Chapter 8 - THE GIRL IN THE CARGO HOLD
Natalie ran through the cabin.
“Emma!”
No answer.
Passengers looked terrified.
A flight attendant pointed toward the rear.
“She was sleeping.”
“I saw her.”
“Then the lights went out.”
Natalie's heart pounded.
She opened the service door.
Nothing.
Then she noticed something.
The cargo indicator was active.
Cargo hold access.
She knew immediately.
Someone had taken Emma below deck.
Natalie grabbed a flashlight.
Michael followed.
“Wait.”
“No.”
“Natalie, we don't know what's down there.”
“My daughter is down there.”
They opened the hatch.
Cold air rushed upward.
Inside the cargo compartment, rows of luggage were secured against the walls.
Then they heard a voice.
“Mom?”
Natalie nearly collapsed.
“Emma!”
She climbed down.
Her daughter was sitting behind a stack of equipment.
But she wasn't alone.
A man stood beside her.
Thomas Reed.
Natalie's father.
Older.
Silver-haired.
Calm.
Exactly as she remembered him.
Emma was holding his hand.
“Mom, Grandpa says he's helping us.”
Natalie stared at him.
“You're using my daughter.”
Thomas smiled.
“She came willingly.”
Natalie moved between him and Emma.
“Let her go.”
“You still don't understand.”
“I understand everything.”
“No.”
Thomas shook his head.
“You understand the story Michael told you.”
He pointed toward the equipment.
“You don't understand why ORION needs Emma.”
Natalie looked at the machine.
“What did you do to her?”
“Nothing.”
Thomas smiled.
“She was born with the same neural architecture you have.”
Natalie stepped closer.
“She's a child.”
“She is the future.”
“She is my daughter.”
Thomas's expression hardened.
“You were always emotional.”
Natalie laughed.
“And you were always a coward.”
Thomas's eyes flashed.
Michael entered the cargo hold.
Thomas immediately raised a device.
“Don't move.”
Michael froze.
“You ruined everything,” Thomas said.
Michael looked at him.
“You ruined your own family.”
Thomas's face tightened.
“You stole my daughter.”
Natalie turned.
“What?”
Thomas pointed at Michael.
“Emma was never supposed to be born.”
Natalie looked at Michael.
“Tell me.”
Michael shook his head.
“I didn't know.”
Thomas laughed.
“He knew enough.”
Natalie looked at her father.
“What are you talking about?”
Thomas's expression changed.
“Your mother wasn't the only one who lied.”
Michael lowered his eyes.
“I found out after Emma was born.”
Natalie felt betrayed again.
“Found out what?”
Michael whispered:
“Emma isn't just genetically related to you.”
He looked toward Thomas.
“She was genetically modified before birth.”
Natalie stared.
Thomas smiled.
“The first successful human interface.”
Natalie looked at her daughter.
Emma was crying.
“Mom, I don't feel different.”
Natalie rushed toward her.
Thomas pressed the device.
Every light inside the cargo hold went red.
ORION activated.
Emma screamed.
Natalie grabbed her.
“Stop!”
Thomas spoke calmly.
“The system isn't controlling the aircraft anymore.”
Natalie looked up.
“Then what is it controlling?”
May you like
Thomas smiled.
“Your daughter.”
