Horrified.
Because now they all understand.
Sentinel isn’t one bunker.
It’s infrastructure.
A network.
Wu built roots underground where nobody could see them.
Russ immediately turns toward Gabriel.
“Can you lock the transit system down?”
Gabriel starts typing furiously.
“Trying.”
Alarms suddenly change tone overhead.
Not warning sirens this time.
Evacuation signals.
And Wu’s voice returns once more.
Calm as ever.
“You continue to misunderstand the purpose of Ascension.”
Clay raises his rifle toward the ceiling.
“I swear to God—”
Wu ignores him.
“These children were never prisoners.”
The little girl beside me physically flinches.
Like even hearing him hurts.
Wu continues:
“They are the future.”
My rage burns so hot now it feels almost clean.
“You tortured them.”
“No,” Wu says softly.
“I refined them.”
That word nearly destroys me.
Because I remember hearing it before.
