The woman clutched her teenager's hand, whispering her husband's name over and over, her voice thin with panic. Maya stayed close to Rory, while Jace moved ahead, scanning corners with sharp, practiced eyes.
They didn't get far before Jace stopped.
"Wait," he said, voice breaking.
Maya followed his gaze.
A body lay slumped against the corridor wall. Blood everywhere. The walkie-talkie on the man's belt blinked weakly, cracked.
"No," Jace whispered.
He dropped to his knees, hands shaking as he turned the face gently.
Dr. Nathan's face stared back, eyes open and empty, unalive.
Jace made a sound Maya had never heard before—raw and torn from somewhere deep inside his chest. He grabbed Nathan's shoulders, shaking him lightly at first, then harder.
Rory crouched beside him, his voice low, "Jace…"
Jace pressed his ears to Nathan's chest, sobbing openly now. "This is my fault. I should've—"
Rory grabbed his shoulders and said firmly, "Listen to me. We don't have time. He wouldn't want you to stop here."
Jace shook his head, tears falling onto the floor. For a moment, it looked like he might collapse entirely.
Flashback - Jace's First Day
Jace remembered his first day at the lab. He was so nervous as he slowly walked through the bright corridor, trying to find his office.
Dr. Nathan had been waiting for him at the entrance, coffee in hand, lab coat half-buttoned.
"You must be Jace," Nathan said, grinning, "Welcome to the madhouse, aka E.D.E.N."
Jace laughed nervously, "This place is huge."
Nathan snorted. "You haven't seen half of it. Come on."
They walked the halls together, Nathan explaining systems, pointing out access panels, joking about protocols.
"Rule one," Nathan said, lowering his voice dramatically, "Never trust Dr.Kessler with your lunch."
Jace blinked. "What?"
Nathan leaned closer, whispering, "The man steals food like it's a sport. So if your girlfriend makes you lunch, hide it."
Jace chuckled.
Nathan showed him how to code, access cameras, filter files, etc. He was like a dad to Jace.
Jace smiled, "Thanks. For… all of this."
Nathan looked at him for a moment, softer now. "You're a good man, Jace. Don't let this place take that from you. I'll always be here when you need me."
Jace had believed him.
The memory shattered as alarms blared.
Slowly, carefully, he closed Dr. Nathan's eyes with trembling fingers.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you..." he whispered. "Thank you. For everything, Nathan."
Every corridor was filled with dead bodies of guards and scientists, red staining the white floor and walls. Jace gasped as he saw his co-workers bleeding on the floor, unconscious. But they had to keep moving.
They reached a junction where voices echoed ahead. Guards.
Jace then spoke quietly, gesturing towards a room, "Weapon room. This way."
They slipped inside, grabbing what they could—stun batons, shields, knives, a few small firearms. Jace moved like someone who had done this a thousand times.
"Stay behind me," Rory told Maya.
She nodded, heart pounding.
They moved cautiously, stepping over fallen cables and broken panels. Through the corridors, muffled cries and panicked footsteps echoed.
Finally, they reached a larger chamber, a lounge filled with scattered equipment and three figures standing in the centre of the room watching cameras. Dr.Kessler and the other two were his chief scientists, cold-eyed, each holding a weapon. In the corner, a man held a crying toddler girl tightly, fear etched into their faces.
"Over there!" the woman said, her pulse hammering.
Before anyone could react, Kessler turned around, smiling with a kind of twisted satisfaction.
"You're just in time," he said, "I've been waiting for you."
Maya clenched her fist and spoke with a warning, "Step away from them, now!"
Kessler's smile widened.
"Ah, but I want you, Maya." He gestured toward her. "Your DNA… It's special."
Maya froze, then asked, "What… what are you saying?"
Kessler stepped closer and spoke in a lower voice, "You see... your parents worked for me twenty years ago. They helped create the first experiment," he continued. "And then they betrayed me, and ran...but then they had twins, a boy and a girl. You were the girl...Maya."
"My parents...worked for you..?" Maya's voice cracked as she spoke.
"They died, unfortunately....then...You died, Maya," Kessler said, his voice soft, almost sentimental, "But I preserved you. I created you again. A clone. And your twin… your brother… is right here." He looked at Jace.
Jace staggered backward, disbelief written across his face. "M-Me…?"
"No," she whispered, tears in her eyes, "You're lying."
Jace looked at her like the ground had disappeared beneath him, "Maya…"
Maya looked at Jace. He looked just as broken.
"We're… twins?" she whispered.
The world spun for a moment. Maya's legs nearly gave out when Rory caught her in time.
"Its ok. Maya...I'm here," he said softly.
Jace shook his head, tears in his eyes. "I didn't know. I swear—I didn't know." He looked back at Kessler, "So you're saying my parents died after they had me and Maya, who are twins? Am I a clone, too?"
Kessler chuckled, "No, you were alive...however, the real Maya died at birth," He turned to Maya, "And she...is the clone."
Rory looked between them in shock, then asked, "So how did their parents die?"
Kessler's smile faded, "As I said...they betrayed me. They found out something they shouldn't have..." he paused, then grinned, "Just like Dr.Nathan..."
Jace has had enough. He reached for a pistol in his coat and pulled the trigger. A guard jumped in front of Kessler, shielding him, and went down. More guards rushed in.
The woman and her son ran to her husband and daughter, untying them. They cried into each other's arms.
Rory fought like he had nothing left to lose—blocking, punching, knocking out several guards. Jace disarmed a guard, rage driving every move.
Maya tackled one scientist, beating the life out of him, and slammed another into a console with a strong kick.
Rory looked at her, surprised, "Damn...now I'm scared."
Maya laughed, trying to hide her blush.
Kessler slowly backed away towards the door, scanning the room.
Jace, who was busy tackling a guard, threw his pistol on the floor and shouted, "You can't escape! Someone shoot him!"
Maya turned towards Kessler, anger burning in her eyes as she pointed the pistol at him. "This ends now, you sick bastard."
With one swift move, she pulled the trigger. A loud shot echoed throughout the room, and everyone paused. Dr.Kessler looked at Maya in shock, "You—" then he fell. Out cold.
Jace and Rory finished off the other 3 guards remaining until they were all unconscious, no one dead except Kessler.
Maya's hands trembled as she dropped the gun. Her knees finally gave way as she fell to the ground, crying. All the built-up anger, lies, and deaths are catching up to her. Rory ran to her and held her close as she cried into his chest.
"I...killed two people..." she said shakily.
"They were both horrible people responsible for so many innocent deaths. None of this is your fault," Rory said softly.
Jace walked over to the family of four and checked if they were ok. The woman could not stop thanking them.
Now that Dr.Kessler was dead, they had to find a way to leave the desert together...if they could.