His eyes burned. From the radio came another voice—Grace, just waking up, calling him.
«Dad? I heard sirens. Are you okay?»
David couldn’t answer. He glanced at the rearview mirror, then wiped his eyes. «I’m okay, sweetheart. I’ll be home. I promise.»
The sirens wailed into the night, signaling a chase that wasn’t just about a little girl or a fleeing van. It was the beginning of a nightmare David had never imagined.
The mountain road was narrow and slick, flanked by black pines like sleepless shadows. David kept on the van’s tail, tires grinding against the icy asphalt. His heart thudded from fear and rage.
«Who is she? Why does she look like Grace’s twin?» he murmured.
Nathan didn’t stop. He veered onto a trail leading into the woods, where signal reception dropped off completely.
David yelled into the radio. «Unit 34. Lost GPS signal. I’m pursuing through the northern shortcut of Fresno Forest. Dispatch drones if needed.»
Suddenly, the van swerved violently, skidded, slammed into a roadside boulder, and plunged off the cliff.
«Damn it.»
David slammed the brakes, his car skidding but stopping just short of the edge. Without thinking, he jumped out, flashlight in hand, running to the ledge.
In the faint light, he spotted the van, overturned, front crushed, smoke rising from the engine.
«Mila. Are you there?» he called, not sure why he suddenly knew her name.
A soft whimper answered him. He slid down, hands bleeding from jagged rocks. He forced open the warped door and found the girl—Mila—lying in the back seat, head bleeding, but conscious.
«Don’t be scared. I’m, uh, I’m the police. I’ll get you out.»
Mila stared at him, eyes full of boundless fear. «Who, who are you?» she asked, voice trembling.
«David. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.»
He carried her up the slope. Police lights flickered in the distance. Officers Andrew and Marissa rushed over.
«David. You okay?» Marissa gasped.
«I’m fine. The girl—her name’s Mila. She looks exactly like Grace.»
Andrew frowned. «What did you say?»
David placed Mila in the back seat of the patrol car and wrapped a blanket around her. «I’m serious. She could be my daughter.»
«No way,» Marissa whispered.
«We’ll see after the DNA test,» David said coldly.
The sky was still dark. Fog clung to every turn on the mountain pass. After the harrowing rescue, David drove Mila back to the Fresno police station as fast as possible. She said nothing, eyes glued to the window like she was fleeing the world.
Andrew was driving, stealing glances in the mirror. «She doing okay?»
David sat beside Mila in the back, answering. «She’s awake. But remembers nothing except her name.»
Mila clutched his hand tightly, eyes pleading. «You, you won’t send me back to him, right?»
«No. Never,» David said firmly. «You’re safe now.»
At the Fresno station, Dr. Clara was already waiting. Mila was taken to the medical room for a full checkup. David washed his face in the bathroom, hands trembling from the pressure. He couldn’t shake the image of the girl’s face—identical to Grace. It chilled him.
Clara entered. «David. I need to take her for blood work. We need a DNA sample.»
«Do it. The sooner the better.» He nodded.
She sighed. «I’ve never seen a case like this. Old scars everywhere. Wrist marks, bruises on her legs. This didn’t start recently.»
Marissa walked in with a notebook. «I tried asking, but Mila doesn’t remember names. She says she lived in a gray house with a man she called the doctor. Doesn’t know where. Just remembers it was very cold.»
David sat in a chair, eyes fixed on the table. «Who is this child? If she’s really my daughter, then what happened eight years ago?»
Marissa placed a hand on his shoulder. «She could be Grace’s twin. Maybe someone stole one of your children at birth.»
«But how could something like that happen?» he whispered.
«Do you remember the St. Mary’s Hospital scandal? Closed down in 2015. Over 10 newborns disappeared, but were marked as stillborn in the files. That same year, your wife gave birth,» Marissa said, her voice fading.
David froze, like someone had gripped his heart. «You mean Laura might have had twins and never knew?»
Andrew knocked and entered. «DNA center says we’ll have results in three hours. You want to wait in the observation room?»
«No,» David stood up. «I want to talk to her. Alone.»
The observation room was quiet. Mila lay on the bed, clutching the teddy bear Marissa had given her earlier. David sat down beside her.
«How are you feeling?»
«Hungry. And cold.»
«What would you like to eat?»
«Anything that doesn’t smell like medicine.»
David gave a faint, sad smile. «Do you like grilled cheese sandwiches? My daughter Grace loves them.»
Mila nodded softly. He took out his phone and showed her a picture of Grace smiling in the schoolyard.
«Do you think she looks like you?»
Mila stared at the photo for a long time, then turned to him. «I dreamed about her once. In the dream, I was locked in a white room, and she was outside, crying.»
David swallowed hard. «Do you remember anyone else?»
Mila shook her head. «There was a man’s voice. Cold. He didn’t like it when I talked. He hated when I cried.»
«Do you remember his name?»
Mila lowered her head. «Dr. Mark, but I wasn’t allowed to say it. I had to call him sir.»
David froze. The name hit him like a dagger to the chest. «Are you sure?»
«Yes. His name was on the medicine bottles. Dr. Mark G.»
David immediately stood and rushed out of the room. «Marissa. Call the Central Investigation Unit. Mark Fletcher might be connected to a child trafficking ring.»
«Oh my God,» Marissa fumbled for her phone, hands trembling. «That guy’s been missing since 2017. Rumors said he used a fake passport and moved to the U.S. Issue an international warrant. And get the records from the hospital where Laura gave birth into Interpol’s system—every detail.»
Four hours later, the DNA test results were printed. David’s hands shook as he took the paper. «100% match between David Myers and Mila G.»
He leaned back against the wall, eyes closed. Marissa stood beside him, whispering. «She’s your daughter. There’s no doubt.»
David’s heart tightened. He stood up and turned to Andrew. «Call Laura. Tell her to come. Now. Right now. Yes. Immediately.»
An hour later, Laura arrived, pale-faced and disheveled. She stepped into the room and froze at the sight of Mila. «Oh my God,» she backed away, hand over her mouth.
«David, what am I looking at?»
«I don’t know. Her name’s Mila. No documents, no information besides that name. And,» he lowered his voice, «we’re waiting on DNA results.»
Laura sank into a chair, eyes locked on Mila. «She looks exactly like Grace. Like a clone. Are you hiding something from me?» David asked, unblinking.
Laura turned away. «No. I swear. How could I?»
Dr. Clara returned, holding a printout, her face pale. «I verified it three times. David. Mila’s DNA matches yours. 100%.»
The room fell silent, as if the air had been sucked out. «No way,» Laura whispered, almost moaning. «I never had another child besides Grace.»
David looked at her, eyes filled with pain. «Then who is this girl?»
He returned to the observation room. Mila was still there, hugging the teddy bear. He sat down beside her, his eyes red.