Chapter 11 — The Third Identity
Chapter 11 — The Third Identity
Margaret survived surgery.
Nathan and Grace were placed under federal protection while investigators examined the released archive.
Dr. Shaw disappeared.
Nicholas’s body was not found.
Three days later, Grace sat inside a secure hotel room watching Nathan sleep.
He looked like the man she remembered.
But memories had already betrayed her once.
She searched through the files Margaret had recovered.
One document caught her attention.
SUBJECT N-3
She opened it.
The photograph showed a third infant lying beside Nathan and Nicholas.
Triplets.
Grace felt the air leave her lungs.
The third child had been named Noah.
According to the document, Noah had died at six months old.
But the death certificate had been signed by Dr. Shaw.
Grace continued reading.
Subject retained for long-term identity conditioning.
The hotel door opened.
Nathan entered carrying coffee.
“You’re awake.”
Grace turned the laptop toward him.
“Who is Noah?”
The coffee cup slipped slightly in his hand.
He recovered too slowly.
“You know.”
Nathan closed the door.
“Grace—”
“How many brothers are there?”
“Three.”
“You told me Nicholas was your twin.”
“I thought Noah was dead.”
“But you knew about him.”
“I knew what my parents told me.”
Grace stood.
“The voice on the phone said we saved the wrong brother.”
Nathan looked genuinely frightened.
“What are you suggesting?”
“I’m asking you to prove who you are.”
His expression hardened.
“I already did.”
“The scar can be copied.”
“Our memories?”
“Can be implanted.”
Nathan stepped closer.
“What do you want me to say?”
“The truth.”
He stared at her.
Then he whispered, “I don’t know which brother I am.”
Grace went still.
He explained that his memories had returned in fragments. Some belonged to Nathan. Others might have been created by Shaw.
“I came to you because every memory led back to you.”
“That doesn’t make you my husband.”
“No.”
His eyes filled with pain.
“It only means I love you.”
Before Grace could respond, a bullet shattered the hotel window.
Nathan threw her to the floor.
Another bullet struck the wall.
Federal agents rushed inside.
The shooter vanished from a neighboring rooftop.
On the windowsill, they found a small black envelope.
Inside was a note.
Nathan died in the fire. Nicholas died at the clinic. Ask Grace who she brought home.
Beneath the message was an old photograph.
May you like
It showed Nathan, Nicholas and Noah as teenagers.
Noah had a scar beneath his left shoulder.
