Chapter 30 Rage

Chapter 30 Rage
Lucien ran through the lower levels of the bunker like a crazy person. His shoulder wound opened up again. Blood soaked through the fresh bandages.. He didn't feel any pain. He just felt mad. Really really mad.

"Iris!" he shouted. "IRIS!"

Captain Reyes tried to keep up with him. Lucien was moving too fast. "Lucien wait! We need a plan. They took her thirty seconds ago. The team is already tracking the signal—"

Lucien spun around his eyes wild. "They have my wife. They have the mother of my children. There is no plan. There is only getting her back."

In the chamber the kids were crying and screaming. Elias was trying to calm Lila and Noah. Hope and Aurora stood to-back listening for any threats. Dawn held the three newborns rocking them gently. Claire, weak from giving birth whispered promises to them.

Dr. Amara Soto, the traitor was on her knees her hands tied. "They have my daughter. I didn't have a choice. Please… I'm sorry."

Lucien grabbed her by the collar. "Where did they take Iris?"

Amara cried. "The Continuum has a facility under the old Metropolitan building. Councilor Blackwood is preparing the transfer. They want her body for one of their members. A tech mogul whos been in a coma for twelve years. They say her mind is… compatible."

The words hurt Lucien like knives. He dropped to his knees in front of the kids gathering many as he could reach.

"I will bring your mother home " he promised, his voice shaking. "I swear it on every breath I have left. You stay here with Sophia, Serena and Reyes. Be brave for me."

Elias hugged him tightly. "Bring her back Dad. We need her."

Lilas small voice broke everyones heart. "Don't let the bad men take Mommys smile."

Lucien kissed every forehead, the newborns then stood up. He armed himself with everything and headed for the surface with a small team.

The drive to the Metropolitan facility was a blur. Lucien just wanted to get Iris. When they arrived the building looked normal from the outside. Inside it was a fortress. Luciens team breached the level with explosive charges. Gunfire started immediately. Lucien moved like a demon dropping bodies with shots.

They found Iris on -level four. She was strapped to a table, unconscious with electrodes attached to her temples. Councilor Blackwood stood over her smiling.

"You're too late Graves. The transfer has already begun. In thirty seconds your wife will be gone.. One of the greatest minds of the last century will wake up in her body."

Lucien charged at Blackwood fists flying. The fight was brutal and personal. Blackwood was surprisingly strong. Lucien fought with the fury of a man who had already lost too much.

As they fought more twists emerged. A new voice came over the speakers. Victor Lang, broadcasting from a location. "While you're busy with Blackwood I've taken the children. My team breached the bunker ten minutes ago. Sophia and Serena are down. The children are mine now."

Luciens blood ran cold.. Then another feed cut in. Sophias voice, weak but triumphant. "We faked the breach. The children are safe in the panic room.. Victor has Claire. Hes using her and the triplets as leverage."

Lucien snapped Blackwoods neck with a twist. He rushed to Iris ripping the electrodes off her head. She gasped awake eyes with terror and threw her arms around him.

"You came " she sobbed. "I knew you would."

They kissed desperately in the middle of the chaos.. There was no time. The building was going into lockdown. Alarms blared. Self-destruct sequences initiated.

They ran.

As they fought their way to the surface more revelations poured in. Dr. Amara had been playing both sides. She had given the Continuum data while protecting her own daughter. Aurora and Dawn had secretly followed Luciens team. Were now fighting their way through lower levels to reach them. Thomas Vale. Iriss father. Had turned himself in to Victor Lang in exchange for Claires release.

The family was tearing itself apart. Stitching itself back together.

They reached the ground level just as the building began to collapse. Lucien carried Iris out in his arms as concrete rained down around them. Outside Sophia waited with a van. The kids were safe inside.

The final twist waited in the vans rear monitor. A live feed showed Victor Lang holding Claire at gunpoint in a location. Behind him stood a row of vessels. Adult bodies in stasis. One of them had Luciens face. Another had Iriss.

"He cloned us " Claire whispered through the feed. "Years ago. They're planning to transfer the council members into copies of you two. The kids were the beginning. You are the endgame."

Lucien stared at his cloned face, rage and horror twisting inside him. Iris gripped his hand tightly.

Victor smiled on the screen. "Come find us. Alone.. I start transferring minds into your kids tonight."

The transmission ended.

In the back of the speeding van surrounded by their nine kids, Lucien and Iris held each other. The protective rage had evolved into something a parental vow forged in fire and unbreakable love.

They had saved their family from the bunker.

The real war. The one, for their very souls and the souls of every kid they had bled to protect. Was only just beginning.

As the convoy disappeared into the New York night a final anonymous message appeared on Luciens phone:

You can run,. The vessels are already awake. One of them is closer than you think. Sleep well my son.. Victoria

The screen went dark.