Chapter 76: The Professor's Lesson

"I created Raven."

Professor Adrian Falk's words settled over Blackridge Station like a death sentence.

No one fired.

Even the Raven operatives looked toward him with absolute obedience.

Victor slowly raised his pistol.

"Twenty-six years," he said quietly.

"My family suffered for twenty-six years because of you."

Falk smiled gently.

"No, Mr. Hayes."

"Your family suffered because they believed truth was always worth chasing."

"Nathaniel believed that too," I said.

"Yes."

"An exceptionally gifted student."

"My greatest disappointment."

My hands clenched into fists.

"You taught Nathaniel?"

"Corporate ethics."

"Financial intelligence."

"Behavioural psychology."

"He outperformed every student I ever taught."

"Then he discovered who I truly was."

Arthur glanced at Victor.

"Nathaniel was investigating Raven before he even graduated."

"Long before," Falk corrected.

"He started asking dangerous questions in his second year."

"Richard Ashford warned me."

"Sophia Rowan distracted me."

"But Nathaniel never stopped digging."

Elias remained frozen several metres away.

His rifle still pointed toward the ground.

"Ash," Victor called softly.

"Stay where you are."

Elias looked confused.

He stared at Falk.

Then at Victor.

As though two different lives were fighting inside his mind.

Falk noticed.

"Remarkable," he murmured.

"One nickname undid twenty years of conditioning."

"Nathaniel really was extraordinary."

"You experimented on children," Damien said coldly.

"No."

"I educated them."

"I removed weakness."

"You stole their identities," Margaret replied.

"Identity is flexible," Falk answered.

"Loyalty can be built."

"Families fail."

"Systems endure."

Victor's voice hardened.

"Tell that to my father."

Falk finally looked toward the unconscious transport chamber.

"Ah... Subject Zero."

"He exceeded expectations."

"He refused recruitment."

"So we kept him alive."

"As an example."

"He's a human being," I said.

"Every human being is useful," Falk replied calmly.

"Some in life."

"Some in memory."

Arthur quietly whispered into his microphone.

"Rose, send the police now."

"We have visual confirmation."

Rose answered immediately.

"Already done."

"But local units are being delayed."

"Someone is blocking them."

"Of course they are," Margaret muttered.

Falk smiled again.

"You still believe governments operate independently."

"How optimistic."

"Nathaniel believed institutions could still be saved."

"That was his greatest flaw."

"No," Victor replied.

"That was his greatest strength."

Falk sighed.

"Exactly why he had to die."

Silence.

No one had expected him to admit it so openly.

"You ordered Nathaniel's murder," I whispered.

"Personally?"

"No."

"I merely approved it."

"His own investigation made the decision inevitable."

My breathing became uneven.

For three years I had imagined this moment.

Now the man responsible stood only metres away.

"You destroyed my brother."

"No, Vivian Carter."

"Nathaniel destroyed my organisation."

"Even dead, he continues doing so."

"Look around."

"Sophia betrayed us."

"Richard betrayed us."

"Ash remembers his brother."

"Even Victor stands here because of Nathaniel."

"Remarkable influence for a dead man."

Elias suddenly lifted his head.

"Nathaniel..." he whispered.

Everyone turned toward him.

He pressed both hands against his temples.

"He told me..."

"...books remember..."

"...people forget..."

"Ash," Victor said gently.

"Come here."

One hesitant step.

Then another.

Falk's pleasant expression disappeared.

"Stop him."

Several Raven operatives raised their rifles.

Before they could fire, Elias spun around.

Three precise shots echoed across the station.

Three rifles hit the ground.

No fatalities.

Only shattered weapons.

"I won't..." Elias said slowly.

"Hurt... him..."

Victor smiled through the blood on his shoulder.

"That's enough, Ash."

"You've already come home."

Falk tapped his walking cane once against the platform.

Hidden steel doors began sliding open all around the station.

More armed operatives emerged.

"Unfortunately," Falk said,

"This lesson has gone on long enough."

"Kill them all."

A shrill alarm suddenly interrupted him.

Arthur looked at his tablet.

"Wait... that's not ours."

"It's coming from inside the train."

The unconscious Victor Hayes Sr. opened his eyes.

At the same instant, every carriage door on the black train unlocked automatically.

A mechanical voice echoed through the station.

"Nathaniel Carter Emergency Protocol Activated."

"Archive Release in sixty seconds."