Page 418 of Scars of Fate

The timer reached two minutes.

“If we select the shield, what happens?” Hawk demanded.

“The Fate network is permanently erased,” Minser answered.

“And the sword?”

“A copy is transmitted to every Meridian site in the world.”

Wynn stared at the controls.

“Kane doesn’t need the source drive.”

“No,” Minser said. “He needs us to activate the wrong command.”

The three authorization positions were physically intact.

But Kane had reversed their written labels to trick anyone operating under pressure.

The facility speakers activated.

Kane’s voice entered the laboratory.

“One minute, fifty seconds.”

A video appeared on the wall.

Elena sat beside the portable biological unit.

Kane stood behind her with a pistol pressed against her head.

Roth surged toward the screen.

Kane smiled.

“Choose carefully.”

The timer continued.

01:43.

01:42.

01:41.

Three controls.

One physical key.

One source drive.

Two custodians.

One chance to end Fate.

And a dying clock between us and Elena.

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