Chapter 9 - Victor Locked Us Inside the Vault With the Entire Black Ledger—Then Offered to Free Caleb If I Became the New ArchivistWe were trapped.
Victor spoke through the intercom.
"Mara."
I stared at the camera.
"Let Caleb go."
"I will."
"Then open the door."
"First, you become the Archivist."
Dominic looked at me.
"No."
Victor laughed.
"You don't understand."
He explained the system.
The Archivist wasn't simply a person.
It was a position.
A biometric authority.
The person controlling the archive could erase or expose identities.
They could destroy the network.
Or control it.
My mother had been the Archivist.
Victor wanted me to replace her.
If I refused, he would kill Caleb.
Dominic stepped toward the speaker.
"You won't touch my son."
Victor laughed.
"You'll choose the girl."
I looked at Dominic.
He shook his head.
"Don't."
I knew what he was afraid of.
If I accepted, I would become exactly what my father and mother had spent their lives escaping.
But there was another possibility.
The vault contained everything.
If I became the Archivist, I could destroy it.
I placed my hand on the biometric panel.
Dominic grabbed my wrist.
"No."
"If I don't, Caleb dies."
"I'll find another way."
"We don't have time."
He looked at me.
"Then we'll make time."
That was Dominic.
Still trying to protect everyone.
Even when there was no possible way.
I pressed my hand against the scanner.
The system recognized me.
AUTHORIZATION ACCEPTED.
The vault opened.
Victor stepped inside.
He stared at the screen.
"You did it."
I looked at him.
"No."
I accessed the archive.
Then began deleting everything.
Victor's smile disappeared.
"What are you doing?"
"Ending it."
One file after another vanished.
Bank records.
Names.
Accounts.
Identities.
Routes.
Evidence.
The system began collapsing.
Victor shouted.
"You'll destroy everything."
"Exactly."
He raised his gun.
Dominic moved in front of me.
A shot fired.
The bullet struck his vest.
He fell.
I screamed.
Then Caleb's voice came through the intercom.
"Dad!"
Victor froze.
Caleb had entered the control room.
He was standing beside Gabriel.
Victor looked at him.
And smiled.
"The future of the Vale."
Dominic stood again.
"He's not yours."
He tackled Victor.
Security stormed the room.
For the first time, Victor Mercer was finally captured.
The Black Ledger was destroyed.
But one file remained.
Mine.
May you like
And it contained a message.
The network always survives.
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