“You want me to decide?”
“Yes.”
Hayes stepped forward.
“Delete it.”
Claire said, “No.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You want it released?”
“My mother died because people spent years protecting secrets.”
Hayes shook his head.
“You’re emotional.”
She turned
on him.
“And you shot at my mother.”
I stared at the glowing buttons.
Release.
Delete.
Both terrified me.
Then I noticed a third option.
ARCHIVE SEALED — TRANSFER TO FEDERAL CUSTODY.
“What’s that?”
Margaret smiled slightly.
“I added it.”
Russell looked at her.
“When?”
“While you were busy pretending to be dead.”
For the first time, I saw something like respect between them.
I selected it.
**TRANSFER TO FEDERAL CUSTODY.**
Russell exhaled.
Hayes shouted, “Emily, don’t!”
I pressed CONFIRM.
The server room filled with mechanical clicks.
Hayes lunged.
Daniel tackled him.
The transfer began.
1%.
7%.
12%.
Then the power went out.
Complete darkness.
Margaret whispered, “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
