Zero.

Chapter Seventeen

“EXCUSE ME?” my mouth hung open with this new revelation. “What do you mean he basically cloned me!” I demanded.

“It’s all in the documents. Before I left with Bianca, I downloaded all of Chief’s hard drives. All the information on the missions he had lead as well as a titled Gene Cross. You were Mila Stone before this and Agent One was Cynthia Jones. I didn’t look at the full extent of what I stole until after he murdered my family, but while you two Slept in 1997 his goal was to cross your genes to make Cynthia look like you and well, become you.

I believe it was a sort of fail safe in case something ever happened to you. It was a way to ensure that he got to keep you.

But the experiment failed without the rest of the information I destroyed. Instead it mixed your genes with Cynthia’s and well sort of meshed you into each other. You swapped characteristics. Now you two look similar, but different from your original selves.”
My mouth dropped open.

This was too much.

"How different do I look?" I gasped.

He shifted uncomfortably "I really didn't know you before and Chief destroyed any previous informatiom about you besides your name. But the changes weren't that drastic. I figured out who you were didn't I" he tried to joke but I still couldn't process his words.

"So Chief altered me?" I said again.

"Not necessarily. He tried to turn Cynthia into you but ended up sort of meshing you together."
“Is that why I can remember some my past? Because Chief messed with the machines and screwed something up?”
He cocked his head to the side, a small smirk playing on his face.
“I didn’t know you had any recollection. But if that’s the case then yes. I’m assuming Chief doesn’t know that you remember anything?” he wondered
I shook my head. That was a secret I was happy I kept all this time.

"How far does your memory go?" He wondered 

"I cant remember much of anything before 2022. Only snippets of- of Anthony every now and again." I muttered 

"Chief implemented the Gene Cross experiment immediately after placing you in the sleeper trials in 1997. It seems like it took a while for whatever he did to wear off. I believe your full memories wil return in time. Does Cynthia remember anything?"

I shook my head no. I was certain her Dreams were filed with blissful unawarness.

"It's not surprising that she would be a blank page" he mumbled to himself.

. Before I could ask any more questions Lee checked his watch and stood up.

“She’s finally found a way in.” he said with a heavy sigh.
I got up with him. “Who?”
“Cynthia. We’re running out of time” he turned and opened the safe, pulling out a tiny flash drive.
“This is the only copy of the documents. Everything I stole from Chief.
“Wha- what am I supposed to do with this?” I asked. The look in his eyes scared me. There was a frantic desperation there that I tried to understand.
“Take down Headquarters.” he said.
“What, How?”
He didn’t answer, instead walked around me and picked up my gun, shoving it into my other hand.
“Lee!” he checked his watch again, just as a small explosion rained debris over us.
“She’s almost in.” he turned his watch towards me and there was a live feed of Cynthia planting explosives around the entrance of his trap door.
I pocketed the flash drive and grabbed the rest of my weapons.
“We have to leave before she gets in!”
He gave me a sad smile and shook his head. “You have to leave. My journeys done.”
I stopped and faced him.
“What are you talking about? We have to leave. Now!”
Another explosion sounded.
“I finally feel like I’ve held up my deal to Anthony. I wasn’t able to save you then, but I can help you save the world from Chief. Mila, I’ve done all I can do the rest is in those documents. Kill me.”
It took me a moment to register his words “W-what, no! Lee. Ben. I will not kill you. Please, come with me. I won't be able to explain this to Cynthia, she wont understand. Please. Just, come with me. We’ll figure out the rest later.” I pleaded.
He shook his head again.
“No, I”- his words were cut off by the sound of the celling caving in on us.
It was Cynthia. She created an opening big enough and was starting to come down.
“Please. There’s no time!” he begged. Tears rolled down his eyes as he looked into mine. There was nothing but brokenness. He wanted to die.
“I- I can’t.” I cried. Ending his life was something I never wanted to do. Not even now as he begged me too.
He nodded slowly. I thought he had given up, but he grabbed the gun from my hands in one quick movement. Just as Cynthia fell through the trap door, Benjamin Lee put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.
My scream was masked by the sound of the shot.
His body crumpled to the ground.