"Yes."
Marcus continued reading.
A second signature appeared.
DR. RICHARD LAWSON.
Emily covered her mouth.
"He authorized the medical transfer."
Marcus looked at her.
"He's been hiding my brother in his own hospital."
She nodded slowly.
The next page contained a list of additional personnel.
One name was unfamiliar.
DR. ELIZABETH MORGAN — PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
Beside it was a handwritten note.
ORIGINAL WITNESS — DO NOT TRANSFER WITHOUT COMMAND APPROVAL.
Marcus looked at Emily.
"Do you know this woman?"
Emily shook her head.
"No."
General Brooks examined the document.
"Elizabeth Morgan was the civilian director of the Sentinel medical program."
"Where is she now?"
Brooks looked through the folder.
The final entry contained a status.
LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
Then Marcus found a photograph tucked into the back cover.
It showed Christopher standing beside three people.
One was Colonel Whitaker.
Another was Dr. Lawson.
The third was a woman wearing a white coat.
On the back of the photograph were six words.
SHE KNOWS WHAT THEY DID TO REX.
Marcus turned toward the dog.
Rex was standing in front of another cabinet.
He barked once.
Marcus approached.
The cabinet was locked.
He pulled the handle.
Nothing.
Then he noticed a small metal plate.
It had a name engraved into it.
REX — ORIGINAL HANDLER: CHRISTOPHER COLE.
Below it was another line.
SECONDARY HANDLER: MARCUS COLE.
Marcus stared.
"Secondary handler?"
General Brooks looked at the plate.
"Marcus, I need to tell you something."
Marcus didn't look away.
"What?"
"Rex was never officially transferred to your unit."
Marcus turned.
"What?"
"The military records show that he remained under the Sentinel program."
"Then how did he end up with me?"
Brooks hesitated.
"Someone changed the records."
Marcus's voice became cold.
"Who?"
The general pointed at the cabinet.
"That may be inside."
Marcus found a small key taped beneath the shelf.
He inserted it.
The lock opened.
Inside was a black metal case.
He lifted the lid.
There were three objects.
A damaged military identification card.
A small USB drive.
And a sealed envelope.
The identification card belonged to Christopher.
The USB drive was labeled:
SENTINEL — FINAL RECORDING.
The envelope was addressed to Marcus.
He opened it.
A handwritten letter fell out.
The writing was unmistakably Christopher's.
Marcus,
If you are reading this, then you found Rex, and he brought you to the archive.
I am sorry I couldn't tell you the truth.
They told me you were in danger. They said that if I contacted you, they would use you to force me to cooperate.
I believed them.
But I was wrong.
The person who arranged Rex's transfer was not Whitaker.
It was someone in our own family.
Marcus stopped reading.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
He looked up.
General Brooks watched him carefully.
"What's wrong?"
Marcus handed him the letter.
Brooks read the final lines.
His expression changed.
"Your family?"
Marcus stared at the page.
There was one more sentence.
Ask Mother why she signed the original agreement.
The woman in the photograph
Marcus felt as if the floor had shifted beneath him.
His mother had been dead for three years.
At least, that was what he had been told.
A sudden memory came back.
A phone call.
A funeral.
His father standing alone beside an empty chair.
And a woman from the military casualty office telling him that his mother's medical records had been destroyed in a fire.
He looked at the photograph again.
The woman in the white coat resembled someone he remembered.
Not clearly.
But enough.
"General, who was Christopher referring to?"
Brooks looked at the photograph.
"Your mother."
Marcus shook his head.
"She died."
"I don't know what you were told."
"I attended her funeral."
Brooks remained silent.
Marcus stepped closer.
"Are you telling me my mother is alive?"