Chapter 7 - SARAH'S BETRAYALThe woman identified herself as Helena Ward.
Lisa knew the name.
Everybody in the cybersecurity world did.
Helena Ward had been a legendary intelligence analyst who vanished during an international investigation in 1998.
Her body was reportedly found in a burned government vehicle.
Case closed.
Except she was standing in front of Lisa.
Alive.
Sarah moved backward.
Lisa noticed.
"Sarah?"
Her friend said nothing.
"Why are you scared of her?"
Sarah's eyes filled with tears.
"Because I thought she was dead."
Helena smiled.
"Everyone thinks that."
She walked toward Lisa.
"You have your father's eyes."
"My father died fifteen years ago."
"Yes."
Helena stopped.
"He died believing he had succeeded."
Lisa frowned.
"Succeeded at what?"
"Creating you."
The words made no sense.
"What?"
Helena nodded toward the computer.
"Your father was not simply a developer."
She touched the screen.
"Your genetic profile was designed as part of an inheritance protocol."
Lisa stared.
"You can't be serious."
"The Arch requires a biological successor."
Sarah spoke softly.
"Lisa..."
Lisa turned.
"You knew?"
Sarah shook her head.
"Not everything."
"You knew enough."
Sarah looked down.
"Helena recruited me six years ago."
The betrayal hurt more than Lisa expected.
"Why?"
"She promised to expose Evelyn."
"Instead you helped her?"
"I thought I was helping."
Helena smiled.
"Sarah has always wanted to be useful."
Lisa looked at her.
"You helped steal my company."
Sarah didn't deny it.
"There was a vote scheduled."
"When?"
"Tomorrow morning."
Lisa's blood ran cold.
"Who initiated it?"
Sarah hesitated.
"Three board members."
"Who?"
She named them.
All three were people Lisa trusted.
All three had quietly accepted investments from a venture fund.
Lisa recognized the fund.
The same shell company receiving Evelyn's charity money.
It wasn't about replacing Lisa as CEO.
They wanted control of Northstar.
And The Arch.
Helena moved closer.
"Your company is the last living interface."
"Interface?"
"The only person who can access the central system without triggering its defense protocol."
Lisa stared.
"Me."
"Yes."
"How?"
"Your father designed it around you."
"This is insane."
"No."
Helena smiled.
"This is inheritance."
A gunshot echoed.
Sarah screamed.
The bullet struck the computer beside Lisa.
Ryan pulled her down.
More shots followed.
Men stormed through a side entrance.
Helena disappeared.
Sarah crawled behind a console.
Lisa saw Ryan return fire with military precision.
"Who are they?"
"Not Evelyn's men."
"Then whose?"
Ryan looked at the doorway.
"Mine."
Lisa stared.
"What?"
Ryan didn't answer.
The men wore no insignia.
One shouted:
"Take Bennett alive!"
Lisa understood.
They wanted her.
She ran.
The corridor opened into a tunnel.
She heard Ryan shouting behind her.
Then a heavy door slammed.
Silence.
Lisa leaned against the wall.
A figure stepped from the shadows.
Daniel.
Bruised.
Blood on his face.
Alive.
Lisa stared.
Then rushed into his arms.
Her brother held her tightly.
For a moment, everything else disappeared.
"You came."
Lisa cried.
"I thought you were dead."
Daniel pulled away.
"I've been trying to reach you for years."
"Who has you?"
He looked past her.
"Nobody."
Lisa frowned.
"What?"
"I wasn't kidnapped."
She froze.
"What are you talking about?"
Daniel whispered:
"I let them take me."
"Why?"
"Because I needed to find out who was controlling Evelyn."
"And?"
Daniel looked terrified.
"Not Evelyn."
Lisa felt cold.
"Then who?"
Daniel looked directly into her eyes.
"The person sitting in your office."
Lisa swallowed.
"Helena?"
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
"Who?"
Before Daniel could answer, footsteps echoed down the tunnel.
A woman appeared at the far end.
Margaret Vale.
She looked at Daniel.
Then at Lisa.
And smiled.
"Good."
May you like
She raised a gun.
"Now the family is finally together."
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