Chapter 16 — The Sixty Seconds That Changed Everything
A-03 ACTIVATION: 01:00
Arthur's entire world narrowed to the sound of Ethan struggling to breathe.
“Ethan!”
He dropped to his knees.
His son was conscious, but barely.
His small hands clutched Arthur's shirt.
“Dad…”
“I'm here.”
Arthur pressed Ethan against his chest.
“I'm right here.”
Alexander stood beyond the doorway, watching calmly.
“Thirty seconds have already passed.”
Arthur looked up.
“What did you do to him?”
“I activated the succession protocol.”
“Turn it off!”
Alexander smiled.
“I can't.”
Jonathan stepped forward.
“That's a lie.”
Alexander looked at him.
“You've spent fifteen years reading contracts, Jonathan. You should know better.”
Jonathan's eyes narrowed.
“Every system has an override.”
“Not this one.”
A-02 suddenly ran toward the control console.
“There has to be.”
She began typing.
Lines of code flashed across the screen.
Arthur looked at her.
“You said you were the prototype.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know how to stop it.”
“I know how to survive it.”
“That's not what I asked.”
A-02 looked at Ethan.
Her expression softened.
“I've never seen anyone survive what they're doing to him.”
Arthur's voice became deadly.
“Then I'll be the first.”
Elena knelt beside Ethan.
His face was pale.
“Arthur…”
“I know.”
“He's burning.”
Arthur touched Ethan's forehead.
“Ethan, stay with me.”
The boy opened his eyes.
“Dad…”
“Yeah?”
“I'm scared.”
Arthur's throat tightened.
“So am I.”
He kissed Ethan's forehead.
“But I'm not letting them take you.”
A countdown appeared.
00:38
Jonathan rushed to the console.
“There's an authorization sequence.”
A-02 looked at him.
“Read it.”
Jonathan scanned the screen.
“Three genetic signatures required.”
Arthur stared.
“Which three?”
“A-01.”
He looked at himself.
“A-02.”
Then at the woman who shared his face.
“And A-03.”
Ethan.
A-02's expression changed.
“They designed it so all three of us have to be present.”
Arthur suddenly understood.
“They didn't need Ethan alone.”
“No.”
“They needed me too.”
“Yes.”
Alexander smiled.
“Now you're beginning to understand.”
Arthur stood.
“You needed me to activate him.”
Alexander nodded.
“And A-02?”
“She was created to complete the sequence.”
A-02 stared at Alexander.
“You lied to me.”
“I protected you.”
“You murdered the others.”
“They were defective.”
A-02's hands curled into fists.
“How many?”
Alexander didn't answer.
“How many?”
“Twenty-seven.”
The room went silent.
A-02's face became empty.
Arthur looked at her.
“Twenty-seven?”
Alexander spoke calmly.
“Twenty-seven prototypes before you.”
A-02 whispered,
“And Arthur?”
Alexander smiled.
“Arthur was the original.”
Arthur felt sick.
“You created me?”
“No.”
Alexander shook his head.
“You were born.”
“Then why call me A-01?”
“Because you were the first successful subject.”
Arthur looked at Rebecca's photograph in his hand.
His mother.
The hospital.
The secret.
Suddenly everything connected.
“They didn't experiment on me.”
Alexander smiled.
“They experimented around you.”
Arthur's eyes hardened.
“You used my blood.”
“Yes.”
“My DNA.”
“Yes.”
“To create her.”
Alexander looked at A-02.
“Yes.”
A-02 stared at Arthur.
For the first time, she looked less like a stranger.
And more like family.
Arthur stepped toward her.
“You're my genetic sister.”
She swallowed.
“I think so.”
“No.”
Arthur looked at Alexander.
“You made her from me.”
Alexander nodded.
“Which makes her something far more useful.”
A-02's eyes narrowed.
“What?”
Alexander pressed another button.
The floor beneath A-02 opened.
She fell.
Arthur lunged.
He caught her wrist.
“Hold on!”
A-02 screamed.
Alexander watched without emotion.
“Let go.”
Arthur pulled harder.
“No.”
“Arthur!”
“I'm not losing another member of my family.”
A-02 looked up at him.
“Family?”
Arthur gritted his teeth.
“Yes.”
He pulled her upward.
Daniel rushed over and helped.
Together they dragged her back onto the floor.
The countdown reached—
00:19
Jonathan shouted.
“I found the override!”
Everyone turned.
“Where?”
“It requires Edward's authorization.”
Arthur looked at the screen.
“Can you fake it?”
“No.”
“Then find him.”
“He's not here.”
Arthur remembered the old man's voice.
Edward.
The man who had disappeared for decades.
The man who had built the trust.
Arthur suddenly looked at the silver pendant.
Inside was a hidden compartment.
He opened it.
A tiny chip was embedded beneath the photograph.
Jonathan stared.
“That may be the authorization key.”
Arthur handed it to him.
Jonathan inserted it.
The screen flashed.
EDWARD VANCE — AUTHORIZATION ACCEPTED
Alexander's smile disappeared.
“No.”
Jonathan typed rapidly.
“Ten seconds.”
Alexander raised his weapon.
“Stop!”
Daniel stepped in front of Jonathan.
Alexander's men raised their guns.
Arthur moved Ethan behind Elena.
“Shoot me,” Arthur said.
Alexander looked at him.
“You think I'd kill my own son?”
“You're not my father.”
Alexander's face hardened.
“You have no idea what I am.”
The screen flashed.
OVERRIDE READY
Jonathan shouted:
“Arthur!”
Arthur placed his hand against the scanner.
A-02 did the same.
Ethan's hand was guided between theirs.
The machine scanned all three.
A-01 VERIFIED.
A-02 VERIFIED.
A-03 VERIFIED.
Then—
SUCCESSION PROTOCOL CANCELLED.
Ethan gasped.
His body relaxed.
Arthur caught him.
“Ethan?”
The boy opened his eyes.
“Dad?”
Arthur almost collapsed from relief.
“I've got you.”
Alexander stared at the screen.
For the first time, fear appeared on his face.
Arthur stood.
“It's over.”
Alexander slowly shook his head.
“No.”
He pressed a button.
The laboratory doors locked again.
A deep mechanical sound echoed beneath the floor.
Jonathan looked down.
“What was that?”
Alexander smiled.
“You canceled the succession.”
Arthur stared.
“So?”
“You didn't destroy it.”
A second screen came alive.
BACKUP SUCCESSION PROTOCOL
LOCATION: VANCE TOWER
STATUS: ACTIVE
Arthur's blood ran cold.
Alexander stepped backward.
“You were always looking in the wrong building.”
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire exploded.
Arthur pulled Ethan down.
Daniel tackled one of the guards.
Elena dragged Jonathan behind the console.
A-02 disappeared into the darkness.
Then—
the emergency lights returned.
Alexander was gone.
But one thing remained on the screen.
A message.
COME TO VANCE TOWER.
Arthur looked at Ethan.
Then at Daniel.
“We're going.”
Daniel shook his head.
“It's a trap.”
“I know.”
“Then why go?”
May you like
Arthur's eyes hardened.
“Because my mother is still there.”
