Chapter 17 - Counterattack
Celeste believed choices were weapons.
She was wrong.
Choices only become weapons when the person offering them controls the options.
I looked at Damian.
Then Mom.
Then Evelyn.
Then the authentication cores.
“Open Orion,” Celeste ordered.
“No.”
She pushed the weapon against Damian.
“Your relationship with him is complicated.”
I almost laughed.
“He assaulted me.”
Damian muttered, “Fair.”
Celeste’s expression hardened.
“You think I won’t kill him?”
Claire stepped forward.
“He is Rebecca’s son.”
Celeste froze.
Only for a second.
Enough.
Claire continued.
“We know.”
Celeste’s perfect composure cracked.
“Rebecca died.”
“No.”
Sophie spoke.
“Rebecca survived Augustus.”
Evelyn looked at Sophie sharply.
“What?”
Sophie stared at Celeste.
“I found her records in Switzerland.”
Damian looked confused.
“My mother is alive?”
Sophie nodded.
“She has been in protective hiding for twenty-seven years.”
Claire began crying.
Celeste shook her head.
“You are lying.”
“No.”
Sophie lifted her phone.
A video appeared.
Rebecca Cross.
Older.
Alive.
“Damian.”
“Claire.”
“If you are seeing this, then Celeste has lost control.”
Celeste’s hand trembled.
That was the first time I saw real fear in her.
Rebecca continued.
“Celeste worked for my father.”
“She was never your mother.”
“She was your handler.”
Damian closed his eyes.
Claire looked ready to collapse.
Then Rebecca said something else.
“And if Evelyn is there, tell her I forgive her.”
Evelyn’s face broke.
Mom whispered, “You found her.”
Sophie nodded.
Celeste shouted, “Enough!”
She raised the weapon.
I moved.
Not toward her.
Toward the authentication core.
My palm hit the scanner.
IDENTITY CONFIRMED.
Celeste smiled.
“Yes.”
I spoke.
“Seven.”
Mom answered.
“Three.”
Sophie:
“One.”
I finished.
“Seven.”
Celeste’s smile vanished.
DESTRUCTION PROTOCOL INITIATED.
“No!”
She lunged.
Damian grabbed her wrist.
The gun fired into the ceiling.
Marcus and federal tactical officers exploded through the service door.
Mara Quinn entered behind them.
Free.
Armed.
Furious.
“Federal agents!”
Celeste froze.
Mara looked at me.
“You could have told me about the kill sequence.”
“I learned it thirty seconds ago.”
“Fair.”
The authentication system began counting down.
60 SECONDS.
Evelyn suddenly rushed toward the cores.
Mom blocked her.
“Don’t.”
“Isabella.”
“It ends here.”
“You would erase everything?”
“Yes.”
“Thousands of crimes.”
“Along with thousands of lies.”
“We can separate them.”
“You had fifteen years.”
Evelyn’s face twisted.
“I gave up everything for this.”
Mom’s voice softened.
“So did I.”
45 SECONDS.
Evelyn stared at her.
Then at me.
Then Sophie.
Her family.
The people destroyed by Orion.
For one second, I thought she would step away.
Then she ran.
She grabbed one authentication core and pulled it free.
The countdown stopped.
Mara raised her weapon.
“Put it down!”
Evelyn backed toward the tunnel.
“No.”
Victor stepped forward.
“Evelyn.”
“You chose Isabella.”
“This was never about choosing.”
“You always chose her.”
“You were my sister.”
“I built everything.”
“I know.”
“You took my company.”
“I know.”
“You erased me.”
Victor’s voice broke.
“Yes.”
That stopped her.
He did not defend himself.
“I was afraid.”
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
“I thought if the world believed you were dead, Elena would be safe.”
She laughed through tears.
“Your solution to everything.”
“Lies.”
Victor nodded.
“Yes.”
“I was wrong.”
Silence.
Then Celeste moved.
Fast.
She grabbed the fallen pistol.
Damian shouted.
Mara turned.
Celeste fired.
Victor shoved me aside.
The shot struck him.
He fell.
“Dad!”
Chaos erupted.
Mara fired once.
Celeste dropped the weapon.
Agents rushed her.
I fell beside my father.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“Dad.”
His eyes opened.
“Elena.”
“Stay with me.”
He smiled weakly.
“Still giving orders.”
I pressed my hands against the wound.
Across the corridor, Evelyn still held the Orion core.
She stared at Victor.
At the brother she hated.
At the brother who had just taken a bullet for his daughter.
May you like
Then she ran into the tunnel.
With the final piece needed to activate Orion.
