king down like tears the building refused to shed. Outside, the st

n Marcus and Adrian was fa

o men in the same empire, holding d

g whiskey in his glass. "Trips into the city. Me

I thought initiative wa

each his eyes. "It is. Until i

re we speaking in riddles now, or

is house, in this company-then you'd better understand what kind of foundation

mes the cracks need to be exposed. B

rcus chuckled, shaking his head as if amused b

ne between ambition and rebellion.

ise to remember that every em

ve, Marcus called a

ou dig too deep, are you ready for w

didn't

ilence sa

m, combing out her damp hair. The storm outside had softene

ly, "do you know anything

art st

his desk. "Where d

o the light. "Tucked between the pages. Signed 'E. Larsen.' It mentioned a child... a

slowly, wal

und your father- his former associates- used ali

gether. "Why would sh

id carefully. "Evelyn saw what Marcus was capable

Elena said, stepping back. "You've bee

to tell you everything yet-not because I don't trust you, but be

st like him,"

n fli

t him,"

o his eyes. "T

He pressed a soft

said. "But

eauty. The old Greywell research facility stood abandoned, vines crawling up its crumbling facade. He'd traced a reco

he rusted fence, and

. Broken glass glittered beneath his boots.

m 2

ocument said Phase

rile, tiled, with metal hooks in the ceiling and a table still bolted to the

light landed o

it

d in fa

me rem

ne. Someone- maybe Elena-

ocked metal container. Inside were old voice recordings on cassettes and a p

them sto

e her. Adrian pocketed the photo a

tst

off the

le

ten

One heavy.

behind a

ered. The

corridor," one

ast

nized the vo

he was smart, he w

And desperate m

g, weaving through the maze of halls until he rea

n't go

t to E

n asked, pouring te

photo on her tab

yn s

nod

t survived Phase Three. The

back. "

reports. Manipulated data. He even pushed

saved

her close. Raised her as his daughter. Even when sh

the photo. "Why w

he was his legacy. His suc

ed his jaw. "

dded. "So

n loo

p this goes. Then I

t what

didn't

down, he kn

terrifi

beneath a floorboard in the old west wing-one she used to sneak int

en

iosity. You were never meant to carry the truth. You are more than what the

st. Be who I

at

he words, her h

he whi

ell did you

hands. The words etched into her heart like cold fire: You were always mine. You will a

ere, the room growing colder as the m

into her coat pocket. She didn't know what she was doing-only that she ne

eys to her car an

had stashed the tapes and the photo in a secure safe Evelyn helped him acquire, hidden in a decoy wine cellar u

ghts w

le

ans

her office. Empty. Then the kitche

th

hone

rom an unkn

kn

an f

s real phone th

nswe

tight. "She showed up thirty minutes

er his breath. "

re in silence. Like somet

n said. "Don't let her

ofa, a cup of untouched tea on the table. Her coat was draped over the armrest,

ped forward

ena

How long hav

idn'

o d

wisted. "And you

But I didn't know how. I wasn't sure how m

me." Her voice broke.

ing to pro

what he said. All my life, that was

lena. You're not an experiment or a code name or a

m for a long, un

me?" she as

id. "More th

ow me th

from his coat. The one with Robert,

it, sta

t's

thin

the couch. "I don

en't sup

r, not touching

it's terrifying. But I'm with you. And I'll he

he didn't leave either.

a private rooftop helipad, Sebastian Vance poured himself a g

ing movements. Listening to intercepted call

ot just to Marcus. But to everything they'd built. Sebastian turned

nt to the South Harbor facility. Bypas

find t

thin

hed his jaw. "T

move

an said. "We

esitated.

But Elena? She's the perfect pressure point. If she collapses, Adrian wi

to the fire crack

Start with Evelyn. Make i

t was found unconscious at the

o signs of f

dics ruled

tage was mysteri

ian kne

hospital bed, hi

, but she won't wake up just yet. Likely a concussi

gaze never leavin

who had

e kne

had sent

next time, it

estate at dusk. Elena

l," she said. "But I

's

asti

escalating. He knows

breath. "Then

nked.

ed to. I want to see it all. Eve

w-no longer Marcus's perfect daughter, but

tapes," he said.

n't c

cassette player from a locked drawer

at

a v

us V

stress stimuli. Increase voltage

r voice. Fe

child-please.

e brain is still adap

a scream o

-pit

a

y. She listened to the whole thing.

g to dest

ed. "We

ok his