The lights went out.
For a few seconds, the entire facility disappeared into darkness.
No screens.
No machines.
No warnings.
Just silence.
Then Viktor spoke.
"Everyone stay alert."
The Volkov siblings moved immediately.
Mikhail guarded the main corridor.
Nikola vanished into the shadows.
Dmitri tried reconnecting the security system.
Yelena watched for any movement.
The Sokolovs did the same.
Even Sergei.
Even Leonid.
Because for once, nobody cared about old rivalries.
There was a bigger threat.
Artyom stood in the middle of the room.
Thinking.
Andrei's words repeated in his mind.
They were afraid of what you could become.
Not what he was.
What he could become.
A sound came from above.
Footsteps.
Everyone looked up.
Someone was inside.
Impossible.
The facility had been sealed.
Nikola returned from the corridor.
His expression was serious.
"There's no entry point."
Dmitri looked at the system.
"Then how are they here?"
A new message appeared.
INTERNAL ACCESS GRANTED
Everyone froze.
The doors opened.
A group entered.
Not soldiers.
Not guards.
Scientists.
Researchers.
People who had worked on Origin.
And at the front—
A woman.
Artyom recognized her.
Not personally.
From the files.
DR. LILITH VOSS
PROJECT ORIGIN — SECOND LEAD
Elias's expression changed.
"Impossible."
She looked at him.
"You always did believe you were the smartest person in the room."
Elias stepped forward.
"You died."
Lilith smiled faintly.
"No."
A pause.
"I left."
The room tightened.
Artyom looked between them.
"How many creators were there?"
Nobody answered.
Lilith looked at him.
"That's the wrong question."
A pause.
"The right question is…"
"Who was the first person to betray the project?"
Everyone went silent.
Her eyes moved toward one person.
Valentin.
Again.
Viktor's expression darkened.
"Explain."
Lilith walked closer.
"Valentin didn't just hide Artyom."
A pause.
"He changed the entire experiment."
Artyom looked at Valentin.
Valentin didn't deny it.
"I did."
The room froze.
Roman's voice was quiet.
"What did you change?"
Valentin looked at Artyom.
"I removed the part that made him controllable."
Silence.
Lilith nodded.
"That's why Artyom was different."
"He wasn't the perfect subject."
A pause.
"He was the first free one."
Artyom stared.
All those years.
All those secrets.
His life wasn't an accident.
Someone had fought for his freedom before he even knew he needed it.
Then—
The facility shook.
Dmitri looked at the outside feed.
His face changed.
"We have a problem."
Everyone turned.
"What?"
Dmitri swallowed.
"The aircraft aren't attacking."
A pause.
"They landed."
Nikola frowned.
"Then why?"
Dmitri looked at the screen.
A symbol appeared.
One everyone recognized.
A crown.
Not Volkov.
Not Sokolov.
Something older.
The original empire.
Roman's face went cold.
"No…"
Artyom looked at him.
"Who?"
Roman answered quietly:
"The family that existed before ours."
The doors outside opened.
And a voice echoed through the facility.
"Come out."
A pause.
"We only want the heir."
Everyone looked at Artyom.