Chapter 9 - The Second Room
The second room was not beneath Henry’s house.
It was beneath Pier 14.
Ethan had overheard Grant and Claire arguing during the drive back from his school. Grant said the first room contained the map, but the second room contained the names.
At 8:24, security officers stopped the black SUV attempting to leave Hawthorne Naval Base.
The passenger inside was not Elias Voss.
It was Daniel Vale.
Natalie watched from the gate as officers ordered her uncle out of the vehicle.
His hands were raised.
Blood marked the side of his shirt, though he remained standing.
Mara took Ethan to the secured visitors’ building while Natalie moved toward Daniel.
Grant intercepted her.
“You cannot go near him.”
“He is my uncle.”
“He was found in Voss’s vehicle.”
“He may be injured.”
“He may be Harbormaster.”
Natalie looked at him.
“You spent seven years exchanging information with him.”
“And he lied to both of us.”
Daniel shouted from beside the SUV.
“Natalie, the shipment is already inside!”
Admiral Rowan approached with several armed security officers.
“Place Daniel Vale in custody,” he ordered.
Daniel struggled against the officer holding him.
“Rowan is activating the processors!”
Rowan’s expression did not change.
“Commander Brooks, take your wife inside.”
Natalie turned toward the harbor.
Pier 14 extended beyond a row of warehouses. A cargo vehicle was positioned beside the nearest warship. Workers in maintenance uniforms were unloading metal containers.
The shipment had not been delayed by the contract freeze.
Someone had authorized it through a military emergency exemption.
Grant looked at Rowan.
“Who approved continued unloading?”
“I did,” Rowan said.
“Why?”
“To preserve the operation.”
Natalie heard Claire inhale sharply.
Grant stepped between Rowan and the pier.
“Stop the shipment.”
Rowan’s voice hardened.
“That is an order, Commander.”
“No. Stop the shipment now.”
Rowan signaled to security.
Two officers moved toward Grant.
Mason Reed blocked one of them.
For several seconds, no one seemed certain which command to follow.
Then every phone and tablet on the pier displayed the same blue lantern symbol.
Blue Lantern was activating.
Natalie’s phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
WELCOME, SUCCESSOR.
Beneath it was a live map showing the cargo containers at Pier 14.
One container flashed red.
Natalie opened the details.
AUTONOMOUS AUTHENTICATION CORE.
STATUS: ACTIVE.
Claire looked at Natalie’s screen.
“That core can connect the altered processors to the remote network.”
“Can we shut it down?”
“With the brass key.”
“Where?”
Grant looked beneath the pier.
“The second room.”
Rowan ordered the officers to arrest them.
This time, no one moved.
Julian Cross arrived through the gate accompanied by federal agents holding sealed warrants. Mara had timed their entry to follow the contract suspension.
“Admiral Rowan,” Julian called, “you are required to surrender control of the Northstar investigation and provide access to Pier 14.”
Rowan laughed once.
“You have no authority over an active naval operation.”
Julian raised a document.
“The Department of Justice disagrees.”
Rowan looked toward the black SUVs.
One driver suddenly accelerated.
The vehicle struck a barrier and forced its way onto the service road beside the pier.
Grant pulled Natalie behind a concrete post.
The SUV stopped near the cargo container.
The rear door opened.
A gray-haired man stepped out wearing a dark civilian suit.
He looked almost exactly like Admiral Rowan.
The scar on his left ear confirmed his identity.
Elias Voss.
Rowan stared at him.
For the first time that morning, the admiral appeared afraid.
Voss smiled.
“Thomas,” he called. “You kept my chair warm.”
Federal agents raised their weapons but did not fire. Civilian technicians and sailors remained too close to Voss.
Voss held a small transmitter.
“If anyone approaches, every Sentinel processor enters remote mode.”
Grant moved beside Natalie.
“He’s bluffing.”
Voss looked directly at him.
“Grant, you have underestimated me since Blackwater Pier.”
“You killed Henry.”
“I offered Henry a future. He chose loyalty to a daughter who barely understood his work.”
Natalie stepped into view.
“Where is the second room?”
Voss’s smile widened.
“You have his eyes.”
“Where is it?”
“Beneath your feet.”
Natalie looked at the pier.
The brass key in her handbag suddenly felt impossibly heavy.
Voss raised the transmitter.
“The system requires the successor’s biological authorization and the physical key. Henry believed that combination would keep Blue Lantern safe.”
“You need me.”
“For the next three minutes.”
“And after that?”
“You become unnecessary.”
Grant moved forward.
Voss pressed a button.
The nearest Sentinel vessel powered on.
Its unmanned navigation system illuminated along the bridge.
A warning alarm sounded across the harbor.
Claire whispered, “He has control.”
Rowan shouted orders toward the command center.
Nothing happened.
Blue Lantern had locked the base systems into emergency continuity mode.
Natalie took the brass key from her bag.
Grant grabbed her wrist.
“No.”
“He cannot activate the full network without me.”
“He will kill you afterward.”
“Then make sure he doesn’t.”
She pulled away and walked toward Voss.
The federal agents held their positions.
Voss directed her toward a maintenance hatch beneath the cargo platform.
The hatch opened to a metal staircase.
Grant followed despite Voss’s warning.
Claire followed Grant.
Rowan remained above with the officers.
The staircase descended into a reinforced chamber beneath the pier.
The second room was circular, filled with old servers, military control consoles and walls of locked document cabinets. Hundreds of names glowed across a central screen.
Politicians.
Military officers.
Corporate executives.
Intelligence contractors.
Judges.
Bankers.
Grant’s name appeared near the center.
So did Rowan’s.
So did Daniel’s.
Natalie found her father’s name.
Its status read TERMINATED.
Then she saw her own.
SUCCESSOR, PENDING ACTIVATION.
Beside it was Ethan Brooks.
CONTINGENCY SUCCESSOR.
Natalie’s fear turned into fury.
“You put my son into the system.”
Voss stood behind the central console.
“Henry did.”
“No.”
“He believed blood was more reliable than loyalty.”
“Ethan was not alive when this system was built.”
“The system updated when you gave birth. Grant provided the hospital records.”
Natalie looked at her husband.
Grant’s face collapsed.
“I didn’t know what they were for.”
“You gave them our son’s information?”
“Rowan ordered a security assessment after Ethan was born.”
Voss laughed.
“Still blaming orders.”
Claire moved toward a side console.
Voss raised the transmitter.
“Do not.”
She stopped.
Voss pointed toward a narrow slot in the central terminal.
“The key.”
Natalie approached.
A glass panel beside the slot illuminated.
BIOLOGICAL AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.
She placed her hand on the panel.
The system scanned her palm.
Identity confirmed.
Voss smiled.
“Now insert the key.”
Natalie held it above the slot.
“Release control of the Sentinel.”
“After activation.”
“No.”
Voss pressed the transmitter again.
On the display, the Sentinel vessel began moving away from the pier.
Sailors shouted above them.
“If it reaches the harbor channel under remote control,” Voss said, “every defense agency in the world will understand what Blue Lantern can do.”
Grant moved half a step.
Voss turned toward him.
“Choose carefully. You already lost one family today.”
Natalie looked at the screen of names.
A small icon appeared beside Grant’s record.
ACTIVE FIELD OPERATIVE.
Beside Claire’s name was a different designation.
AUTHORIZED SUCCESSOR TERMINATION.
Natalie looked at Claire.
Claire stared at the screen, horrified.
“I’ve never seen that.”
Voss’s smile faded.
Grant saw the designation too.
“Claire was supposed to kill Natalie?”
“No,” Voss said.
May you like
The answer came from Admiral Rowan, who had entered the chamber behind them.
“Claire was supposed to replace her.”
