“What the hell is going on?” he asked.
The woman stepped back and, together, they looked at the younger version of himself. His hair was the opposite of what it was now, shaved down to the skin. He didn’t have any facial hair. His eyes were menacing, far from the empathy they held today.
“Are you ready to know your origins?” she asked.
Killian felt himself start to nod, but when he realized what that might mean, he stopped. His heart beat against his sternum, sending shockwaves to his nerves. Throat closing, he tried to breathe, but found it harder than usual. “I… I…”
She ran her hand over his shoulder, and, for a second, he closed his eyes and thought of Rae. “It’s okay to be scared,” she said.
Killian tightened his muscles and shoved his shoulders backward. “I’m not scared, dammit. Show me. I’ve been ready for a long fucking time now.”
The clone hit a button, and text filled the computer screen below them:
Subject: Killian Korine. Born in a small and now defunct mining town, Junction City. Mother: Unknown. Father: Severin Korine.
Killian saw the words but couldn’t form any of his own. Unable to comprehend the news, his body went into a state of shock.
“Killian?”
Killian Korine.
“Tell me… tell me none of this is true,” he whispered. “I can’t be related to him… I can’t…”
The image of Severin flashed on the screen. He was a man born in the western region of the country, the deserts of the southwest. His mother and father were unknown. “Is it so hard to believe? For most of his life, he was an elusive character. Or, perhaps he scrubbed the early portions of his life out,” she said. “In the end, he made a deal with Cassian. He bought the defective twin, Ruby, knowing she would use her resentment to kill the man who made her.”
“What the fuck does this have to do with me?” Killian growled, knowing full well it had everything to do with him. Still, the thought of his father being in the center of all this madness tore him to pieces.
“He… talks to us,” she said, swallowing hard.
“Severin talks to you? Down here?” Killian couldn’t wrap his head around everything, or maybe it made all the sense in the world. Sometimes, sense hurt too much to fall back on.
The clone took a step back and turned her head to the rows of glowing computers and spinning lights Killian couldn’t even begin to understand. “As I said before, you people think we’re stupid, but we’re just like you. His plan is to kill Ruby before taking the queen as his own. He will use you alphas as scapegoats. Then, he will dismantle the New Republic and replace it with the old ways. All of Cassian’s facilities are still intact. She will be back in the place she was made. After that, the cloning programs will continue.”
“There is so much more that you’re not telling me,” he said.
A smile graced her face, and Killian knew it would be up to him to find out. Still, she did offer one clue. “You are closer to the source than ever before. Just keep fighting. Don’t give up hope.”
Killian lashed his shoulder back. He swung his fist forward, cracking the glass of the computer screen below.
“Don’t!” she cried. “You will ruin everything!”
Bringing his fist back, he inspected the lines of blood that coursed around his frayed knuckles. “Can’t you see, darling? You’re fucked either way. They’re all in his hands now.”
“You are right, but don’t act rash. The knowledge of your birth father means nothing! You are more than those who walked the earth before you.” She grabbed his hands and pulled him forward until his lips were hovering over hers. Their rushed breathing began to slow. “Don’t you love her? Don’t you wish for a better world?”
Killian pressed his forehead against hers and, suddenly, he was in front of Rae, not a clone he could only think of as stupid. Her scent was even the same. “How can I love another when I can’t even love myself?”
“I can’t be the one to answer that question, and neither can she, alpha. But I trust that once you find the answer, you will already be in a better place,” she said.
He pulled back, huffing at the air. Life was a tragedy worth living, he thought. He’d never really doubted that. He just didn’t know what his next step should be. He was, at all points, lost. “Where do I go from here?”
Unexpectedly, she was far away from him now. “Virgil outlined everything. You must turn back to the stables outside of the marble towers. But, first, take this.”
She unrolled her palm, revealing a small button. It seemed like nothing important, but the clone quickly said, “Please, keep this out of harm’s way. You will see the power plant near the stables. As chaos spreads around the region, there won’t be too many guards. Place it onto the concrete. It will disable all power.”
“But taking down one grid won’t be enough to stop
the whole military from coming to their leaders rescue.”