Chapter 5 - THE FACE INSIDE THE BANDSix hours later, technicians recovered a video.
A man appeared.
Thomas's face.
But a small scar above one eyebrow revealed the truth.
Jonathan Vale.
“My name is Jonathan Vale.”
Noah leaned toward the screen.
“If this recording is being viewed, then Thomas found me.”
Jonathan smiled weakly.
“My brother.”
He described the twin experiment.
The monitoring.
The corruption.
Voss.
Orion.
And the fear that the Harrow voyage was designed to become his grave.
Then another recovered file began playing.
Thomas's voice.
Recorded January 15.
After Blackwater.
“They switched us.”
Everyone froze.
Thomas explained.
Jonathan knew Orion would seize Subject Seventeen.
During the rescue, he put Thomas's dog tags around his own neck.
Thomas was unconscious.
Jonathan wore part of his uniform.
The helicopter crew mistook Jonathan for Thomas.
Meanwhile Thomas woke wearing Jonathan's wristband.
Orion took the wrong twin.
Then Voss found Thomas.
He showed him surveillance photographs.
Claire.
Baby Noah.
Their home.
Their car.
Their routines.
If Thomas revealed himself, his family would die.
So Thomas agreed to disappear.
His final words shattered Noah.
“Claire, I did not leave you.”
A pause.
“I chose the only cage that kept them away from you.”
Noah turned away.
Twenty-one years of anger collapsed inside him.
May you like
His father had not abandoned him.
He had sacrificed the right to be remembered.
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