Page 408 of Scars of Fate

“What reason?”

“Aegis was never only a medical countermeasure.”

“We know it can temporarily shut down Fate.”

“Level Nine contains the permanent failsafe.”

The line crackled.

Behind Minser’s voice, I heard gunfire.

Two shots.

Then silence.

“Are you working with Kane?” I asked.

Minser laughed.

“I was assigned to protect Fate before Kane corrupted everything.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“Kane believed he controlled it.”

“And you let him.”

“For a time.”

“You murdered innocent people.”

“I gave governments the ability to identify wars before they began.”

“You were part of a system that used civilians as leverage.”

“I built a system.”

“You built a market.”

His breathing changed.

Anger.

“General Kane corrupted its purpose.”

“You threatened Geneva.”

“To force every piece of Fate into the open.”

“You were willing to kill everyone inside that bank.”

“The Geneva unit was real,” Minser said. “But its effective range was limited to the building. I knew the vault’s containment system could isolate it.”

“You still risked innocent lives.”

“Yes.”

No apology.