Chapter 23 - The Anniversary Chain
Palisade was no longer destroying itself.
But the danger had not ended.
The Anniversary Chain continued verifying the archive.
Each record connected to the next.
Each alteration opened another.
Mara appeared on the main screen.
"Emily, if this completes automatically, millions of protected records may become visible."
Abraham understood.
"Sources."
"Witnesses. Children. Undercover agents. Survivors in relocation programs."
Evelyn smiled from the floor.
"Now you understand why I edited it."
Emily did.
That was the trap.
Expose everything and innocent people would suffer.
Hide everything and the guilty remained protected.
Margaret had struggled with the same problem.
So had Abraham.
So had Evelyn.
The difference would be the choice made now.
"Can we separate verification from publication?" Emily asked.
Mara began working.
"Maybe."
"How long?"
"Two minutes."
Silas appeared on the upper level.
Blood covered one sleeve.
He held a dead man's detonator.
"There is no two minutes."
Abraham moved toward him.
Silas pressed the switch.
A distant explosion shook the mountain.
Water began pouring through an old emergency channel.
Palisade had been built beneath a reservoir.
Evelyn's face changed.
"You idiot."
Silas looked at her.
"You taught me never to leave evidence."
Water rushed across the floor.
Emily remained at the console.
"Continue verification."
Abraham shouted, "Emily, move!"
"Not yet."
The chain reached eighty percent.
Brandon stood beside her.
"You are going to drown for a database?"
"No."
She looked at the doors where Gideon was helping Evelyn toward the emergency stairs.
"I am making sure no one else does."
Ninety percent.
Water reached Emily's knees.
Abraham ran toward them.
Ninety-seven.
The system displayed two choices.
RELEASE ALL.
SEAL ALL.
Emily stared.
Then a third option appeared.
VERIFY ALL. RELEASE BY JUDICIAL WARRANT.
Margaret's final safeguard.
Emily selected it.
The Anniversary Chain completed.
Every alteration was preserved.
No protected name was automatically published.
For the first time, the Mirror contained proof of its own lies.
May you like
"Now," Emily said.
They ran.
