Chapter 10 - PURGEI didn't understand what the word meant.

Samuel did.

“No.”

He lunged toward the console.

I pulled Mason away.

Daniel stepped between them.

Samuel raised his gun.

Daniel raised his.

“Don't.”

Samuel stared.

“You think you're protecting them?”

“No.”

Daniel's voice shook.

“I'm protecting my son.”

Gunfire exploded.

Daniel fired first.

Samuel ducked behind a steel cabinet.

I dragged Mason toward the side corridor.

My father's tactical team stormed down the stairs.

“Claire!”

“Dad!”

He reached us.

“Is Mason hurt?”

“No.”

“Good.”

He looked at the console.

Then his face changed.

“You activated it.”

“I didn't.”

“Mason did.”

Dad stared at my son.

The display flashed.

PURGE BLACK MERIDIAN.

“Dad…”

“What happens if we let it?”

He stared.

“Every file will be released.”

“To whom?”

“Everyone.”

“That's good.”

“No.”

He shook his head.

“It will also destroy emergency infrastructure tied to the system.”

“What does that mean?”

“Power grids. Traffic control. Financial networks. Military communications.”

My stomach dropped.

“It could kill thousands.”

The screen began counting down.

10:00

Samuel emerged from behind the cabinet.

“That's why your grandfather never used it.”

Daniel stared at the timer.

“How do we stop it?”

Samuel smiled.

“You don't.”

Dad looked toward him.

“You knew.”

“I knew everything.”

The timer continued.

9:21.

I held Mason.

“What does it need?”

Dad examined the console.

“A manual override.”

“Where?”

He pointed toward the opposite wall.

“A biometric lock.”

Samuel laughed.

“You need Arthur's fingerprint.”

Dad froze.

Samuel smiled.

“Your father planned everything.”

Daniel looked at Dad.

“Do it.”

Dad walked to the wall.

His hand touched the scanner.

Nothing happened.

He tried again.

Still nothing.

Then I noticed the blood on Daniel's hand.

“Wait.”

I looked at the screen.

A second authorization appeared.

ARTHUR HALE: DENIED.

DANIEL HALE: REQUIRED.

Daniel stared.

“No.”

Dad turned.

“Your father built this system.”

Daniel stepped backward.

“He never told me.”

“He never trusted you.”

Daniel looked at Mason.

Then at me.

He pressed his bloody hand against the scanner.

The lock opened.

The countdown paused.

0:42.

A hidden door opened.

Inside was a tiny black cylinder.

Daniel reached for it.

Samuel fired.

Daniel dropped.

I screamed.

Dad fired back.

Samuel disappeared into the smoke.

Daniel lay motionless.

I crawled toward him.

“Daniel.”

His eyes opened.

“Take it.”

He pushed the cylinder into my hand.

“What is it?”

“The failsafe.”

“What do I do?”

“Your son knows.”

I looked at Mason.

Mason touched the cylinder.

The screen changed.

PURGE CANCELLED.

I exhaled.

Then a second message appeared.

PUBLIC RELEASE AUTHORIZATION.

I stared.

“What does that mean?”

Daniel smiled weakly.

“It means…”

He coughed.

“Your grandfather didn't build this machine to erase Black Meridian.”

“Then what?”

“To expose it.”

The timer vanished.

The entire room went black.

Then every screen lit up.

Thousands of documents.

Names.

Bank transfers.

Photographs.

Videos.

Government contracts.

Property records.

A map showing disasters across the country.

My father's face appeared.

Samuel's face.

Daniel's father's face.

Politicians.

Judges.

CEOs.

Military contractors.

The screen continued.

Then a file appeared with my name.

CLAIRE HALE.

I opened it.

My heart stopped.

The first page contained information about my childhood.

Medical records.

School records.

DNA reports.

Then one sentence:

SUBJECT DESCENDED FROM ORIGINAL ARCHIVE BLOODLINE.

I looked at Dad.

“What is this?”

His eyes filled with tears.

“You weren't an accident.”

“What?”

He whispered:

“Your grandfather had you for one reason.”

“To inherit the archive.”

The warehouse shook.

A massive explosion erupted above us.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Someone shouted:

“Get out!”

Dad grabbed Mason.

I took Daniel's hand.

He couldn't walk.

We began climbing.

Behind us, the screens continued broadcasting.

And somewhere outside the warehouse, sirens multiplied.

The truth was escaping.

But so was Samuel.

At the top of the stairs, I saw him running toward a helicopter.

He turned.

Our eyes met.

Then he smiled.

“Your grandfather never told you the last secret.”

I shouted:

“What secret?”

Samuel stepped into the helicopter.

“Who your real father is.”

The helicopter lifted.

I stood frozen.

Dad's face went white.

“Arthur?”

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He didn't answer.

Because Samuel had just disappeared into the night with the one secret my father had spent my entire life hiding.