Michael received the call three days after the attack.Detective Sarah Chen from Auckland Police. Professional voice. Careful tone.“Mr Thompson, we need you to come to the station. Follow-up questions about the home invasion.”“I already gave my statement.”“I understand. But some inconsistencies have emerged. We need clarification. It’s routine.”Nothing about her voice sounded routine.Michael hung up. Called Dr Foster immediately.“They’re asking questions,” he said. “The police. They want me to come in.”“Expected. The story had holes. Three armed intruders breaking into a suburban home for a random kidnapping attempt? They’re sceptical. But we prepared for this. Remember your training. Stick to the narrative. Answer only what’s asked. Don’t volunteer information.”“What if they ask about Emma’s enhancements?”“They won’t. They have no reason to suspect anything beyond a standard home invasion. Unless you give them a reason, stay calm. Stay consistent. You’ve survived worse inter

Michael read through the night.Every document. Every file. Every terrible detail of what Marcus Kane’s Enhanced Project had really been.The first section documented the early experiments. Twelve children, ages 6-8, subjected to initial genetic modifications. All twelve developed aggressive cancers within six months. All twelve died within eighteen months.Medical reports showed their suffering. Pain levels. Deterioration. Desperate attempts to save them. Nothing worked. The modifications had fundamentally broken something in their cellular structure.Marcus’s notes were clinical. Detached. *Subjects 1-12 showed fatal incompatibility with Gen-1 modifications. Adjusting protocol for Gen-2 trial.*No grief. No remorse. Just data.The second section covered Gen-2 modifications. Fifteen children, ages 5-9. Better results initially. The modifications took hold without immediate rejection. But after two years, neurological damage emerged. Seizures. Cognitive decline. Personality changes.E

The invitation arrived six weeks later.Formal. Embossed. Like a wedding announcement rather than a security briefing.*You are cordially invited to the First Gathering of Enhanced Children and Their Families.**Location: Clearwater Resort, Banff, Alberta, Canada**Dates: May 15-18**This event will bring together all seven surviving children of the Enhanced Project, their families, protection teams, and the families of children who did not survive. Together, we will build community, share experiences, and forge connections that will support these remarkable children throughout their lives.*Emma read it three times. Her hands trembling with excitement.“I get to meet them. All of them. Not just video calls. Actually meet them in person.”Sarah smiled. “It’s a long flight. Three days away from home. Are you ready for that?”“I’ve been ready my whole life. I just didn’t know it until now.”Michael studied the itinerary Dr. Foster had sent separately. Security protocols. Travel arrangem

Catherine’s first day at the Sterling mansion laboratory felt surreal.The same hallways where Michael had been humiliated. The same rooms where the Sterling family had enacted their cruelty. Now transformed into a cutting-edge genetics facility.The main ballroom was now a laboratory. Equipment worth millions. Containment units lining the walls. Computer systems monitoring hundreds of data streams. At least twenty researchers working in coordinated silence.And in the corner office overlooking everything: Marcus Kane.Older than in the photos. Grey streaking his dark hair. New scars on his face. But the same intense eyes. The same commanding presence. The same aura of someone who believed himself untouchable.Catherine kept her head down. Played her role. New laboratory assistant. Eager. Competent. Invisible.Her supervisor was Dr. Elena Volkov. Russian accent. Severe demeanor. No-nonsense approach to everything.“You handle specimen monitoring,” Dr. Volkov said, handing Catherine a

The news cycle exploded.Marcus Kane’s arrest dominated headlines worldwide. Every news organization ran the story. Fifty-three dead children. Seventeen rescued victims. Illegal genetic experiments spanning years. Government conspiracies. Corporate complicity.The Sterling mansion—now revealed as a secret laboratory—was raided by federal authorities. Evidence seized. Personnel arrested. The full scope of Marcus’s operation exposed to daylight.Michael watched it unfold from their temporary safe house. Dr. Foster had relocated them immediately after the rescue. Too many unknown variables. Too many of Marcus’s sponsors still unidentified. Too much danger.Emma sat beside him, watching news coverage. Seeing photos of the seventeen children they’d rescued. Their faces blurred for privacy. Their identities protected. But their existence confirmed.“We saved them,” Emma said quietly. “We actually saved them.”“You saved them,” Michael corrected. “They were terrified until you showed them th