Daniel returned to his mother’s old house.

He searched every room.

Behind a loose wall panel, he found another box.

Inside was a passport.

The photograph showed his mother.

But the name was different.

Evelyn Cross.

Daniel remembered her death.

The hospital.

The funeral.

The coffin.

Everything.

Then he found a letter.

It was addressed to him.

Daniel opened it.

“My son,

If you’re reading this, they have finally come for you.

I am not dead.

I had to disappear because The Circle discovered what I knew.

Your brother tried to find me.

That is why they took him.

Do not trust anyone.

Not even Tom.”

Daniel dropped the letter.

A sound came from upstairs.

Someone was crying.

Daniel slowly climbed the stairs.

A woman stood in the hallway.

Older.

Weak.

But alive.

“Mom?”

She looked at him.

“Daniel.”

He couldn’t move.

His mother stepped forward.

“They are watching us.”

Daniel hugged her.

For the first time in six years, he felt like a child again.

Then his mother pushed him away.

“You need to leave.”

“Why?”

“Because Tom is not who you think he is.”

Daniel stared at her.

“What does that mean?”

His mother looked terrified.

“Your brother joined The Circle.”

Daniel refused to believe it.

“No.”

“He believed he could destroy them from inside.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because they were watching you.”

Daniel’s mother revealed the truth.

The Circle had created a program called Project Mirror.

They studied memory manipulation.

They could erase traumatic memories.

They could create false memories.

They could make people believe someone was dead.

Daniel’s mother had discovered the program.

She tried to expose it.

The Circle stopped her.

Tom helped her escape.

But he stayed behind.

Daniel’s memories of his mother’s death had been manipulated.

The funeral had been real.

But the coffin had been empty.

Daniel was devastated.

Then a car stopped outside.

His mother looked through the window.

“They found us.”

Daniel grabbed her hand.

They escaped through the back door.

They ran into the forest behind the house.

Gunshots echoed.

Daniel pulled his mother behind a tree.

Then a voice called out.

“Daniel!”

Detective Vale.

Daniel looked at his mother.

“Can we trust him?”

She shook her head.

“Never.”

But Vale stepped into the open.

“I know where Tom is.”

Daniel aimed a gun at him.

“Tell me.”

“He’s being held beneath Kane Tower.”

Daniel lowered the weapon.

“Why help us?”

Vale looked exhausted.

“Because I was part of The Circle.”

Daniel’s mother stared at him.

Vale continued.

“I helped them for years.”

“Then why stop?”

“Because they killed my daughter.”

Silence.

Vale gave Daniel a key.

“Go to Kane Tower tonight.”

“Why?”

“Because tomorrow, Tom dies.