Chapter 18 - The Root Server
Adrian grabbed the drive and ran for the sealed server door.
Claire took Noah back and followed Lena and Mia behind a turbine housing.
Cross opened fire toward the entrance.
Lucas stayed beside him.
Ward’s team pushed inside.
The room filled with smoke and gunfire.
Adrian reached the server panel.
“Biometric lock!” he shouted.
Claire knew what he meant.
She hated it.
She carried Noah across the room while bullets struck steel around them.
Adrian pressed Noah’s tiny palm near the scanner.
The light turned green.
ACCESS GRANTED.
Claire looked at the machine. “He is never doing this again.”
“Agreed.”
The server room opened.
Adrian inserted Lucas’s drive.
A menu appeared.
ROOT ARCHIVE PURGE?
YES / NO.
He selected YES.
SECONDARY AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.
Adrian swore.
“Whose?” Claire asked.
The screen answered.
FOUNDING DIRECTOR AUTHORIZATION.
Helen Ward.
Claire laughed in disbelief. “That woman designed herself as the emergency brake?”
Adrian stared at the terminal.
“Or the owner.”
Ward’s voice came from behind them.
“Correct.”
Claire turned.
Ward stood at the server-room entrance with a gun.
Shaw was beside her.
Lucas lay wounded near the turbine.
Cross was disarmed.
Lena held Mia tightly.
Ward smiled. “Put the child down.”
Claire stepped backward.
“No.”
Ward aimed at Adrian.
“Then I shoot your husband.”
Claire’s eyes filled.
Adrian looked at her.
“Don’t.”
Ward cocked the gun.
Claire whispered, “I just got you back.”
Adrian’s face softened.
“I know.”
“Don’t make me lose you again.”
He smiled sadly. “Then don’t give her Noah.”
Ward fired.
Lucas moved first.
He stepped between them.
The bullet hit his chest.
Adrian screamed, “Dad!”
The word echoed through the station.
Lucas dropped.
Ward looked almost irritated.
That was her mistake.
Cross lunged at Shaw.
Lena kicked the gun from Ward’s hand.
Claire shoved the server-room door into Ward’s shoulder.
Adrian grabbed her wrist and forced her palm onto the founding-director scanner.
Ward fought him.
The screen turned green.
AUTHORIZATION CONFIRMED.
Adrian hit PURGE.
The servers began to whine.
Ward’s face went white.
“You have no idea what you’ve done.”
Adrian looked at her.
“For once, I know exactly what I’ve done.”
PURGE: 10%.
20%.
35%.
Then Shaw pulled a backup pistol.
May you like
She aimed at Noah.
And Claire saw it first.
