Steam erupts everywhere.
Gabriel’s voice echoes desperately:
“I CAN STOP THE BREACH BUT I NEED ACCESS TO THE CORE MANUALS!”
Wu laughs weakly.
“You’re too late.”
Hannah suddenly steps beside me.
Her eyes lock onto Wu’s.
No fear left.
None.
“You lost the second those children chose each other over you.”
That hits him.
I see it.
Tiny crack.
Tiny flicker.
Because control was everything to him.
And now even his conditioned soldiers are rejecting him.
Wu studies Hannah quietly through blood and flashing reactor light.
“You think they’ll thank you?”
Cold.
Cruel.
Certain.
“The world will fear them.”
“Experiment on them.”
“Lock them away.”
Hannah’s expression never changes.
“Maybe.”
A step closer.
“But at least they’ll finally have a choice.”
Wu looks at her for a long moment.
And suddenly—
