Chapter 17: Secrets in the Storm

The helicopter hovered above the trees, its spotlight sweeping over the cabin.

"There's a tunnel under the house," Alex said, pushing aside a rug to reveal a trapdoor. "Mom built it when she first brought me here."

"Alex, you and Adrian take the north route," Elijah ordered, grabbing his backpack. "Aidan, Asher, with me. Maya and Audrey, head east."

Rain started pouring as they rushed through the tunnel. Thunder cracked overhead, matching the sound of boots stomping on the cabin floor above them.

"We have five minutes before they find this tunnel," Alex whispered, pointing to a fork ahead. "That way leads to the creek. Stay in the water to hide your tracks."

They split up as planned. Elijah led the twins through the narrow passage, his flashlight casting long shadows on the dirt walls.

"Victor is supposed to be in the hospital," Aidan said, breathing hard. "How is he in that helicopter?"

"Maybe it wasn't him," Asher suggested. "Maybe—"

A deafening explosion shook the tunnel, sending dirt raining down on their heads.

"They blew up the cabin," Elijah gasped. "Move, now!"

They reached the creek just as the storm unleashed its full fury. Rain hammered down, turning the gentle stream into a rushing torrent. Lightning flashed, revealing a small boathouse ahead.

"In there," Elijah shouted over the thunder. "We need shelter!"

Inside, they found an old rowboat and fishing gear. The roof leaked, but the walls kept out the worst of the storm.

"The roads will be flooded," Aidan said, wringing water from his shirt. "We're stuck here until morning."

Elijah checked his phone. "No signal. We can't know if the others made it out."

Asher paced the small space, peering through cracks in the wooden walls. "I should have gone with Adrian. He still doesn't trust me."

"He'll be fine with Alex," Aidan assured him. "Alex knows these woods."

As night deepened, the temperature dropped. They huddled together for warmth, their bodies forming a tight circle on the dusty floor.

"I never imagined I'd be on the run with both Carter twins," Elijah said, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Aidan studied Elijah's face in the dim light of their emergency lamp. "You planned to use us against each other. How did that plan turn into this?"

"Life rarely follows our plans," Elijah replied. "Sometimes it gives us what we need instead of what we want."

Asher watched them, his eyes reflecting complicated feelings. The way Aidan leaned toward Elijah, the way Elijah's hand rested near Aidan's—it stirred both jealousy and something deeper in him.

"I'll check outside," Asher said suddenly, standing up. "See if the rain's letting up."

At the doorway, he felt Maya's presence before he saw her.

"The others?" he asked quietly.

"Safe," she confirmed, slipping inside. "Adrian and Alex found the emergency vehicle your mother stashed nearby. Audrey and I followed your trail here."

"Where are they now?"

"Heading to Chicago," Maya said. "We should stick to the plan—different locations, different teams."

Inside, Aidan had fallen asleep against Elijah's shoulder. Maya noticed Asher watching them.

"It's complicated, isn't it?" she asked softly.

Asher nodded. "I had him first. But seeing him with Aidan... it doesn't hurt the way I thought it would."

"Because you care for them both," Maya observed.

"Is that even possible?" Asher asked. "To love two people at once?"

"The heart doesn't follow rules," Maya said, her eyes knowing. "But right now, we have bigger problems."

She pulled out her tablet, somehow still working despite the storm. "I managed to download security footage from Victor's mansion before we left."

The video showed Victor's bedroom. A nurse helped him into bed—the same Victor they'd seen shot just days before.

"Keep watching," Maya urged.

On screen, once alone, "Victor" reached up and pulled at his face. A mask peeled away, revealing a younger man beneath.

"Who is that?" Asher gasped.

"One of Victor's test subjects," Maya explained. "He's had doubles for years. The real Victor was in that helicopter."

"So the man we thought we shot—"

"Was a body double," Maya finished. "And now Victor has the missing pages from your mother's journal."

Morning came with clearing skies. The creek had swollen beyond its banks, surrounding the boathouse with muddy water.

"We'll have to wade through," Elijah said, shouldering his pack.

Aidan stood at the edge, looking troubled. "I had a dream last night. Mom was trying to tell me something about the evidence."

"What was it?" Asher asked.

"Something about mirrors," Aidan frowned. "She said, 'The truth isn't in the hiding places—it's in plain sight.'"

Elijah looked thoughtful. "Your mother was clever. Maybe the map is a distraction."

"Or a code," Maya suggested. "Those five locations might form a pattern only you five would recognize."

As they prepared to leave, a sound stopped them—the distant whop-whop of helicopter blades.

"He's back," Asher whispered.

Elijah pulled them away from the door. "We need a diversion."

"I have an idea," Aidan said, eyes brightening with sudden clarity. "Something Mom used to do with us as kids. A twin trick."

He glanced at Asher, who immediately understood.

"It might work," Asher nodded. "But we'd need to split up afterward."

"What are you two planning?" Elijah asked, looking between them.

The twins shared a smile—identical and mysterious.

"We're going to show Victor that two can play at his game," Aidan said.

"And while he's chasing ghosts," Asher added, "we'll find what Mom really left for us."

Maya looked skeptical. "And what exactly did she leave?"

Aidan's eyes met Elijah's. "A mirror to Victor's soul."

The helicopter circled closer, its shadow passing over the boathouse. Below, four figures slipped into the water, scattering in different directions.

Among the trees, watching through binoculars, stood a figure with Victor's face. But this time, it wasn't a mask—it was the real Victor Carter, holding torn journal pages in one hand.

"Find them all," he spoke into a radio. "But bring the twins to me alive."

Behind him, partially hidden in the helicopter, sat a person whose face would have shocked the fleeing siblings—someone they believed was on their side, someone who had been playing both sides from the beginning.