The building had not been used for more than twenty years, but the basement was still operational.
She had followed the coordinates sent by an anonymous message.
At the bottom of the stairs, she found a locked room.
A golden badge was attached to the door.
The same badge she had carried for most of her life.
She opened it.
Inside was a single chair, a desk, and a photograph of her father.
Beneath the photograph was a handwritten note.
Welcome back, Victoria.
She stared at the message.
Then the room's speakers activated.
"Hello, daughter."
Victoria froze.
The voice was unmistakable.
Her father.
"Where are you?" she demanded.
A quiet laugh echoed through the room.
"Closer than you think."
Victoria searched the corners.
"Show yourself!"
A monitor suddenly turned on.
An elderly man appeared on the screen.
He had white hair, a thin face, and a familiar golden watch.
Victoria recognized him immediately.
"Father?"
He smiled.
"Hello, Victoria."
She struggled to speak.
"You've been alive all this time?"
"Of course."
"Why did you let me believe you were dead?"
"Because you were more useful that way."
Victoria stepped backward.
"What?"
Her father folded his hands.
"Your grief made you determined. Your determination made you dangerous. And your investigation brought you exactly where I needed you."
Victoria felt sick.
"You used me."
"Everyone uses everyone, my dear."
She clenched her fists.
"You created the Black Circle."
"Yes."
"You destroyed families."
"I built an organization that could control information."
"You kidnapped children!"
Her father sighed.
"History is full of people who sacrifice a few lives to protect the many."
Victoria raised her weapon toward the screen.
"Tell me where you are."
He smiled.
"Come and find me."
The screen went black.
A message appeared.
ROOM 13.
Victoria immediately called Ethan.
But the call didn't connect.
She tried again.
Nothing.
Then she received a transmission from the old system.
A video file.
It showed Ethan, Adrian, and Elias inside the hospital.
The timestamp was current.
Victoria realized what was happening.
Her father had planned everything.
He had brought the three men together so that they could destroy one another.
And she had been invited to witness the final act.
Meanwhile, inside the hospital, the tension was growing.
Ethan stared at the transmission device.
"Why is it sending everything to Victoria?"
Elias looked exhausted.
"Because she's the only person who can activate the final archive."
Adrian laughed.
"Don't listen to him."
Ethan turned.
"What's inside the archive?"
Adrian answered.
"The original list. Every identity. Every payment. Every operation. Every murder."
"And why does Victoria need it?"
Elias looked at him.
"Because the original creator of Project Genesis gave her access."
Ethan frowned.
"Her father?"
Elias nodded.
"Yes."
Adrian stepped forward.
"There's something else."
He looked directly at Ethan.
"Victoria isn't just investigating the Black Circle."
He paused.
"She's supposed to inherit it."
Ethan shook his head.
"That's impossible."
"Ask her."
Suddenly, Victoria's voice came through the hospital speakers.
"He's right."
Everyone turned.
A security monitor showed Victoria standing inside the old headquarters.
She looked directly into the camera.
"My father left me the original authority key."
Ethan approached the screen.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know whether I could trust you."
"Trust me with what?"
Victoria looked down.
Then she said:
"With the fact that I am the only person who can shut down the entire organization."
Elias immediately stood.
"Don't do it."
Victoria ignored him.
She placed her golden badge against a scanner.
The system activated.
A digital message appeared.
AUTHORITY HOLDER CONFIRMED.
FINAL ARCHIVE AVAILABLE.
Ethan stared at the screen.
"Victoria, don't!"
She looked up.
"I have to."
"Why?"
"Because this has to end."
The screen changed.
A new message appeared.
WARNING: ACTIVATION WILL EXPOSE ALL REGISTERED IDENTITIES.
Victoria hesitated.
Then a second warning appeared.
INCLUDING THE IDENTITY OF THE CURRENT AUTHORITY HOLDER.
Ethan understood.
If Victoria activated the archive, her own identity and her father's entire history would become public.
She would lose everything.
Her career.
Her reputation.
Her family name.
Possibly her life.
Ethan spoke into the microphone.
"Victoria, listen to me. You don't have to do this alone."
She smiled sadly.
"I've been alone for twenty-three years."
Then she pressed the button.
A deep mechanical sound echoed through the old headquarters.
Across Blackwood City, thousands of computer screens suddenly turned on.
Police stations.
Government offices.
Private security companies.
Every system connected to the Black Circle received the same message.
PROJECT GENESIS HAS BEEN EXPOSED.
But before the transmission could finish, the entire network went dark.
One final message appeared.
AUTHORITY TRANSFERRED.
Victoria stared at the screen.
"That's impossible."
A voice spoke behind her.
"Not impossible, daughter."
She turned.
An elderly man stood in the doorway.
Her father.
He was alive.
And he was holding a golden badge.
Victoria slowly raised her weapon.
He smiled.
"Now, shall we finish what we started?"
The city was falling apart.
News stations were reporting mysterious leaks. Police officers were receiving orders from unknown sources. Several government buildings had been evacuated.
But the most disturbing development was happening inside the police department.
Every officer connected to Project Genesis had received the same message.
THE FINAL PURGE HAS BEGUN.
Ethan watched the message appear on his phone.
He looked toward Adrian.
"What's the final purge?"
Adrian's expression became serious.
"It means everyone who knows the truth is now a target."
Elias slowly sat down.
"Your grandfather always planned for this."
Ethan looked at him.
"Grandfather?"
Elias nodded.
"Victoria's father. The original creator."
"Why would he want to kill everyone?"
"Because he believes the organization has become too complicated to control."
Adrian laughed bitterly.
"He's going to erase every witness."
Miller stepped toward the door.
"We need to get out."
Ethan looked at him.
"Why should we trust you?"
Miller lowered his weapon.
"Because I have spent twenty-three years doing terrible things for that man."
He looked at Robert's photograph, which was still lying on the table.
"And because I don't want to die protecting his secrets."
Adrian approached him.
"You expect us to believe you've suddenly become a good man?"
"No."