Chapter 9 - THE WAREHOUSEThe warehouse was dark.

Too dark.

I entered alone.

At least that's what Samuel thought.

Dad had attached a transmitter beneath my coat.

Three tactical teams were positioned outside.

Daniel stayed in the vehicle.

I walked between rows of rusted machines.

“Mason?”

No answer.

I heard footsteps.

Then Samuel appeared.

“Claire.”

“Where is my son?”

“Safe.”

“Let me see him.”

He pointed toward a metal door.

I opened it.

Mason sat inside.

His wrists were tied.

His fever had returned.

“Mama!”

I rushed to him.

A masked guard raised a weapon.

Samuel stopped him.

“Let her.”

I cut Mason free.

He collapsed into my arms.

I held him tightly.

“Mama came.”

He whispered:

“I knew you would.”

I looked at Samuel.

“What do you want?”

“The archive.”

“Here?”

He smiled.

“Under us.”

He pointed to the floor.

“Your grandfather built a chamber beneath this building.”

“How do I open it?”

“With the ring.”

I took it off.

Samuel watched.

“Place it on the reader.”

A metal panel emerged from the floor.

I placed the ring against it.

Nothing happened.

Samuel frowned.

“It should work.”

I looked at Mason.

He was staring at the panel.

Then he touched it.

The system came alive.

A red light turned green.

Samuel took a step forward.

“It recognized him.”

The floor opened.

A staircase descended into darkness.

Samuel smiled.

“We finally have it.”

I carried Mason down.

At the bottom was a circular chamber.

Hundreds of black metal drawers lined the walls.

At the center sat a glass console.

My grandfather's handwriting was etched into it.

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, THEY FAILED TO SILENCE US.

I began to cry.

Samuel whispered:

“He knew.”

I stepped closer.

The console activated.

A voice played.

My grandfather's voice.

“If you are my granddaughter, listen carefully.”

I froze.

“There are two versions of Black Meridian.”

“Version one predicts disasters.”

“Version two creates them.”

My blood ran cold.

“My son Arthur will tell you he tried to stop it.”

The recording paused.

“He did.”

Dad had told the truth.

Then came the next sentence.

“But he failed.”

I looked at Samuel.

His face had gone pale.

The recording continued.

“Samuel will tell you he betrayed us.”

A pause.

“He did not.”

Samuel closed his eyes.

I looked at him.

The recording continued.

“The person responsible is neither of my sons.”

My heart stopped.

“Then who?”

The answer came.

“My attorney.”

The screen displayed a name.

I recognized it.

Daniel's father's name.

I turned slowly toward my husband.

Daniel stood at the entrance.

Gun in hand.

My heart shattered.

“No.”

He looked at me.

I'm sorry.”

Samuel raised his weapon.

“You.”

Daniel pointed his gun.

“Give me the drive.”

“What drive?”

“The original algorithm.”

I stepped backward.

“You've been working for them.”

Daniel's face crumbled.

“For years.”

Mason clung to my waist.

I stared at Daniel.

“You knew about the archive.”

“Yes.”

“You knew about Mason.”

“Yes.”

“You knew about the hotel.”

“Yes.”

“And you brought me here.”

He nodded.

“Why?”

“To force the archive open.”

I felt numb.

“But you saved me.”

“Sometimes I needed you alive.”

“Sometimes?”

His eyes filled with tears.

“Claire, I never wanted you hurt.”

“You left me to die.”

“I was ordered to.”

“You carried Vanessa.”

“I had to keep her alive.”

“And Mason?”

Daniel looked at my son.

“I was told he would survive.”

My entire body shook.

“You trusted them.”

“Yes.”

Samuel suddenly laughed.

Daniel's face changed.

“What?”

Samuel looked at him.

“They lied to you.”

Daniel froze.

“What?”

“They never planned to let Mason live.”

The room went silent.

Samuel smiled.

“Once the archive opens, the boy is worthless.”

Daniel's gun lowered.

“You said…”

“I said what you needed to hear.”

Daniel turned pale.

I whispered:

“You sold your own son.”

He looked at Mason.

Something broke inside him.

Then alarms started screaming.

A red light flashed.

Dad's voice came through my transmitter.

“Claire, we're inside.”

Gunfire erupted above us.

Samuel looked toward the stairs.

“It's over.”

I grabbed Mason.

“No.”

I looked at the archive.

A thought struck me.

The system had accepted my son.

Not me.

Not Samuel.

Mason.

I placed his hand on the console.

The glass display changed.

A message appeared.

PRIMARY AUTHORIZATION: MASON HALE.

Then another line.

FINAL COMMAND AVAILABLE.

Mason looked at me.

“Mama, what does it say?”

I stared at the screen.

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It said:

PURGE BLACK MERIDIAN.