Chapter 18 - THE FALSE VICTORY
Vale opened the treatment room after the gas cleared.
Four armed men surrounded us.
He led us underground to Meridian’s original data center.
Rows of old servers hummed beneath fluorescent lights.
At the center stood a biometric terminal.
“Michael.”
Vale pointed toward the scanner.
“Open it.”
My father refused.
Vale aimed a gun at Luka.
“Open it.”
Michael looked at me.
I nodded.
He placed his hand on the first scanner.
I placed mine on the second.
The screen flashed.
TWO-PART AUTHORIZATION ACCEPTED.
Vale smiled.
“Finally.”
Files began appearing.
Names.
Accounts.
Research projects.
Everything Meridian had buried for decades.
Vale stepped closer.
Then every screen turned red.
EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION ACTIVE.
His smile disappeared.
“What did you do?”
Michael looked at me.
I answered.
“Opened it.”
Vale grabbed the keyboard.
Too late.
The entire archive was being copied to Agent Price.
Journalists.
Attorneys.
Medical ethics boards.
Multiple independent servers.
Vale screamed.
“You stupid girl.”
I laughed.
“That’s Dr. Hart’s daughter to you.”
He raised his gun.
Luka moved in front of me.
A shot exploded.
I screamed.
Luka stumbled.
But the bullet had struck the metal frame beside him.
Federal agents poured through the doors.
Vale’s men dropped their weapons.
Price entered.
“Arthur Vale, get on the ground.”
For one perfect moment, I thought it was finished.
Vale surrendered.
The servers were secured.
Michael was free.
Luka was alive.
I called my mother.
“She’s safe?”
“Sofia is sleeping.”
I closed my eyes.
“We did it.”
Then Price’s face changed.
She was looking at her phone.
“What?”
She turned toward me.
“Vanessa escaped transport two hours ago.”
My blood went cold.
“She knows where my mother is.”
Luka was already moving.
We ran from the building.
Marcus called.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Then my mother’s phone rang me.
I answered.
Vanessa’s voice came through.
“Congratulations, Elena.”
I stopped breathing.
A baby cried in the background.
Sofia.
“Where is my daughter?”
Vanessa laughed.
“You exposed Meridian.”
May you like
Her voice became cold.
“Now let’s see what you’re willing to bury to get your baby back.”
