The wind outside rattles the cabin windows again.
Adam’s voice turns cold.
“Why not?”
The Architect answers simply.
“Because the cascade has already begun.”
Everyone looks at Wren.
Her fingers move quickly across the keyboard.
Another alert flashes across the screen.
Power grid disruption.
Nevada.
Then another.
Emergency dispatch overload.
Arizona.
Wren’s voice drops.
“Boone…”
“Yeah?”
“It’s spreading.”
The Architect speaks again.
“And when the system reaches Phase Three…”
The countdown continues ticking.
11:12:41
“…someone will need to lead what comes next.”
Silence fills the cabin.
Because the Architect might be right about one thing.
If the systems really are failing—
Someone will.
And right now—
According to the network—
That someone is us.
22
