In the first picture, he was sitting on a chair similar to the one on which his grandfather was tied.
On the second, he looked straight into the camera.
On the third he held a piece of paper.
Daniel pulled out the sheet.
His father's handwriting was his father's.
“If Danny ever reads this, tell him I didn’t leave him.”
His throat shrank.
There was also under the text:
“I found out what my father was protecting. I understand why he's been silent for so many years. And I realized that if I got out of here with my memory, I'd bring the danger home.
I don't know what they'll do to me.
But if he decides to bring you here, Danny, don't believe him completely.
He always thought he could control this place.
It can’t.”
Daniel looked up at Stoyan.
"What does that mean?"
His grandfather closed his eyes.
Your father was right.
"What did you do with it?"
I tried to save him.
"What did you do?"
"When Boris found out about the lab, he wanted to reveal it. He wanted to go to the police, to the media, everywhere. But this place wasn't just a secret. The people who ruled it had connections. Strength. They would have found you.
"And what did you do?"
Stoyan did not answer.
Daniel caught the file.
"What did you do?"
"I hid it.
The world is shaking again.
"Hide it?"
I removed his memories of you.
"What?"
It was the only way he wouldn’t give you away.
Did you take his memory?
"Not just me. The system...
YOU TOOK HIS MEMORY!
Daniel hit the chair.
He rolled over with a bang.
From the outside, something hit the door again.
Stoyan took his hand.
"Listen to me!" He wouldn't have survived otherwise!
You left him here!
"No. I got him out.
"Where is it?"
Stoyan swallowed.
"I don't know.
Daniel stood still.
"How come you don't know?"
After the procedure, Boris was another person. He didn't remember his name. He didn't remember you. I left him at the station in Pleven with new documents, money and an address in a place where he could start over.
You abandoned him.
"Yes.
His grandfather said the word so quietly that for a moment Daniel was not sure he had heard it.
I left him to live.
Daniel felt empty.
He'd thought his father had escaped all his life.
Then he realized that he might have been kidnapped.
Now it turned out that his grandfather had sent him somewhere without memories.
Somewhere where he may have lived another life.
And he never knew he had a son.
"Why did you tell me now?" Daniel asked.
I can’t protect this place anymore.
"Why?"
Stoyan looked at the ceiling.
The system is falling apart. The Guardians are waking up. And if the archive is not destroyed, all the memories they have taken will return.
"Is that bad?"
His grandfather smiled sadly.
For some people it will be a salvation. For others, a curse.
