تسجيل الدخولThe countdown continued to flash across every screen. No one moved for a long second. The room shook as dust drifted from the ceiling. The sound of alarms echoed through every corner of the underground facility. Nick looked at Ariana, and in that single moment, they both understood something important.Fear would not save them. Only trust would. Ariana took a slow breath and looked around the control room again. Samuel Carter had always believed that every problem had an answer. He never built Genesis to destroy lives. He built it to protect them. "There has to be another way," she said quietly.Nick nodded. "There is. We just haven't found it yet."Daniel stepped closer to the damaged control console. His tired eyes moved across the broken screen. Most of the controls no longer worked, but a small section continued to blink with a soft blue light. "I think Samuel left us one last choice," he said.Ariana hurried over. "What is it?"Daniel pointed to the message on the screen. PRIMARY
The bright red countdown glowed above the pillar. 09:59. The numbers began to fall. Every second echoed through the Heart Chamber like a hammer striking metal. No one spoke. Everyone stared at the screen. Richard was the first to break the silence. He smiled as if he had already won. "You should see your faces."Nick looked at him with cold eyes. "You planned to kill yourself too?"Richard laughed. "If I cannot have Genesis, no one will."Daniel Carter hurried to the control panel beside the glowing pillar. His old hands moved quickly over the controls. Lines of code flashed across the screen. He entered one command after another. Nothing changed. Finally, the system rejected every request. A loud beep filled the room. ACCESS DENIED. Daniel stepped back. His face was pale. "This protocol is completely separate from Genesis."Nick frowned. "What does that mean?""It means Richard built a second system.""He hid it where Samuel never looked."Ariana tightened her grip around the silver
The Heart Chamber was swallowed by darkness. Only a few small lights glowed along the walls. Nick quickly moved in front of Ariana again. She still held the flash drive tightly in one hand while supporting the wounded Isabella with the other.No one spoke. Everyone stared at the man who had just stepped through the hidden door. He looked almost exactly like David. The same height. The same gray hair. The same calm eyes. Even the way he stood was nearly identical. Richard's face slowly lost all color. "No...""It can't be."The old man smiled faintly. "It has been a very long time, Richard."Ariana looked from the stranger to the screen showing David's face. Her mind was racing. "Who are you?"The man looked at her with gentle eyes. "My name is Daniel Carter."Nick frowned. "Carter?"The old man nodded. "Samuel's older brother."Ariana's breath caught. "My father had a brother?"Daniel smiled sadly. "He rarely spoke about me.""He wanted everyone to believe I was dead."Outside the cha
Every laser in the Heart Chamber remained locked on Richard. Tiny red dots covered his chest, his head, and his hands. The hidden weapons never moved. Richard's confident smile slowly disappeared. "This is impossible.""I designed Genesis."The electronic voice answered him in a calm tone. "Correction.""Samuel Carter redesigned Genesis.""You no longer have administrator authority."Richard tightened his grip on the pistol. "I am Genesis.""No," the computer replied."You are classified as the highest threat."Nick slowly moved closer to Ariana. He gently pulled her behind him. "Stay close."She nodded, still holding the flash drive tightly. "I won't let it go."Richard noticed the movement. His eyes flashed with anger. "You still think that little drive can save you.""It can," Ariana answered."My father believed it could."Richard laughed, but this time it sounded forced. "Your father believed in impossible dreams.""He believed people would always choose what was right.""He was
Ariana's heart nearly stopped. She stared at the woman standing in front of her. The woman's hand was still wrapped tightly around her wrist. The flash drive lay on the floor between them. "You..." Ariana whispered."I saw you die."The woman smiled, but there was no warmth in her eyes. "You saw what Richard wanted you to see."Nick quickly stood and rushed toward Ariana. "Get away from her!"Before he could reach them, Richard stepped in front of him and blocked his path. "I think it's time for a few introductions."The woman slowly released Ariana's wrist and bent down to pick up the flash drive. She held it up with a satisfied smile. "So this is Samuel's final weapon."Ariana stared at her in disbelief. "I know you.""You worked with my father."The woman nodded. "I did.""My name is Isabella."David had spoken about her years ago, but everyone believed she had died in an explosion during the final days of Project Genesis. Nick looked at Richard. "You lied to everyone."Richard smi
Dust slowly settled across the Heart Chamber. Pieces of broken metal lay scattered on the floor where Richard had crashed through the ceiling. His eyes never left the small flash drive in Nick's hand. A cold smile spread across his face. "So this is what Samuel spent all those years protecting."Nick stepped in front of Ariana without hesitation. "You'll never touch it."Richard slowly removed his jacket and tossed it aside. "You've said that before.""And yet here I am."Ariana looked around the chamber. The only door was sealed. The ceiling opening was too high to reach. There was no easy escape. Nick quietly slipped the flash drive into his pocket. Richard noticed the movement. "Good.""That saves me the trouble of looking for it."Nick raised his fists. "If you want it...""...come and take it."Richard smiled. "I planned to."Outside the chamber, Claire stared at the monitor. "The Heart Chamber is locked from the inside."Daniel looked at the screen. "Can you open it?"Claire tri







