Chapter 22 - Brandon's Last Inheritance
The first explosion sealed the northern tunnel.
Concrete dust filled the archive.
Evelyn reached the central console.
Brandon tackled her before she could enter a command.
They hit the floor.
His handcuffs limited him, but rage did not.
Emily grabbed Evelyn's dropped weapon and kicked it toward Gideon.
"Brandon!"
He rolled away as Evelyn pulled a blade from her sleeve.
Emily caught her wrist.
Evelyn was stronger than she looked.
"So much like Margaret," Evelyn whispered.
Emily pushed harder.
"You didn't know her as well as you think."
"I knew what frightened her."
"You mistook fear for obedience."
Emily drove Evelyn's wrist against the floor.
The blade dropped.
Gideon restrained her.
The countdown continued.
Three minutes.
Mara's voice finally broke through the emergency radio.
"Palisade is connected to Mirror Lake. I can stop the demolition locks, but I need heir authorization."
Everyone looked at Brandon.
He approached the console.
Evelyn began laughing.
"Do it. Save the archive. Keep your inheritance."
Brandon placed his palm on the scanner.
HEIR AUTHORITY CONFIRMED.
Options appeared.
PRESERVE PRIVATE SUCCESSION.
TRANSFER SUCCESSION.
DESTROY ARCHIVE.
Evelyn stopped laughing.
Emily read the second option.
"Transfer to whom?"
Mara answered.
"The protocol accepts a court-established public trust."
Brandon stared at the screen.
For years, the Mirror had been the only thing no prison could take from him.
It gave him leverage.
Access.
Power.
A reason governments still answered his calls.
If he transferred it, he would become exactly what his sentence said he was.
A prisoner with no kingdom left outside the walls.
Emily did not tell him what to choose.
Brandon looked at her.
"You said consequences were where redemption might begin."
"They are."
"This doesn't redeem me."
"No."
He gave a tired smile.
"I knew you'd say that."
He selected TRANSFER SUCCESSION.
Recipient:
MIRROR PUBLIC EVIDENCE TRUST.
The console asked for final confirmation.
Brandon pressed his palm down again.
Inheritance relinquished.
The demolition countdown stopped.
Silas screamed from across the chamber.
May you like
Brandon removed his hand.
For the first time since Emily had known him, he owned nothing he could use against her.
