“One of us is Daniel Sterling.”
The gun remained pointed at Khloe’s father.
Khloe moved toward him.
Marcus caught her.
“Stay behind me.”
The stranger smiled.
“How touching.”
Khloe stared at him. “Who are you?”
“I already told you.”
“No. My father raised me.”
“And eleven years ago, he stole my name.”
The man Khloe knew as Daniel stepped forward.
“His name is Victor Hale.”
Jonathan, bleeding on the floor, managed to speak.
“Victor was Project 417’s final administrator.”
Marcus understood.
“You switched identities.”
Victor smiled.
“Finally.”
---
Years earlier, Project 417 had become too dangerous to continue.
Daniel, Jonathan and Elizabeth Sterling had attempted to destroy it.
Victor had chosen another solution.
He used the project on himself.
Records were changed.
Biometric files disappeared.
Medical histories were rewritten.
And when Daniel Sterling supposedly died eleven years ago, Victor took the identity Daniel had abandoned.
“But why?” Khloe asked.
“Because Daniel Sterling had everything,” Victor replied. “Access. Wealth. Power.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You never wanted my life. You wanted control of Sterling Medical.”
“Same thing.”
Marcus looked toward Adrian.
“And Isabella?”
“She discovered Victor six months ago,” Adrian said. “I recruited her to help expose him.”
Khloe stared at him.
“So Isabella really was trying to protect me?”
“Not entirely.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“She also wanted revenge.”
Victor laughed.
“Everyone here wants revenge.”
He raised the gun toward Daniel.
“Some of us simply admit it.”
A second gunshot rang out.
But Victor had not fired.
His weapon fell from his hand.
Isabella stood in the doorway holding a security officer’s pistol.
Blood appeared across Victor’s shoulder.
“Move away from Khloe,” she said.
Victor laughed through the pain.
“You finally chose a side.”
“No.”
Isabella kept the weapon trained on him.
“I chose hers.”
Sirens sounded outside.
Marcus looked at Adrian.
“You called the police?”
Adrian shook his head.
“I did,” Daniel said.
Victor’s expression changed.
“You idiot.”
“No more disappearing.”
Daniel looked around the room.
“No more fake deaths. No more stolen identities.”
Victor smiled.
“You think Project 417 ends with me?”
Daniel went still.
Victor pointed toward the computer servers lining the far wall.
“There are hundreds of records.”
Marcus stared at them.
“Of what?”
“Children.”
Khloe covered her mouth.
Victor continued.
“Families. Identities. People who have no idea who they really are.”
Marcus stepped toward him.
“You kept it running?”
“I expanded it.”
Police flooded the room.
Victor was forced onto his knees.
Jonathan was rushed toward an ambulance.
For the first time, Adrian looked uncertain.
His entire life had been built around destroying Project 417.
Now the truth was larger than even he had known.
---
Outside, Marcus wrapped his jacket around Khloe.
“You should be in the hospital.”
“So should half our family.”
Despite everything, Marcus almost smiled.
Then Khloe took his hand.
“There’s something else.”
His smile disappeared.
“What?”
“My father told me the key belonged to you.”
“I know.”
“But I never told you why I kept it.”
Marcus waited.
Khloe looked down.
“Eleven years ago, Dad told me that someday I would meet someone connected to that key.”
“You knew it was me?”
“Not when we met.”
“When did you know?”
Khloe hesitated.
“The night before our wedding.”
Marcus released her hand.
“You married me anyway.”
“I loved you.”
“You also knew my past was connected to your family.”
“Yes.”
The betrayal hurt more than he expected.
“Marcus—”
“I need time.”
Khloe nodded, tears filling her eyes.
He walked several steps away.
Then Adrian called his name.
“Marcus.”
He was standing beside one of the police vehicles.
“There’s something you need to see.”
Adrian handed him a flash drive.
“What is it?”
“The only backup Victor didn’t know I made.”
“Of Project 417?”
Adrian nodded.
“One file is about you.”
Marcus looked at Khloe.
Then back at Adrian.
“What does it say?”
“I didn’t open it.”
“Why?”
“Because the filename isn’t yours.”
Marcus frowned.
Adrian showed him the screen.
One encrypted folder remained.
**SUBJECT 417-KS**
Khloe approached.
Her face went pale.
“KS,” she whispered.
Marcus looked at her.
“What?”
“My maiden name.”
Khloe Sterling.
Adrian inserted the drive into his laptop.
The folder opened.
A birth record appeared.
Khloe stared at it.
Then at Daniel.
“That’s impossible.”
Marcus read the document.
**SUBJECT 417-KS**
**Birth mother: Elizabeth Sterling.**
His blood turned cold.
Elizabeth Sterling was also listed as his mother.
Marcus looked at Khloe.
Khloe looked back at him in horror.
After everything they had discovered, Project 417 had just raised its most devastating question yet.
Were Marcus and Khloe actually brother and sister?