Chapter 8 - THE CHOICE
Dr. Lisa tried to stop the countdown.
The system rejected every command.
Samuel disappeared into the corridor while security doors sealed behind him.
William struck the wall with his fist.
Bradley watched the countdown as if he already knew the outcome.
I saw it.
“You know which baby he chose.”
He looked at me.
“Sarah—”
“Which one?”
Tiffany began crying.
Bradley said nothing.
I grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward the monitor.
“Answer me.”
His eyes dropped toward my stomach.
That was enough.
Tiffany understood too.
“You chose hers.”
Bradley looked irritated.
“Her pregnancy showed stronger results.”
Tiffany stared at him.
“You told me I was special.”
“You were necessary.”
She slapped him.
The sound cracked across the room.
Bradley’s face hardened.
He raised his hand.
Ethan stepped between them.
Even weak, he looked dangerous.
“Try it.”
Bradley lowered his arm.
Dr. Carter opened the device casing.
Inside were two frequency chips.
“One for each implant.”
Lisa examined the monitor.
“If we destroy the correct chip, we may interrupt the termination signal.”
“And if we choose wrong?” I asked.
“We could stop the wrong heart.”
The countdown reached three minutes.
Tiffany gripped my hand.
Her fingers were cold.
“We don’t choose between them.”
Dr. Carter looked toward the hidden corridor.
“The main transmitter is somewhere below us.”
Ethan pointed deeper into the passage.
“Two levels down.”
Ramirez handcuffed Bradley to the examination bed.
“Show us the way.”
Bradley laughed.
“You won’t make it.”
I took the black device.
“I’m going.”
Dr. Carter shook his head.
“You’re bleeding.”
“So is my child.”
Ethan stepped beside me.
“I know the route.”
“You can barely stand.”
“I’ve escaped it before.”
Tiffany looked toward Lisa.
“What can I do?”
“Stay connected to the monitor.”
“No.”
She pulled herself upright.
“I am done staying still while men decide what happens to my body.”
We entered the corridor together.
Sarah.
Tiffany.
Ethan.
Dr. Carter.
Ramirez stayed with Bradley while Lisa monitored both babies remotely.
The countdown continued through speakers in the walls.
Two minutes.
We reached a stairwell.
Ethan stopped.
A camera tracked us.
Samuel’s voice came through the intercom.
“Only one child was designed to survive.”
I looked directly into the camera.
“Then your design failed.”
His reply was calm.
“No, Sarah. You did.”
The stairwell lights turned red.
Metal shutters began closing below us.
Ethan pushed me through first.
Tiffany followed.
Dr. Carter jumped beneath the descending shutter.
It struck his back.
He cried out but held it up.
“Go!”
May you like
The countdown reached sixty seconds.
Then Tiffany suddenly collapsed.
