Chapter 13 - The countdown dropped.09:21
Harper stared at the console.
“I don't know how.”
“You do.”
“No, I don't.”
“Your father hid it inside you.”
Gabriel pulled up the archive.
The screen requested biometric confirmation.
Harper placed her hand against it.
Nothing.
“Again.”
She tried.
The system flashed red.
DNA MATCH REQUIRED.
Gabriel frowned.
“My blood?”
“No.”
Harper shook her head.
“Something else.”
She touched the wolf symbol.
The screen changed.
VOICE AUTHENTICATION.
A recording played.
James Queen.
“If Harper is hearing this, she's old enough.”
Harper closed her eyes.
Her father's voice.
Real.
Not imagined.
Not altered.
Real.
“Harper, you won't remember this.”
Her breath caught.
“You'll believe Rachel was your mother.”
A pause.
“You'll believe I was your father.”
Harper's eyes filled.
“I want you to have a childhood.”
The recording continued.
“The people who built Black Wolf will hunt you.”
“Your mother hid the evidence inside you because no machine could find it.”
Harper whispered:
“How?”
James answered.
“Your memories.”
She looked at Gabriel.
“What do I do?”
“Remember.”
“How?”
“Start with the night Adrian died.”
Harper closed her eyes.
The room disappeared.
She saw a hospital.
A woman screaming.
A man running.
Her mother.
Evelyn.
She was holding Harper.
Adrian stood in the doorway.
Behind him was Gabriel's grandfather.
And Derek.
Young.
Terrified.
Adrian shouted:
“You can't have her!”
The grandfather raised a gun.
A gunshot.
Adrian fell.
Harper screamed.
Evelyn shoved her into a cabinet.
“Don't come out.”
Then Evelyn turned.
She looked directly at Harper.
“Remember the wolf.”
Another shot.
Evelyn fell.
Harper opened her eyes.
Tears streamed down her face.
“I remember.”
Gabriel stared.
“What's the key?”
She pointed at the screen.
“My mother's necklace.”
“What?”
“She had a necklace with the wolf.”
Gabriel pulled the photograph.
His mother had worn it too.
Harper suddenly understood.
“The necklace wasn't a symbol.”
She touched her throat.
“It was an access device.”
Gabriel searched the vault.
Then found a small compartment.
Inside was the necklace.
Harper put it around her neck.
The console unlocked.
BIOMETRIC KEY ACCEPTED.
The countdown continued.
06:34
Files exploded across the screens.
Politicians.
Judges.
Police commanders.
Bank accounts.
Murders.
Bribes.
Black Wolf had controlled Boston for decades.
Harper looked at Gabriel.
“We can expose them.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
He frowned.
“What?”
“We can't.”
“Why?”
“Look.”
She pointed.
Every major government agency was listed.
Federal.
State.
Local.
Even people outside Boston.
If the archive released automatically, it would trigger chaos.
Gabriel realized it too.
“This wasn't designed to expose Black Wolf.”
“What was it designed for?”
“To replace it.”
The screen displayed:
SUCCESSOR CONFIRMED.
Harper's blood turned cold.
Her name appeared.
HEIR: HARPER QUEEN.
Gabriel shook his head.
“No.”
Another line appeared.
CONTROL TRANSFER IN PROGRESS.
Harper stepped back.
“I don't want this.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“I know.”
The doors behind them opened.
Victor stepped inside.
Gun raised.
Harper froze.
Gabriel turned.
Victor's expression was cold.
“Move away from the console.”
Gabriel stared.
“Victor.”
“You were my brother.”
Victor smiled.
“You were never my brother.”
Harper felt her stomach drop.
“What happened to your face?”
Victor's smile disappeared.
“You don't remember me.”
She stared at him.
“No.”
“I was there.”
“Where?”
“The hospital.”
He lifted his gun.
“The night they switched you.”
Gabriel stepped forward.
“Don't.”
Victor aimed at Harper.
“You have something that belongs to my family.”
Derek's voice came through the speakers.
“Victor.”
Victor looked up.
“Yes?”
“Kill Gabriel first.”
Victor hesitated.
Harper noticed.
“Victor.”
He looked at her.
“You don't have to do this.”
His eyes flickered.
“You sound like her.”
“Evelyn?”
“Yes.”
Harper stepped closer.
“She loved you.”
Victor's face cracked.
“She abandoned me.”
“No.”
“She chose you.”
Harper shook her head.
“She protected me.”
Victor's finger tightened.
Then Derek shouted through the speakers:
“NOW.”
Victor fired.
Gabriel pushed Harper aside.
The bullet struck his chest.
“GABRIEL!”
He fell.
Harper screamed.
Victor stared at him.
For one second, he looked shocked.
Then another bullet hit Victor.
He staggered.
Derek appeared in the doorway.
Holding a gun.
Victor collapsed.
Derek looked at Harper.
“You always ruin everything.”
Gabriel was bleeding on the floor.
The countdown hit:
02:14
Derek smiled.
“Now you're coming with me.”
Harper looked at Gabriel.
He was still alive.
Barely.
Derek grabbed her arm.
She fought.
He dragged her toward the exit.
Then Gabriel's hand caught hers.
Harper stopped.
His eyes opened.
He whispered one word.
“Run.”
Derek raised his gun.
And the entire tower suddenly shook.
The countdown vanished.
May you like
A new message appeared.
BLACK WOLF HAS CHOSEN.
