Chapter 23 - THE FOURTH SUCCESSORThe synthesis reached one hundred percent.
The chamber opened.
Inside lay no child.
No clone.
No human body.
Only a small black device surrounded by Cassandra’s blood.
Victor lifted it carefully.
“The fourth successor is not a person,” he said. “It is an authority.”
The device contained a composite genetic signature capable of imitating approval from Amelia, Elias and Julian.
With it, Victor could control every Orpheus-linked system without any heir present.
Julian stepped away from him.
“You said the process would release Cassandra.”
“It will.”
Victor pressed a control.
The restraints around Cassandra opened.
She collapsed into Theodore’s arms.
Amelia looked at Julian.
“You helped him.”
“I needed access to the device.”
“You could have told us.”
“You would have stopped the synthesis.”
“Yes.”
“That is why I did not tell you.”
Elias raised his weapon.
Julian did not move.
“Shoot me after I finish.”
He revealed that Victor’s device had a hidden flaw. The composite signature required continuous synchronization with the three original successors.
If one successor changed their biometric pattern, the device would fail.
“How do we change it?” Amelia asked.
Julian looked toward the surgical equipment.
“Clinical death.”
Theodore tightened his hold on Cassandra.
“No.”
“One of us dies for at least three minutes,” Julian said. “The device loses the reference state.”
“And then?” Elias asked.
“If resuscitation succeeds, the system may recognize the survivor as a new person.”
“May?”
“There was no ethical trial.”
Victor began moving toward the private elevator.
Nathaniel fired at the glass.
It resisted.
Amelia studied the room.
Victor expected one of the siblings to sacrifice themselves.
He had designed the choice to fracture them.
She looked at Cassandra’s blood bag.
The system had included Cassandra as a stabilizing Hart match.
“We do not need one of the three successors.”
Julian understood first.
“Cassandra.”
Theodore stood.
“No.”
Cassandra pushed away from him.
“If my blood completed it, changing my biometric state may destabilize it.”
“You could die.”
“So could thousands of people if Victor reaches the command network.”
The private elevator began descending.
Amelia looked toward Nathaniel.
“Can you reach him?”
“Not before the lobby.”
Cassandra climbed onto the treatment table.
Theodore caught her hand.
“I failed every child this family touched.”
Cassandra looked at him.
“Then do not fail me by taking away my choice.”
Julian prepared the medication.
Theodore stepped back.
Cassandra looked at Amelia.
“If I do not wake up, destroy the company.”
Amelia held her gaze.
“You will tell me that yourself.”
Julian injected the first drug.
Cassandra’s heart monitor slowed.
Then stopped.
The black device in Victor’s hand began flashing red.
Inside the descending elevator, a recorded voice announced:
STABILIZING WITH SUCCESSOR D.
Nathaniel stared at the display.
“It found another reference.”
May you like
Amelia’s blood turned cold.
The child she had lost seven years earlier might not have died.
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