy photographs of men in uniform maps with red lines drawn through desert terrain and one image that made Thatcher step back it was a younger version of

him and Hollis standing in front of a base with a woman just barely visible behind them Lena but beneath the papers there was something else a DNA report sealed in plastic the name at the top Marlo V Ashford and under it a line highlighted in yellow anomalous genetic markers detected subject matches project Helix profile Cassandra narrowed her eyes project Helix that’s Black Ops level biotech DARPA started that in the ’90s and shut it down when too many assets went missing Thatcher’s stomach turned you’re

saying she was part of a program no Cassandra said quietly looking at Marlo I’m saying she might be the result of one Marlo stared at the paper in her hand her breath shallow the truth was no longer hidden her mother hadn’t just protected her from people she had protected her from herself and now as the ticking of the old pocket watch filled the room the past and future collided whatever I am Marlo whispered they’ve known since before I was born Thatcher looked at her then at the folder and they’re not going to stop now you don’t need to wear a uniform to be a

weapon sometimes being born is enough back at a secure Hideout provided by Cassandra an abandoned Ranger Station deep in the woods of West Virginia the team spread the documents across the table Maps charts coded memos and above all the Helix files Cassandra worked quickly eyes scanning each page with military Precision Thatcher stood by the window arms crossed while Marlo sat silently the DNA report in her lap the truth was starting to take shape but it was far more dangerous than any of them expected

project Helix wasn’t just Gene research Cassandra finally said holding up one of the faded documents it was an off-record operation built to identify and manipulate inherited biological advantages intelligence strength memory even psychological resilience they weren’t trying to create super Sol ERS they were trying to breed them Thatcher’s voice was low selective pairing controlled invironments monitoring from birth Cassandra nodded and according to this Lena was a volunteer or maybe a Target she had

genetic markers they considered Prime Thatcher looked at Marlo and Hollis he wasn’t just your father Cassandra replied he was your Handler your protector your warning system Marlo’s eyes filled with tears but she didn’t cry not now so my entire life was planned she asked everything no Thatcher said gently but someone planned for what you could become that doesn’t mean they get to decide who you are she shook her head then why why do I feel like something’s changing inside me Cassandra looked up sharply what do you mean

changing Marlo hesitated lately I’ve been remembering things I never lived places I’ve never been I can hear voices sometimes Echoes Not Just Thoughts memories but they’re not mine the room went silent Cassandra pulled out a page from the bottom of the folder a psychological evaluation labeled subject 6A the subject described shared memory imprints heightened perception and a deep connection to biological instincts particularly with canines she looked at Bishop the dog hadn’t moved from Marlo’s side since she entered the room he

responded to her faster than to Thatcher almost like he was reading her mind she’s not just carrying traits Cassandra said slowly she’s carrying access they engineered her to receive something Thatcher sat down face pale that’s why they didn’t kill her they need her conscious alive awake Marlo looked down at the DNA report then back at the room so what happens when I fully wake up no one answered because none of them knew and outside in the cold wind of the forest the silence wasn’t peace it was preparation they didn’t just create her

to survive they built her to activate Marlo woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat heart pounding like it was trying to break through her chest At first she thought it was another nightmare but there had been no dream just a wave of heat rushing through her body followed by silence so loud it rang in her ears she sat up slowly on the edge of the cot her hands trembling the cabin was dark lit only by The Fading glow of the fireplace Thatcher was asleep on the couch Cassandra by the door and Bishop snored softly at her

feet everything was still but she wasn’t her senses were heightened in a way she couldn’t explain she could hear the electricity humming in the walls the rhythm of Cassandra’s breathing across the room and even the subtle crackling of the wood in the fireplace when she stood her body felt different lighter but stronger balanced as if gravity had adjusted around her she walked to the small mirror near the sink and stared at herself same face same eyes but deeper sharper it was as if someone had turned up the focus on a camera lens and suddenly she could see everything

Thatcher stirred the moment she moved he blinked twice reached for his sidearm then stopped when he saw her standing still in the dim light almost glowing from the sweat and Fire Light Marlo he asked softly she turned toward him slowly like she was trying to calculate the meaning of his voice her expression wasn’t afraid it was focused I saw them she whispered I don’t know how but I saw them the lab the white walls my mother others there were other women other children I knew them but I’ve never met them Cassandra sat up instantly you’re having memory recall that’s not just

adrenaline something’s triggering long-term stored data things your conscious mind never had access to Malo looked down at her hands I don’t know what’s happening to me but it doesn’t feel feel like a breakdown it feels like a beginning Bishop let out a low deep growl not of warning but of response as if something inside him recognized the change the connection between the dog and Marlo had always been strong but now it felt biological instinctive then something beeped a faint steady blinking from the laptop on the table Cassandra was already on her feet crossing the

room that laptop wasn’t connected to anything she said it’s isolated but the blinking continued one light flashing steadily like a heartbeat the screen lit up showing a black window and one line of text Helix protocol Phase 2 activation verified the words pulsed once then disappeared a chill ran through the room they knew this would happen Thatcher said quietly they’ve been waiting for this moment for her to turn on Marlo backed away from the screen her voice barely audible I didn’t press anything I didn’t connect anything

it just happened Cassandra closed the laptop and locked it down that’s because it was never about external control she said the protocol was inside you and now she looked at Thatcher she’s broadcasting you can’t run from your creators not when they built you to find them the silence after the protocol activation was louder than any alarm Marlo could feel something shifting inside her not just physically but mentally emotionally even spiritually she wasn’t just changing she was connecting to something bigger Thatcher knew their window was closing fast now

that the Helix protocol had verified its activation the people behind it the ones who built it would already be on high alert they knew she existed they knew she was active and they would come Cassandra had traced a name from the documents they found in the safety deposit box Dr Julian Crest a former DARPA geneticist officially declared dead in 2012 after a mysterious lab accident but encrypted Financial logs told a different story he was still drawing funds through a shell company based in Arizona he’s not dead Cassandra

confirmed he just vanished behind the right paperwork Marlo stared at the screen if he helped create me then he owes me the truth the location was disguised as a rehab center in the middle of the Arizona desert isolated silent surrounded by sand and shadows but the surveillance feeds painted a different picture armed guards unmarked Vehicles thermal sensors and reinforced entryways this isn’t rehab Thatcher said it’s a bunker Cassandra nodded already unpacking their gear then we go in like it’s a fortress they breached the facility just after midnight using an old maintenance shaft Albi had found

buried in a decade old blueprint inside the air was cold sterile and heavy with something ancient the weight of Secrets the walls were concrete the lighting minimal after navigating through narrow corridors and bypassing security traps they found a hidden lab on the sublevel and standing inside almost as if he had been waiting was a man with gray hair and Hollow eyes he didn’t run he didn’t Panic he just raised his hands slowly you’re early he said softly staring at Marlo the protocol was triggered too soon Thatcher stepped forward gun aimed

are you Dr Crest I was the man replied now I’m just the last one who remembers how she was made Marlo stepped toward him her voice steady but cracking why why my mother why me Crest exhaled slowly because she had the purest markers and you you were our only success the quiet answer to a question the world hasn’t asked yet Cassandra’s voice was sharp what question he looked at her then back to Marlo Helix wasn’t the end it was the first step a prototype and you were the only one who survived the process before anyone could

react an explosion rocked the whole H way behind them the building shook red lights flashed Sirens screamed to life security breach detected containment protocol initiated the system announced Crest gave a bitter smile you wanted the truth he said now they’ll make sure you never leave with it they built her to be a secret now she’s their biggest liability the hallway erupted in red light and blaring Sirens dust shook from the ceiling as metal doors slammed shut in sequence cutting off Escape Routes one by one Cassandra grabbed Marlo’s arm

and pulled her back into the lab they’re sealing the exits we’ve got 90 seconds Max Thatcher locked eyes with Dr Crest you’re coming with us but Crest didn’t move his face had gone pale I was never meant to leave this place he said but she was Marlo looked around her breathing fast but her mind calm unnaturally calm the flashes in her memory returned like bursts of light the blueprints of the compound the maintenance shafts the generator rooms she wasn’t just remembering now she was accessing knowledge she never studied data she was never supposed to have there’s a sub tunnel beneath Lab 3 she

said suddenly it leads to the the old cooling Chambers Cassandra stared at her how do you know that I don’t Marlo whispered but I do they moved fast Thatcher took Point Cassandra covered the rear and Marlo guided them through the Maze of concrete Bishop stayed glued to her side moving with sharp instinctual Precision every corner they turned Marlo was one step ahead predicting camera angles motion sensors even guard patrols it wasn’t luck it was coded survival they reached a sealed bulkhead near the base

of the lab this was welded shut years ago Cassandra muttered not anymore Marlo said she placed her hand on the panel and the lock hissed open the tunnel Beyond was narrow cold and filled with a hum of Forgotten machines as they moved Thatcher turned to her that was n muscle memory that was programming Marlo nodded I think my mother hid more than just a box in that piano she hid knowledge maybe even an entire set of instincts Cassandra glanced back you’re not just remembering this place you were designed to escape

it behind them footsteps thundered through the corridor ra operatives fully armed moving fast gunfire echoed as they reached the edge of the tunnel Thatcher fired back covering the group as they pushed forward a bullet ricocheted striking the wall inches from Marlo’s head Bishop growled and lunged forcing one of the soldiers to fall back in the chaos Thatcher threw a flash grenade into the hallway buying them a few seconds they emerged from the tunnel into a dry Ravine behind the facility a van waited cassand and Ra’s backup as the vehicle sped into the desert night

Marlo clutched the pocket watch From the Vault still ticking steadily in her hand what now she asked her voice shaking for the first time Thatcher looked at her his eyes hard now we stop running he said and we start hunting Cassandra nodded because whoever built this program didn’t just create you she looked toward the dark Horizon they created others if she was the only one why did the files list numbers the safe house in rural New Hampshire was quiet too quiet it was the kind of Silence that didn’t feel peaceful but

tense like the world was holding its breath inside the cabin Marlo sat cross-legged on the floor sorting through files they had taken from crest’s Lab Pages were scattered around her worn documents printed photos and tapes labeled with cryptic codes Thatcher leaned against the door frame watching her with guarded eyes Cassandra sat at the dining table with a notepad trying to build a timeline from the fragments of information but it was Marlo who found it a folded page tucked inside a worn manual no title No context

just a list of names each preceded by the same designation 6A she stared at the paper the names almost glowing against the dim light of the room I thought I was the only one she said softly but I’m not Thatcher stepped closer looking over her shoulder there were five names on the list Marlo’s was the last these aren’t just files he said they’re identities subjects Marlo pointed to the second name Cain Ward I’ve I’ve seen him in my dreams a boy in snow running I thought it was just my imagination Cassandra looked up sharply it’s not imagination

it’s neurological you’re connected somehow genetically or cognitively you’re picking up signals shared memory maybe even instinctual communication Marlo’s voice was barely a whisper they didn’t just make us they linked us later that night Cassandra decrypted a flash drive found with the papers on it was a blinking map five red markers scattered across the US each one matched a name from the list these aren’t just identities she said their locations dormant subjects probably unawakened Thatcher leaned over her

shoulder or already activated Mar stood the map reflected in her eyes if I was triggered they could be two or they could be in danger like I was Cassandra nodded grimly and if they are waking up they won’t know who to trust Thatcher added that makes them vulnerable or deadly Marlo walked to the far corner of the room where the pocket watch From the Vault sat on a small table she picked it up feeling it steady ticking in her Palm there’s something about this watch she said something that keeps showing up in my dreams I think it’s more than sentimental I think it

was used to time something Cassandra glanced at the network code scribbled on Marlo’s DNA report that sequence at the bottom it matches part of this signal that watch might be tuned to the beacon Thatcher looked between the two you’re saying she can track them no Marlo answered quietly I think I can feel them as the team made plans to investigate the closest subject on the list the map blinked again one of the markers shifted slightly movement in the snowy forests of Oregon a teenage boy bolted upright

in bed nose bleeding breath shallow he looked at the sky as if someone had just called his name he wiped the blood away with a trembling hand and whispered Marlo he didn’t know her name but somehow he’d always been waiting for her the town of silverpines Oregon was the kind of place people forgot quiet surrounded by Forest and buried in snow most of the Year Cain Ward had lived there his entire life raised by a retired military contractor who claimed to be his uncle the man was strict reclusive and and never spoke about Cain’s parents whenever Cain asked the

answer was always the same they were lost in service but Cain never bought that story not really because sometimes late at night he heard voices in his dreams and sometimes he saw her she was always the same girl blonde hair dark eyes strong but scared sometimes she was in a lab other times she was running Cain didn’t know who she was but every time he woke from those dreams his hands would shake his chest would ache and his nose would bleed he’d stopped telling his uncle years ago the last time he brought it up the man had burned a photo cane had drawn the girl’s face right in

front of him you weren’t made to remember he had said that sentence haunted him more than the dreams that morning after the strongest dream yet Cain had felt something different like a switch had been flipped the girl had whispered something this time a name Marlo and when he woke up the Old Clock in the hallway untouched for years was ticking again he didn’t know why that scared him more than the dream itself he went to the basement to the old chest his uncle had always told him never to open but something inside Cain told him

he had the right now inside the chest were medical files dozens some with his name others with codes 6 a02 one file had a picture of him at age five hooked up to machines another showed his blood under a microscope Helix adaptive subject Ward his hands began to tremble he wasn’t adopted he wasn’t orphaned he was built trained and kept under watch his whole life had been contained and now the walls were beginning to crack at that moment he heard tires on snow outside his uncle was home early Cain grabbed

the files shoved them into his backpack and climbed out through the back window he didn’t know where he was going only that something inside him was pulling him East drawing him calling him the name Marlo echoed in his head like a beacon he didn’t know her but deep down he felt like she was the only one who could tell him what he really was that night in the cabin in New Hampshire Marlo Sat by the fire clutching the map with five blinking points one of them had just moved her eyes flickered open and she whispered he’s awake Thatcher

looked up from the table Cain Marlo nodded slowly he’s running Cassandra stepped in from outside snow in her boots then we better find him before they do some meetings aren’t chance they’re coated into your blood the snow fell hard in Northern Pennsylvania as the team crossed state lines in the black SUV Cassandra had modified to avoid surveillance Marlo sat in the back seat eyes fixed on the blinking tracker on the laptop beside her one of the red dots had begun to move erratic at first then steady heading east Cain Ward she didn’t know how she could feel it but it was there a

kind of resonance in her chest like his presence pulled something deep inside her into alignment he’s scared she said quietly but he’s not running from me he’s running to me Cassandra glanced at her in the rear view mirror the link between you two is getting stronger if the helix design included shared neural frequency the closer you get the more connected you’ll become Thatcher riding shotgun didn’t like the sound of that so what happens when all of them are awake Cassandra exhaled then the experiment is live and there’s no telling what that

means for any of us Malo looked down at her hands they didn’t Shake anymore in fact the more she tapped into that connection the more focused and in control she felt like the chaos around her made her mind sharper she wasn’t falling apart she was falling into place meanwhile deep in the forest near Scranton Cain trudged through kneee snow the files in his backpack weighing more on his soul than on his shoulders his breath came in sharp bursts his skin numb but something kept pushing him forward he didn’t know what lay ahead

only only that going back meant being erased behind him the faint Rumble of tires on snow echoed like a bad Omen a black vehicle no headlights moving slowly deliberately not looking for him tracking him Marlo sat up Suddenly in the car they found him Thatcher turned where I don’t know she said eyes wide but he’s in danger I can feel it in my head like pressure building behind my eyes Cassandra floored the gas then we don’t wait for coordinates we move now that night as Cain stumbled across a frozen Creek a voice called out from the trees come cold controlled asset 6

a02 halt three men in tactical black stepped out from the darkness weapons raised k froze heart slamming in his chest and just when it seemed like it was over a shape burst from the Shadows Bishop followed by Marlo when two pieces of the same code Collide something new begins snow exploded around them as Bishop lunged at the nearest ra operative knocking the man flat onto the ice Marlo moved fast faster than she had ever moved before she tackled LED cane behind a fallen tree just as gunfire lit up the clearing you’re real he whispered stunned his breath fogging in the cold

I’ve seen you in my head for years she looked him in the eye her voice steady despite the chaos you’re not crazy you’re connected Cain nodded still shaking I thought I was losing my mind no Marlo said you’re waking up Thatcher and Cassandra provided cover fire from behind a ridge forcing the remaining raeo n agents to retreat for now when the gunfire stopped and the snow settled again the forest fell into a tense Eerie silence Cain looked at Marlo stunned how did you find me I didn’t she said we found each other there was something electric

between them now not romantic not verbal something else like the feeling of remembering a song you’ve never heard before but already know by heart back at the SUV Cain sat with his head in his hands trying to process everything the files in his backpack matched the data Cassandra had decrypted neurolinks genetic sequencing shared memory networks he wasn’t just like Marlo he was built with her the second viable Helix subject Cassandra looked at both of them there were five she reminded them you’re two which means

three are still out there and ouro N won’t stop now not after this Marlo glanced at Cain do you feel it he nodded like static like someone’s trying to speak but the frequency isn’t tuned yet that’s them she said the others Thatcher stepped into the cabin wiping snow from his coat we’ve intercepted chatter ra AE o n isn’t regrouping they’re preparing for full sweep protocol they’re going to activate whoever’s left or eliminate them before we get there Cassandra stood and looked out the window where the storm was building again this was never

about survival it was about selection you two were designed to survive this long the rest maybe not Marlo stood a quiet fire in her eyes then we don’t run anymore we find the others we bring them in and we end this before they do Cain looked at her surprised you’re not scared she smiled a little broken but still standing I am but fear doesn’t mean stop she reached for the pocket watch still ticking steadily fear just means now they were built to follow but they chose to end it the old facility in the hills of North Carolina

looked abandoned but Marlo could feel it the signal was still alive she Cain Cassandra Thatcher and Bishop stood at The Rusted entrance knowing this was it deep below the last three Helix subjects were awake no more running no more hiding they descended into the cold tunnels in silence guided more by Instinct than by memory inside they found them three others just like Marlo and Cain marked modified connected no fear in their eyes just recognition one of them a girl stepped forward we’ve seen you in the dark Cain nodded we came to shut it down in the control room

Cassandra inserted the final drive this wipes everything everywhere Marlo looked at her steady do it when the system went dark it was like a breath they didn’t know they were holding had finally released the servers shut down the codes vanished the hum that had followed them their whole lives gone in its place was silence and peace for the first time they weren’t assets or subjects they were simply alive human outside the sun broke over the trees as the facility collapsed behind them Cain turned to Marlo it’s over she

shook her head no it’s just beginning we end what they started for everyone like us no more secrets no more control just Choice the one thing Helix had never allowed as they drove away Marlo held the pocket watch in her hand ticking steadily a voice echoed faintly in her mind her mother’s voice you weren’t made to obey you were made to choose and as the light touched her face Marlo closed her eyes for the first time she felt free