Nadine’s hand clenched into a fist, her knuckles white with strain.The protocol is… It’s trying to use my interface as a command center.Override my consciousness and use me, my mind, to stabilize the network.
Conall moved closer, ready to disconnect her if necessary.
Fight it,he said, his voice carrying all the conviction he could summon.You’re stronger than any program.Stronger than Gregory’s conditioning.
The battle played out on both digital and biological levels.On the screens, the map showed interfaces failing across the continent as Nadine’s cascade failure spread.But her body trembled with the effort of maintaining her identity against a technology designed to rewrite her very sense of self.
Almost…,she gasped.Almost there.The central hub is destabilizing.Just need to maintain…
The mate bond flared as she drew strength from their connection, using it as an anchor against the protocol’s attempts to subsume her personality.
Conall poured every ounce of love and trust through their bond, giving her something real to hold on to as artificial programming tried to convince her that loyalty to Gregory’s cause was her only purpose.
On the display, the last cluster of red dots flickered and went dark.
Nadine’s eyes snapped open, and she let out a scream that was equal parts triumph and agony.The interface connection sparked and died, smoke rising from the neural port as the technology overloaded and burned out.
Nadine shuddered violently, and Conall ripped the connection out of the port, throwing it to the ground as if it was a venomous snake.
She collapsed forward, and Conall caught her as tremors racked her body.The foreign presence that had been whispering at the edges of her thoughts, the edges of the bond, finally fell silent.
It’s done,she whispered.The protocol is dead.Every interface in the network is offline.
Quinton was already pulling up confirmation data.Network collapse is complete.No active interfaces showing on the continental grid.
We need to finish downloading Gregory’s files,Nadine said, forcing herself to stand despite her obvious exhaustion.Intelligence on the other Prometheus Group leaders, financial networks, communication protocols.Everything needed to roll up the entire conspiracy.
You’ve done enough,Conall said, but she was already moving toward the terminals.
No, I haven’t.Not until every one of Gregory’s coconspirators is in custody.
The sound of approaching vehicles announced Anders’s arrival.Through the laboratory’s windows, Conall could see teams deploying around the facility’s perimeter.
Anders entered the laboratory with his usual precision, taking in Gregory’s body and the technical equipment with professional assessment.Status report.
Omicron Protocol is permanently disabled,Nadine said without looking up from her download.Every neural interface in the network has been destroyed—we induced a cascade failure.Chimera’s North American operations are finished.
Outstanding work.Anders moved to examine Gregory’s body.And the Prometheus Group?
Download is at sixty percent,Quinton reported.Complete intelligence package on operatives, safe houses, financial networks.Everything needed for coordinated arrests.
How long do we have before they realize Gregory is compromised?
Unknown,Nadine replied.But the cascade failure should buy us time.Other Prometheus leaders will be dealing with massive communication breakdowns as their assets regain independent thought.
Anders nodded.As soon as we have the intel, I’ll have my teams execute simultaneous arrests.
You can start anytime, then,Quinton said.The download’s complete.Full intelligence package is secured.
Good.Anders turned to Conall.I brought demo charges as requested.How much time do you need?
Twenty minutes,Conall estimated, already mentally mapping placement points for maximum effect.Gregory’s research, his equipment, his entire infrastructure—all of it needed to be eliminated to prevent other groups from continuing his work.
Grim satisfaction suffused Conall as he began placing charges throughout the facility.
The man who had shaped Nadine from childhood, who had manipulated pack politics for decades, who had planned to reduce every shifter community to puppet status—his legacy would end here, in fire and rubble.
Behind him, Nadine and Quinton worked to secure the last of the intelligence files.Their coordination was seamless now.
