“That sounds familiar,” Reed said.
“They went further. Helix began identifying individuals likely to become future security risks.”
Tara frowned.
“You mean suspects?”
“No.”
Caleb’s voice darkened.
“People who had done nothing.”
Nobody spoke.
“They wanted authority to monitor, detain, and neutralize people based on probability.”
Cole’s face hardened.
“That’s insane.”
“Yes.”
Caleb looked at me.
“Vale tried to shut it down.”
“And you?”
“I helped.”
“Then why disappear?”
“Because the Directorate started eliminating everyone who knew.”
The word hung there.
I remembered the Balkans.
The ruined safe house.
The evidence.
“You staged your d/e/@/th.”
“Yes.”
“You let your family believe it.”
Family
His face broke slightly.
“Yes.”
“And you let me believe it.”
“I needed you clean.”
I stepped closer.
“You don’t get to call seven years of grief operational necessity.”
“Elena—”
“No.”
For the first time, anger threatened to outrun discipline.
“You could have sent one message.”
“They were watching you.”
“So you protected me by destroying me?”
Caleb didn’t answer.
The ground was rushing closer.
“Abort landing!” I shouted.
The pilot answered immediately.
“We can’t.”
“Why not?”
His voice changed.
“We’re locked out of the controls.”
Every person in the cabin froze.
