“No,” Jase mutters.
Exactly.
No.
“If that happens,” Jonah says, stepping closer, “we lose the proof.”
“We lose everything,” Cal adds.
The President nods.
“Yes,” he says. “You do.”
Silence slams into the room again.
Harder this time.
Because now—
We’re not just fighting enemies.
We’re racing time.
Daniel steps forward.
“This wasn’t just a corruption ring,” he says. “It’s a self-protecting system.”
The President’s gaze locks onto him.
“Explain.”
Daniel’s voice is steady.
“Someone built this to survive exposure,” he says. “If triggered, it erases itself—and anyone connected to it.”
My stomach drops.
“They’re cleaning house,” I breathe.
“Yes,” Daniel confirms. “And they’re doing it fast.”
The President straightens slightly.
“Then we don’t give them time,” he says.
I look at him.
Really look at him.
And I see it.
The decision already made.
“What do you need from us, sir?” Ethan asks.
The President’s gaze moves across all of us.
Measured.
