Chapter 37 - The Underground ClassroomThe lights revealed something terrifying.
Small desks.
Tiny chairs.
Children's drawings.
It wasn't a laboratory.
It was a classroom.
On the blackboard someone had written:
Identity can be taught.
Beneath it...
Three names.
Jonathan.
Adrian.
Michael.
Michael.
I whispered the name.
Claire looked at Elias.
"Who's Michael?"
Elias closed his eyes.
"The third brother."
"He wasn't the smartest."
"He wasn't the strongest."
"But he remembered everything."
We searched the classroom.
Inside one desk...
I found an old cassette recorder.
Still labeled.
Lesson 214.
I pressed PLAY.
A man's voice filled the room.
"Repeat after me."
"My name is Jonathan Whitmore."
Three children's voices answered.
Again.
"My name is Jonathan Whitmore."
Again.
"My name is Jonathan Whitmore."
Over and over.
Until one child suddenly spoke differently.
"My name is Michael."
Silence.
Then the sound of someone being slapped.
The recording ended.
Claire covered her mouth.
"They erased them."
Elias whispered,
"They tried."
Further inside...
We discovered another room.
Unlike the others...
It had been cleaned recently.
Fresh footprints.
Fresh coffee.
Someone had been living there.
On the desk sat a chessboard.
One side had already made several moves.
The opposite side remained untouched.
Beside it lay a note.
I've been expecting you.
Signed only with one letter.
M.
Before we could react...
A loud metallic door slammed shut behind us.
Emergency locks engaged.
Every exit sealed.
Then hidden speakers activated.
A calm male voice echoed through the facility.
"Good evening."
"I've waited thirty-two years to meet my brothers."
I froze.
Claire whispered,
"Michael..."
The voice chuckled softly.
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"No."
"That's only one of my names."
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