Epilogue

Dear Alexandra,

You're reading this note in the event of my death and in the event that the Culmination of the Evolution will be shut down for good. Patience was never your strong suit, but you must understand that the bulk of the experiments were not a success. The Cure can work on Cranks because you cannot kill a man who is already dead inside, but providing healthy humans with the Cure is a risk that's not always successful. I have always told you and Mikhail that you both were the first of the test subjects: X1 and X2, but that was a gentle lie. I didn't want you to look at me as a monster or to look at yourself as anything but a miracle. But dear Alexandra . . .

There were thousands.

You were the first successful study of a non-Crank at Villa X.

I have sent my work across the world in the last 30 years, and the reason I stood firm on the Culmination of the Evolution being restricted to certain members of society is that I've watched what happens within those who have held too much power through their evolutionary gifts. I had hope for you until the very end. You were my greatest trial. But one person's deity is another person's demon.

You once thought of me as a God.

Now you think of me as a devil.

But dearest Alex, you have not seen the world like I have. There are many more Villas than you know. On the surface, as far as anyone could see—the trials of the Maze ended long ago.

But they had only ever just evolved.

yours in life, and now in death,

Nicholas

End of Book Two