The deep, dark secret of all writers is that sometimes, we write scenes (or in this case, a prologue) that don’t make the cut.
We must hit the delete button.
Of course, oftentimes, it’s better that we’ve gotten rid of the offending scene. Other times, like this one, it simply doesn’t fit with the story, even though we like it.
Which makes it excellent to share pre-release.
The bonus of this prologue is that if you need a refresher of The Hunted world or Elusive Memories, Sam’s letter will help you.
The downside is, if you haven’t read Elusive Memories, the rest of this post will contain spoilers for that book. You’ve been warned. There are no spoilers for Hidden Illusions.
*****
Mother,
After I finish writing this letter, I’ll burn it and hope its ashes reach yours in hell.
Your plans will never come to fruition, no matter how long Coop and I have to lead this army. You wanted a world without the Gifted; instead, we’ve built a world where the Gifted have united to push back the Hunters and take back our lives.
Grandma thinks I should thank you for that, but ten long years we’ve fought, and we’ve lost too many good people for me to be thankful. You aren’t worthy of my thanks, anyway.
But the Gifted haven’t died in vain, the way we used to before the army. We’re succeeding. It took two years to put together an army, find a way to stop the feuding, and train our recruits, but we did it. And we attacked the Hunters, picking off their outlying bases the way they used to pick us off.
The Hunted have become the Hunters.
But unlike you and the man who donated his DNA to me—I refuse to call him my father—we don’t seek to disassemble our enemies until they die on our medical tables. We treat them with respect and teach them their hatred is steeped in lies and propaganda perpetuated by people like you. Not everyone is ready to let go of their beliefs, but that too, I respect. I’ll never let go of my belief that the Gifted and non-Gifted can live in peace, without destroying fundamental parts of who they are to fit in.
We need more acceptance in this world, not organizations like the Northern Alliance Betterment Society, who preach betterment, but practice hatred.
It’s taken us years to reach this point, but we’ve done it: the last remaining Hunter holdout is the compound, the place where my story began and yours ended. The place where Smith’s will end too. And now Coop and I are putting plans into action to break his hold on the Hunters , once and for all.
We will prevail.
We will take joy in bringing down Smith. I will get the answers your death denied me. Before you signed off on my capture, I lacked fire within. I had goals and aspirations, but nothing made me want to change the world. Maybe I should thank you for that—I’ve made a difference. A positive one. And that’s more than you ever did. You’ve shaped me into the person I am today; the person who will destroy the one vision you held dear.
Never doubt the determination of a Samara Benson.
Because I will win.
Your daughter,
Sam
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