Chapter 18: The Truth About Project Phoenix

Sabrina stood frozen in the doorway.

The woman before her looked older, thinner, and exhausted, but there was no mistaking those gentle eyes.

"Mom...?" Sabrina whispered.

The woman burst into tears.

"Sabrina... you've grown so much."

Unable to hold herself back any longer, Sabrina ran into her mother's arms.

For twenty years, she had dreamed of this moment.

She believed her mother had died.

Now she was alive.

Mother and daughter held each other tightly as tears flowed freely.

Even Sebastian quietly looked away, allowing them their moment.

After several minutes, Elena gently wiped Sabrina's tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I should never have left you."

"Why?" Sabrina asked through sobs.

"Why didn't you come back?"

Before Elena could answer, the Chairman stepped forward.

"Because I wouldn't allow it."

Sebastian immediately pointed his gun.

"One more step and I'll shoot."

The Chairman smiled calmly.

"If killing me could change the past, I would hand you the weapon myself."

"Then explain everything," Sebastian demanded.

The Chairman slowly walked toward a large screen inside the laboratory.

"Project Phoenix began thirty years ago."

"It wasn't a criminal organization."

"It was a medical research project."

Old photographs appeared on the screen.

Arthur.

Adrian Scott.

Sebastian's father.

Elena.

All smiling together.

"Your parents founded Project Phoenix to develop treatments for terminal illnesses," the Chairman explained.

"Their discoveries attracted powerful investors."

"Among them... the Lynn family."

Elena lowered her head.

"They wanted to turn our research into biological weapons."

"We refused."

"That's when everything changed."

The Chairman nodded.

"The investors hired mercenaries."

"Adrian Scott was murdered."

"Sebastian's father was framed."

"Arthur barely escaped with both families' children."

Sebastian slowly lowered his gun.

"Then why did everyone call Project Phoenix a criminal organization?"

"Because history was rewritten," Elena answered sadly.

"The people behind the conspiracy controlled the media, the courts, and the police."

"Black Phoenix was created afterward by those same investors."

"They stole our name and corrupted everything we built."

Sabrina looked toward the Chairman.

"Who are you really?"

The old man smiled sadly.

"My real name is Victor Hale."

"I financed Project Phoenix from the beginning."

"After your parents died, I remained hidden to protect what little survived."

"Then why did Raven work for you?" Sebastian asked.

"He didn't," Victor answered.

"Raven betrayed me years ago."

"He stole Black Phoenix and turned it into a criminal empire."

"Everything you've suffered... was his doing."

Before anyone could speak again, alarms suddenly blared throughout the fortress.

"Warning! Security breach!"

"Warning! Multiple intruders detected!"

Victor's expression changed instantly.

"Impossible..."

"Raven found us."

An explosion shook the laboratory.

Glass shattered everywhere.

Scientists screamed as smoke poured into the room.

"Everyone evacuate!" Victor shouted.

Sebastian grabbed Sabrina's hand.

"Stay with me."

Gunfire echoed through the corridors.

Black-clad soldiers stormed the fortress.

"Find Victor!"

"Kill everyone else!"

Elena quickly opened a hidden passage behind one of the laboratory shelves.

"This tunnel leads to the emergency dock."

"Go!"

"What about you?" Sabrina cried.

"Someone has to destroy the research before Raven gets it."

"I'm not leaving you again!"

Elena smiled through her tears.

"You won't."

"This time... we'll survive together."

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed through the burning laboratory.

"Touching reunion..."

Raven slowly stepped through the smoke with dozens of armed mercenaries behind him.

He removed the hood from his head and smiled coldly.

"Family reunions never last long."

He raised his pistol and aimed directly at Elena.

"Let's finish what we started twenty years ago."