Chapter 95

Chapter 95

“We’re not alone.”

The words erased every trace of peace from the mountainside.

Luca turned immediately.

His body moving before conscious thought could catch up.

Years of conditioning.

Years of survival.

The figures emerging from the tree line below weren't hiding.

They wanted to be seen.

That alone was dangerous.

Damon followed Luca’s gaze.

And immediately swore.

“Tell me I'm hallucinating.”

“Wish I could,” Seraphine muttered.

At least twelve figures moved through the forest.

Maybe more.

Black tactical uniforms.

Military precision.

Disciplined formation.

And stitched onto every shoulder

The insignia.

The Program.

The symbol everyone thought died with the facility.

Mira instinctively moved closer to Damon.

Not afraid.

Alert.

A survivor recognizing danger.

Hale's expression darkened immediately.

“That’s impossible.”

Luca didn't look away from the approaching operatives.

“No.”

A pause.

“It's not.”

Because organizations like the Program never existed in one building.

One laboratory.

One archive.

Systems like that spread.

Buried roots deep underground.

Cut off one branch

Three more survived.

Cassian sighed dramatically from Luca’s arms.

“Every time.”

Nobody looked at him.

“Every single time I almost have emotional closure.”

“Cassian.”

“Then somebody invents another conspiracy.”

Damon pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You are literally being carried.”

“And yet my complaints remain valid.”

The approaching operatives stopped approximately fifty meters away.

Not attacking.

Not advancing.

Waiting.

That made Luca even more uneasy.

Professionals didn't hesitate without reason.

Seraphine slowly drew her weapon.

The click echoed softly through the mountain air.

Immediately several figures below mirrored the movement.

Weapons raised.

Not aimed.

Ready.

A warning.

Not a threat.

Yet.

Damon frowned.

“That's new.”

“What is?”

“They don't look like they're here to kill us.”

Silence.

Because he was right.

If these were Program operatives

And they wanted the group dead

Everyone would already be dead.

Luca knew that.

The precision.

The positioning.

The discipline.

This wasn't an ambush.

It was a meeting.

And somehow

That was worse.

One figure stepped forward from the formation.

Tall.

Deliberate.

Unarmed.

At least visibly.

The others remained behind.

Watching.

Waiting.

The stranger removed their hood slowly.

A woman.

Maybe mid-thirties.

Dark hair pulled tightly back.

Sharp eyes.

The expression of someone accustomed to giving orders.

She looked directly at Hale.

Not Luca.

Not Damon.

Hale.

Recognition flashed across her face.

“Arthur.”

The mountain seemed to freeze.

Hale's expression hardened immediately.

“You shouldn't be here.”

The woman laughed once.

Cold.

Humorless.

“That is a fascinating thing to hear from the man who destroyed an entire division.”

Division.

The word landed heavily.

Luca noticed it immediately.

Not facility.

Not project.

Division.

Which meant exactly what he feared.

The Program was larger than they thought.

Much larger.

Cassian groaned weakly.

“Oh, that's terrible news.”

Nobody disagreed.

The woman finally shifted her attention toward the rest of the group.

Her gaze lingered briefly on Mira.

Then Damon.

Then Luca.

And finally

Cassian.

Something unreadable flickered across her expression.

“Interesting.”

“I get that a lot.”

“Cassian.”

“What?”

Luca sounded exhausted already.

The woman looked back toward Hale.

“You failed to report the archive's destruction.”

“Correct.”

“You failed to report Vale's disappearance.”

“Correct.”

“You failed to report surviving subjects.”

Silence.

Hale's jaw tightened slightly.

“Correct.”

The woman nodded once.

As though confirming information she already knew.

Then she smiled.

And somehow

That smile felt colder than Vale's.

“Then I assume you've chosen a side.”

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

Danger.

Real danger.

Because suddenly

This wasn't a conversation.

It was a judgment.

Hale looked toward the group briefly.

Then back toward the woman.

“Yes.”

No hesitation.

No uncertainty.

Yes.

The woman studied him carefully.

Then sighed.

“Disappointing.”

Several operatives behind her adjusted their positions subtly.

Ready.

Prepared.

The message was clear.

If she gave the order

Everything would change.

Mira squeezed Damon’s hand tighter.

Damon stepped slightly in front of her.

Instinctively.

Protectively.

Luca noticed.

So did the woman.

“Interesting,” she repeated.

Cassian immediately looked offended.

“Stop saying that.”

For the first time

The woman almost smiled.

“You're the second anchor.”

The mountain air turned cold.

Cassian froze.

Luca’s grip tightened instantly.

Because nobody outside the facility should know that.

Nobody.

The woman noticed the reaction.

Which meant she got exactly what she wanted.

Information.

Confirmation.

“Good,” she said softly.

“Now I know Vale wasn't lying.”

Silence.

Then Hale spoke.

“Where is she?”

The woman's eyes shifted toward him.

And for the first time

Something dangerous appeared there.

Amusement.

“She’s waiting.”

Luca’s pulse dropped.

Waiting.

Not hiding.

Not fleeing.

Waiting.

Like she expected this.

Like she planned it.

The woman took one step forward.

Then another.

Never breaking eye contact with the group.

“You destroyed one archive.”

Her voice remained calm.

Controlled.

“But the Program wasn't built in a single facility.”

Every word confirmed their worst fear.

“There are others.”

Cassian immediately closed his eyes.

“No.”

“There are other archives.”

“No.”

“Other divisions.”

“No.”

“Other subjects.”

“No.”

“Other children.”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Because that one hurt.

That one landed.

Mira looked devastated.

Damon's face hardened instantly.

Seraphine lowered her weapon slightly.

Not from fear.

From fury.

And Luca

Luca felt ice settle into his chest.

Because if she was telling the truth

Then the nightmare wasn't over.

Not even close.

The woman looked at all of them.

Then quietly delivered the final blow.

“The facility you destroyed?”

A pause.

“Was the smallest one.”