Chapter 30 - The Fourth Key
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Standing near the top of the crypt stairs, flanked by four heavily armed operatives carrying short-barreled assault rifles, was a tall man in a tailored black overcoat.
He had silver hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and cold, calculating gray eyes.
Victor Sterling—The Architect.
"The fourth key," Victor said, stepping slowly down the stone steps with his hands held casually in his coat pockets, "is blood."
Madison kept her sight alignment fixed directly on the center of Victor's chest. "Don't move, Sterling. One step and I end this right here."
"You won't shoot me, Commander Carter," Victor said with a smooth, terrifying confidence. "Because the lock on that door is programmed with an internal thermite charge. If you force the final biometric cycle without my living genetic match, the entire server bank inside burns to ash in four seconds."
Arthur stepped between Victor and Ethan, his submachine gun aimed at Victor's lead operative.
"You killed my son, Victor," Arthur said, his voice trembling with a terrifying, cold rage. "You killed Madison's parents in that staged crash in Boston."
"Your son was weak, Arthur," Victor sneered gently. "He wanted to turn these files over to the Senate Intelligence Committee. He wanted transparency! Do you have any idea what transparency would do to the world economy? Chaos! War! Panic!"
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Victor took another step forward, his eyes locking onto Madison.
"The Architect network maintains order through fear," Victor continued softly. "We control the men who control the nuclear codes. And now, Madison... you are going to hand over those keys, or I will have my men execute your brother right here on these holy stones."
