Chapter 96

Chapter 96

“The facility you destroyed…”

The woman’s voice remained calm.

Controlled.

Cruel in the way only truth could be.

“...was the smallest one.”

Nobody spoke.

Because some revelations were too large to process immediately.

The mountain wind moved softly through the trees.

The sunlight remained warm.

The world remained beautiful.

And suddenly none of it felt real anymore.

Cassian stared at the woman.

Then looked toward the smoking ruins of the facility behind them.

Then back at her.

And finally said:

“I would like a refund.”

The tension shattered briefly.

Even Damon barked out a laugh.

The woman looked unimpressed.

“Humor won't change reality.”

“No,” Cassian agreed weakly.

“But it makes reality significantly less annoying.”

Luca adjusted his hold on him slightly.

“Maybe stop antagonizing armed strangers.”

“She started it.”

“She revealed a global conspiracy.”

“Exactly.”

Damon rubbed his face.

“This is somehow the most normal reaction he's had all day.”

The woman ignored them.

Her attention remained fixed on Hale.

“You really didn't tell them.”

Hale's silence was answer enough.

The woman's expression hardened.

“Of course you didn't.”

Mira looked between them nervously.

“What is she talking about?”

Nobody answered immediately.

Because everyone already knew.

Hale had secrets.

Of course he did.

The question was how many.

And how devastating they were.

The woman folded her arms.

“Arthur always preferred selective honesty.”

Seraphine's grip tightened around her weapon.

“Start talking.”

The woman smiled faintly.

“Which part?”

“I don't care.”

“Fair.”

The woman glanced toward the distant smoke rising from the destroyed facility.

“The archive you destroyed was Division Seven.”

Division Seven.

The designation sounded clinical.

Meaningless.

Until she continued.

“There are six others.”

Silence.

Then Damon spoke.

“No.”

The woman looked toward him.

“Unfortunately yes.”

“No.”

Damon shook his head.

“You don't get to casually say that and move on.”

“I wasn't planning to.”

The operatives behind her remained motionless.

Perfectly disciplined.

Like statues waiting for orders.

Which somehow made everything worse.

Because they believed in this.

Whatever this was.

They believed in it completely.

Luca looked toward Hale.

“Is she lying?”

The question hung in the air.

Everyone watching.

Waiting.

Hale closed his eyes briefly.

Then opened them again.

“No.”

The answer hit like a gunshot.

Mira physically flinched.

Seraphine swore under her breath.

Damon looked ready to punch something.

Cassian looked deeply offended.

“Arthur.”

Hale glanced toward him.

“Why?”

Not angry.

Not sarcastic.

Just tired.

“Why didn't you tell us?”

The older man's expression remained unreadable.

But his voice sounded different.

Smaller somehow.

“Because I hoped they were gone.”

Nobody spoke.

Because that answer wasn't manipulation.

It wasn't strategy.

It was wishful thinking.

And somehow

That was worse.

The woman laughed softly.

“You always were an optimist underneath the arrogance.”

Hale didn't respond.

Maybe because he knew she was right.

The woman stepped forward again.

“My name is Evelyn.”

Nobody lowered their guard.

She didn't seem surprised.

“Director of Division Three.”

The title sent ice through the group.

Director.

Not operative.

Not supervisor.

Director.

Which meant she wasn't a soldier.

She was one of the architects.

One of the people responsible.

Cassian immediately looked toward Luca.

“Put me down.”

“No.”

“Luca.”

“No.”

“Important.”

Luca hesitated.

Then reluctantly lowered him to his feet.

Cassian nearly collapsed immediately.

Damon caught him before gravity could.

“There.”

Cassian leaned heavily against Damon.

“Thank you.”

“Don't thank me.”

“Too late.”

Then Cassian looked directly at Evelyn.

And smiled.

The expression wasn't friendly.

It wasn't warm.

It was sharp.

Dangerous.

“You're responsible.”

Evelyn met his gaze evenly.

“Yes.”

No excuses.

No denial.

Just yes.

That startled everyone.

Including Cassian.

Because monsters usually justified themselves.

They hid.

They lied.

Evelyn didn't.

“You experimented on children.”

“Yes.”

“You built archives.”

“Yes.”

“You ruined lives.”

For the first time

She hesitated.

A fraction of a second.

Then:

“Yes.”

The mountain fell silent again.

Because hearing someone admit it openly felt wrong somehow.

Like reality itself was malfunctioning.

Mira looked at Evelyn with tears gathering in her eyes.

“Why?”

The question came out small.

Broken.

Human.

And for the first time

Evelyn looked uncomfortable.

Not guilty.

Not ashamed.

Just uncomfortable.

Because there was no answer a child would accept.

“Because we believed it was necessary.”

Mira shook her head immediately.

“No.”

Evelyn blinked.

“No?”

“No.”

Tears slid down Mira's face.

“You wanted it to be necessary.”

The words struck harder than accusations.

Because they were true.

The worst atrocities always started that way.

Not with necessity.

With justification.

Evelyn looked away first.

A tiny movement.

But Luca noticed.

So did Damon.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

The director of Division Three wasn't immune after all.

Then Hale suddenly stepped forward.

The movement immediately put every operative on alert.

Weapons shifted.

Safety protocols vanished.

Evelyn raised one hand.

The operatives stopped instantly.

“Arthur.”

Her voice softened slightly.

“Don't.”

Hale ignored her.

“You came here for something.”

Not a question.

A statement.

Evelyn nodded.

“Yes.”

The atmosphere tightened immediately.

Because of course she had.

People like Evelyn didn't travel personally without purpose.

She looked toward Luca.

Then Cassian.

Then Mira.

And finally Damon.

Something calculating moved behind her eyes.

“We have a proposal.”

Everyone groaned simultaneously.

Even Seraphine.

Especially Seraphine.

“Oh good.”

“No,” Cassian agreed.

“Nothing good has ever followed that sentence.”

Evelyn's gaze never left them.

“Vale has gone rogue.”

Silence.

Then Damon blinked.

“Excuse me?”

“She stole data from all seven divisions.”

Nobody breathed.

“She intends to activate every archive.”

The mountain suddenly felt much colder.

Because if even half of what Evelyn said was true

The nightmare wasn't beginning.

It was already in motion.