Hearing what Claire just said, Morgan realized that her words were almost identical to what David Chen had said just before Morgan killed him. Morgan made himself keep a neutral expression so that the horror wouldn't show on his face.
He said carefully, "That's good."
"I'm happy you found something that matters. I just worry about the ideas that are being taught."
"It seems like Murphy says some things in private that are very different from what he says in public."
Claire's attitude changed right away, and she stood up straight. "What do you mean?"
Morgan was careful with his words, pushing the limits. "Some of the private Council teachings just seem more extreme."
"The talk is about people who are good and bad, about choosing and evolving."
"That sounds like a dangerous place."
"Is it dangerous?" Claire leaned in, and her voice had a sharpness he had never heard before. "Or just truthful?"
"Morgan, the old world failed because we attempted to save everyone instead of strengthening the strong."
""That's not being cruel, it's just how things are."
The way she said it, like it was nothing, and the way she sounded so sure of herself made Morgan's blood run cold. These weren't her words. Claire said what Murphy wanted her to say, and she believed every word.
"Claire, pay attention to what you're saying," Morgan said in a low, urgent voice.
"You're talking about people like they're things that need to be managed instead of people. That's not you."
"Maybe that's who I need to be," Claire shot back. "Maybe the old me was too soft and let feelings get in the way of making decisions."
"Father Murphy has helped me understand that true compassion doesn't mean keeping everyone safe. It's about making sure that humanity grows into something stronger."
Morgan's chest tightened, and the words felt like they were hitting him. She was using the same words Murphy taught his closest friends, the same words that came before horrible things happened in the original timeline.
He had to try one more time to see if there was anything left of the person he knew. Morgan said, "I've been considering revealing some of what Murphy teaches in private."
He watched her face closely. "The real beliefs are different from what people publicly express."
"People have the right to know what they are really getting into."
Claire's face changed right away. First, shock and betrayal showed on her face, then anger took over. "Exposing? Morgan, that sounds like a betrayal."
"Are you really thinking about going against the Council? Against your own father?"
"Isn't it right to warn people if what he's building is dangerous?"
Claire's face showed conflict for a moment, her eyes darted away, and her hands clenched on the table, showing that she was having an internal struggle. Morgan felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe she was still in there, and maybe she could still question what she was being taught.
Then she said something. "What if he is right, though? What if this is how evolution works?" and all hope was lost.
It sounded like she was asking an intriguing philosophical question instead of defending an ideology that led to mass murder. Morgan felt something break inside his chest, and the last thread that connected them started to fray.
Claire's voice grew stronger as she said, "The old world failed, Morgan."
"Maybe it didn't work because we tried to save everyone instead of strengthening the strong."
"Maybe 'survival of the fittest' doesn't mean anything if it's just true. The disappearances might not have been random. Maybe they were needed."
Morgan looked at her and saw a stranger with Claire's face and Murphy's words coming out of her mouth with complete certainty. He was to blame for this.
He had sent her to the Council, put her in a spot where Murphy could get to her, and made her visible enough to be worth corrupting. In the original timeline, she was just an ordinary member of Murphy's church, corrupt but not at the level of leadership. His meddling had made things worse.
"You don't really believe that," he said, his voice empty.
Claire looked him in the eye with a disturbing sense of certainty. "I wouldn't have a few weeks ago."
"But I've been learning a lot about how nature works. About how societies fall apart when they value weakness over strength."
"Father Murphy has taught me that compassion can be harmful when used incorrectly."
Morgan's mind was racing, going through different versions of the same horrible realization. She was no longer there.
He had lost her. Before the murder, she sounded just like Chen.
This never happened in the original timeline. He did this.
This happened because he got in the way. He watched her turn into someone he would have to kill one day.
Claire's face softened a little as she reached across the table for his hand. "I know this is hard for you, Morgan."
"It's difficult to get along with your father. But don't let that stop you from seeing what he's really making."
"Come with us. Please really join us. Once you stop fighting it, you'll see the truth."
Morgan pulled his hand away before she could touch it. The gesture was small but crucial. Claire's face showed pain and anger, like she was dealing with a child who wouldn't understand something that was clear.
Morgan stood up quickly and said, "I have to go."
Claire said, "You're being stubborn," and her voice showed how disappointed she was. "Sticking to old ways of thinking that caused the problems we're trying to fix."
"I hope you'll change your mind before it's too late."
Morgan left without saying anything, but he could feel Claire's eyes on his back as he pushed through the door of the cafe and into the cool air of the late afternoon. His hands were shaking, and he was breathing heavily, like he had just run a long way.
He couldn't stop thinking about the conversation over and over again, and each time it got worse. He walked around aimlessly until he ended up in a park where he could sit and think about what had just happened.
Claire was now completely on board, speaking Murphy's ideas with the same conviction that would make Margaret burn settlements and Chen kill hundreds. The change was complete, and Morgan had made it happen at every step.
Claire sent him a text that made his phone buzz. "Please think about what I said."
"The Council could use someone with your talents."
"We're making something important."