Chapter 13 - Why Claire Screamed
Emma finally understood the video moment differently.
Claire screamed:
“ROBERT—DON'T READ THE SECOND NAME!”
Why?
Not because she feared her identity being exposed.
Because Marianne had told her something.
Claire confessed.
Hours before the study confrontation, Daniel Crane—Marianne—called.
“If Robert sees the second name, Emma dies.”
Claire believed there was someone monitoring the room.
If Robert unfolded the page, the threat would activate.
That was why Claire screamed.
Not to protect herself.
To protect Emma.
Emma stared at her.
“You still helped restrain me.”
“Yes.”
“You still threatened me.”
“Yes.”
“Yet you thought you were keeping me alive.”
“Yes.”
The contradiction was ugly.
Real.
Claire had been told the restraint was theater.
Scare Emma into signing.
Prevent a worse response.
She chose to participate.
Marianne knew exactly how to turn partial information into cruelty.
Victor was given a different lie.
He was told Claire would be killed if Emma refused.
So Victor pushed Emma.
Claire was told Emma would be killed if Robert learned her identity.
So Claire pushed Emma.
Each believed the other person was the hostage.
Neither talked honestly.
Marianne's greatest weapon had never been guards.
It was isolation.
Emma said:
“You two were sleeping together. Apparently you could communicate about everything except the important part.”
Neither answered.
Fair.
Robert traced Marianne's location.
Whitmore House.
The original estate.
She had returned to where Miriam died.
Robert wanted to go alone.
Emma refused.
“You're not protecting me by leaving me ignorant again.”
She remained at the hospital under police protection.
But she participated by secure video.
Claire stayed.
Victor stayed separately.
Michael went with Robert and federal agents.
They entered Whitmore House at dawn.
No Marianne.
Only recordings.
One room contained photographs spanning twenty-nine years.
Emma as a baby.
Claire at school.
Victor playing baseball.
Robert outside Emma's college graduation.
Claire meeting Victor.
Emma and Victor's wedding.
Emma's positive pregnancy test.
Someone had watched all of them.
On the wall:
W-17 FAMILY TREE.
At the bottom:
UNBORN SUBJECT — GENERATION III.
Robert ripped it down.
Behind it was a safe.
Inside:
Miriam's final diary.
The last entry was dated the morning of the fire.
I finally understand Marianne's plan.
She doesn't want to cure children.
She wants to prove something about Robert.
Robert stared.
Michael read over his shoulder.
The next line:
If she's right, W-17 was never our mother's research.
It began with him.
May you like
Robert whispered:
“With me?”
