Chapter 13 - THE CHOICE“Mom, move!”

We dragged Dad toward the exit.

The tactical team carried Daniel.

The countdown continued.

Thirty seconds.

Twenty-nine.

Twenty-eight.

Outside, helicopters circled.

Then one exploded in midair.

The blast rocked the station.

Mom grabbed my hand.

“There's another exit.”

“Where?”

“Under the stage.”

We ran.

Dad was barely conscious.

Daniel stumbled beside us.

The floor shook.

Twenty seconds.

Mom kicked open a hidden panel.

A staircase descended.

We ran down.

Ten seconds.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Then silence.

We waited.

Nothing happened.

I looked up.

“Why didn't it explode?”

Mom smiled sadly.

“Because it wasn't a bomb.”

“What?”

“It was a test.”

“Of what?”

“Whether you'd choose your family over the archive.”

My blood went cold.

Someone stepped into the tunnel.

Vanessa.

She was holding a gun.

“Exactly.”

I stared.

“You set this up?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I needed to know what kind of woman you were.”

I stood between her and Mason.

“You kidnapped my mother.”

“To force you here.”

“You tried to kill us.”

“To frighten you.”

“You nearly killed my father.”

Vanessa's face softened.

“I never wanted Arthur dead.”

“Then why?”

“Because he knew the truth.”

“What truth?”

She lowered the gun.

“My father was not the leader of Black Meridian.”

“Then who?”

Vanessa looked at Daniel.

“His father.”

Daniel stared.

“But he's dead.”

“No.”

Vanessa shook her head.

“He died fourteen years ago.”

I looked at Mom.

She nodded.

“He was there when I gave birth to you.”

My stomach tightened.

“What did he want?”

“To create a bloodline capable of controlling the archive.”

I looked at Mason.

“And he got what he wanted.”

Vanessa shook her head.

“He didn't know about Mason.”

“Then why target him?”

“Because after you married Daniel, the archive system registered a new descendant.”

Mason.

My son.

The perfect key.

I looked at Daniel.

He was crying.

“I didn't know.”

Vanessa looked at him.

“You were supposed to bring Claire to the archive.”

“I did.”

“You were supposed to open it.”

“I did.”

“You were supposed to kill Mason.”

Daniel stepped forward.

“I refused.”

Vanessa stared.

“That is why your father planned your death.”

Daniel froze.

“My father ordered the attack?”

“Yes.”

The tunnel shook.

A voice echoed behind us.

“Not quite.”

Everyone turned.

A man walked out of the darkness.

Older.

Elegant.

Calm.

Daniel stopped breathing.

“Dad?”

The man smiled.

“Yes.”

Daniel staggered backward.

“You died.”

“I wanted you to believe that.”

He looked at me.

“Claire.”

My blood froze.

“You know my name.”

“I funded your childhood.”

Mom stepped forward.

“You.”

He smiled.

“You're older now.”

My mother grabbed my arm.

“Don't listen to him.”

He looked at Mason.

“So this is the heir.”

Mason clung to me.

Daniel moved between us.

His father raised a gun.

Daniel did too.

“You won't touch him.”

His father laughed.

“You still think you're my son.”

“What?”

“You're a test subject.”

Daniel's face went white.

“You were never born naturally.”

Silence.

“Your mother was selected.”

“For what?”

“Genetic compatibility.”

Daniel looked sick.

“You used me.”

“I created you.”

I stared at the man.

“You created Daniel?”

“Through controlled genetic selection.”

My stomach turned.

“Why?”

“To study inheritance.”

“The archive.”

He nodded.

“The original bloodline was too unstable.”

“So you created replacements.”

“Yes.”

“And Mason?”

He smiled.

“The most successful one.”

I pulled Mason closer.

“No.”

He raised his gun.

“Give me the boy.”

Daniel stepped forward.

“No.”

Gunfire erupted.

Daniel shot his father.

The man stumbled.

Vanessa fired.

Security returned fire.

The tunnel became chaos.

I grabbed Mason.

We ran.

Mom followed.

Behind us, Daniel screamed.

I turned.

His father was dying.

Daniel was kneeling beside him.

The man whispered something.

Daniel looked up.

“Claire!”

“What?”

He shouted:

“He's not my father.”

I froze.

“Then who is he?”

Daniel looked toward the darkness.

“The real leader.”

A second figure appeared.

Someone I had never expected.

My father.

Arthur.

Standing.

Alive.

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Holding a gun.

And pointing it at me.