Chapter 4

Early the next morning, I arrived at a discreet meeting point on the outskirts of Aldenbury.

I sat inside a black military-style SUV and signed the confidentiality agreement.

One of the agents handed me a metal case.

"Mr. Ludwig, regulations require you to surrender all personal communication devices before entering the facility.

"From this point on, your identity records will be placed under the highest level of classification. Your name will be locked out of all public and government databases.

"Until the project is declassified, you will effectively cease to exist to the outside world. Are you ready?"

I nodded and took out my phone.

"Can I make one last call?"

The agent nodded.

I dialed Dad's number. It rang for a long time before he finally answered.

"What is it now?" he asked, his voice cold. "You already gave Ian the data. What else do you want?"

"Dad, I'm not going to graduate school anymore," I said, staring out at the barren landscape beyond the window. "I'm leaving."

There was a brief silence on the other end.

Then Dad let out a mocking laugh.

"Karl, how long are you going to keep playing this little game? You think threatening to give up your future is going to make me hand the fellowship back to you?

"Let me make this clear. It's never going to happen. If you have that much pride, then don't ever come crawling back to me."

He sounded so certain, but I didn't bother to argue.

"As you wish," I simply said.

Then I hung up and dropped the phone into the metal case.

The car door closed, and the SUV sped toward the endless desert of Svardia, leaving Aldenbury behind.

…

Aldenbury University was glowing with lights.

Dad had just been named one of Aldenbury's outstanding educators of the year for giving up his own son's graduate fellowship to help a disadvantaged student reach one of the country's most prestigious universities.

That night, Aldenbury University had a celebration in his honor.

Dad stood in the banquet hall, beaming as he raised his glass and accepted congratulations from university officials and members of the press.

Ian wore an expensive designer suit—one Dad had bought for him with his own money. Megan stood beside him, her arm linked through his, pride written all over her face.

"Prof. Ludwig is truly selfless. To give up his own son's fellowship like that—what an incredible role model for the rest of us!"

"Not at all," Dad said, smiling as he was surrounded by praise. "Educators are supposed to treat every student equally. Ian worked hard for this opportunity, so he deserves it."

Just then, one of the associate deans, a longtime rival of Dad's, approached with a drink in his hand.

There was a knowing look in Hans Zoeller's eyes as he asked, "Prof. Ludwig, on a night this important, where is your son, Karl?

"I heard he's barely been attending classes lately. Don't tell me he's holding a grudge over your decision."

Awkwardness hung in the air.

"Maybe Karl is still angry with me," Ian said quietly, his eyes reddening. "It's all my fault."

"It's not your fault." Megan squeezed his hand. "He's just being petty and narrow-minded."

Dad's expression darkened.

The next second, he connected his tablet to the large screen at the front of the banquet hall.

"Karl has been skipping classes for half a month because he can't accept that Ian got the fellowship," he boomed. "As dean, I've always put fairness before family. I have never abused my position for personal gain.

"And since my son has chosen to disregard the university's rules, I am officially dismissing him from the university effective immediately."

The room erupted, and Ian nearly jumped with joy.

Once I was gone, all the research I'd left behind would belong to him.

Dad quickly logged into Aldenbury University's central student records system and entered my student ID.

Without hesitation, he clicked "Confirm Withdrawal".

But the moment he did, the screen flickered.

A shrill system alarm suddenly rang through the banquet hall.

The student records system vanished from the screen. In its place, several lines of bold red text appeared.

"This individual's records have been sealed under the highest national security classification.

"Unauthorized access, modification, or cancellation is strictly prohibited. Any attempt to override these restrictions may constitute the unlawful access or theft of classified national information."