CHAPTER 9 – The Final Command
Every drone froze in the sky.
Then, as if obeying an invisible order, they pivoted away from Emma and aimed directly at Director Nathan Brooks and his remaining soldiers.
Nathan's confident smile vanished.
"No... that's impossible."
His technicians frantically typed commands into their tablets.
"Sir! We've lost control!"
"The entire Genesis defense network has switched authorization!"
Emma, still dizzy from the activation, heard the same calm electronic voice inside her mind.
Primary Commander Identified.
Welcome, Emma Hayes.
Images flashed through her head—her father working inside an underground laboratory, her mother carrying her as a baby, Richard standing guard outside a steel vault.
The memories weren't hers.
They had been recorded decades earlier and stored inside the Genesis system.
Nathan drew his pistol and grabbed Emma.
"If I can't control Genesis..."
"...no one will."
Before he could pull the trigger—
Richard, bleeding heavily from his shoulder, staggered to his feet.
"Emma..."
With the last of his strength, he tackled Nathan.
The gun fired.
The bullet missed Emma but struck Richard in the chest.
"Uncle!"
Richard smiled weakly.
"I promised your father..."
"...I'd bring you home."
Nathan shoved Richard aside and ran toward a waiting helicopter.
"Retreat!"
As the helicopter lifted off, every drone locked onto it.
Emma instinctively whispered,
"Stop him."
A single drone fired.
The helicopter spun out of control and crashed into the forest beyond the cliffs.
Silence covered the battlefield.
Richard looked at Emma one last time.
"I never wanted you to hate me..."
"I only wanted you to live."
His hand slowly slipped from hers.
Richard Carter closed his eyes forever.
Emma broke down in tears.
May you like
The man she had believed was a liar...
Had sacrificed everything to keep his promise.
