Chapter 91 Omega
The safe house was a penthouse in Midtown, Donated by a billionaire tech CEO who’d seen the broadcast and decided he was tired of being silent.
“Full security,” he’d said when he handed over the keys. “Bulletproof glass, Panic room, Armed guards, And every major news outlet has the address. They can’t make you disappear without witnesses.”
It was 3 PM, The broadcast had ended four hours ago and the world was on fire.
Six senators had resigned, The Supreme Court Justice announced retirement “for health reasons.” The President’s Chief of Staff was in FBI custody. Markets were crashing, there was Protests in forty cities.
And the network was silent.
Too silent.
“They’re planning something,” Holt said, monitoring feeds. “No one from the network has made a statement, No lawyers, No PR teams, That’s not normal.”
“Maybe they’re scrambling,” Jessica suggested. “Maybe we actually broke them.”
“Or maybe they’re implementing Omega,” Aiden said quietly.
He was right.
At 3:47 PM, it began.
The first was a plane crash, a Private jet carrying a federal prosecutor who’d announced plans to investigate the network. All twelve passengers died. Including the prosecutor’s family.
“Engine failure,” the initial reports said. “Tragic accident.”
Then there was a bridge collapse in Seattle, Rush hour traffic. Forty-three dead. Among them were two journalists who’d been covering the financial conspiracy.
“Structural failure,” authorities claimed. “Decades of deferred maintenance.”
Then there’s a gas explosion in Chicago. Apartment building, Seventy-one people died Including Michael Torres, the SEC investigator who’d come forward that morning.
“Faulty pipes,” the news reported. “Building was old.”
Holt’s face was gray. “It’s starting. They’re killing everyone who spoke up, making it look like an accident.”
Ariella felt sick. “We did this. We put targets on their backs…”
“They did this,” Aiden said firmly. “The network, Not us.”
But the guilt still felt crushing.
Dr. Brennan called. “They’re coming for everyone, I’m going into hiding and I suggest you do the same.”
Amanda Liu sent a text: My editor was just killed in a hit and run, I’m next. I’m sorry I spoke up.
One by one, the people who’d come forward were disappearing, Dying, Vanishing without trace.
And the news was already spinning it.
“Tragic coincidences,” one anchor said. “But conspiracy theorists are claiming these deaths are connected to this morning’s viral videos. Experts say that’s unlikely…”
“Experts paid by the network,” Jessica said bitterly. “They’re controlling the narrative again.”
At 6 PM, the Attorney General held a press conference.
“We’ve reviewed the videos released this morning. Our experts have determined they are sophisticated deepfakes. Generated using AI technology. While convincing, they are not authentic.”
“That’s a lie!” Ariella shouted at the screen.
“Furthermore,” the AG continued, “we have evidence that Aiden Frost and Ariella Hayes Frost are connected to domestic extremist groups. Warrants have been issued for their arrest on charges of terrorism, fraud, and conspiracy to incite violence.”
Photos appeared on screen. Ariella and Aiden photoshopped into images with militia groups. Fake financial records showing payments to radical organizations.
“This is insane,” Aiden breathed. “They fabricated everything…”
“And half the country will believe it,” Holt said. “By tomorrow, you’ll be the villains. Not the network.”
Elena started crying, hungry again. A normal baby need in the middle of a nightmare.
Ariella fed her, trying to stay calm. But her hands were shaking. They’d exposed the truth and somehow become the enemy.
Jessica’s phone rang. She answered, listened, went pale.
“That was my source at the FBI. They’re coming for us, SWAT teams. Authorized to use lethal force. They’ll be here in ninety minutes.”
“The CEO promised protection…”
“The CEO just announced he was hacked. That someone used his credentials to offer us the penthouse, He’s cooperating with authorities.” Jessica looked devastated. “We’re alone.”
Holt was already moving. “Panic room. Now. We can hold out until…”
“Until what?” Ariella demanded. “They control the FBI, The AG, Probably judges and prosecutors too. There’s no cavalry coming.”
“Then we run. Out the back, there’s a Service elevator. I’ve got vehicles staged…”
An explosion rocked the building, The floor shook, Glass shattered.
“That was the lobby,” one of Holt’s team reported, “They’re here. Early.”
“Impossible. We had ninety minutes…”
“They lied. Of course they lied.” Aiden grabbed Elena from Ariella. “Panic room. Now.”
They ran through the penthouse, Down a hallway. To a reinforced door that Holt opened with a code.
Inside were supplies, Weapons, Communications equipment, Designed to withstand a siege.
“This buys us maybe twelve hours,” Holt said, sealing the door. “Then they’ll breach it.”
“Twelve hours to do what?”
“To pray the public turns against them, To hope someone in government grows a spine and stops this…”
“That’s not a plan!”
“It’s all we have!”
The explosions were doubling Closer now, They were systematically destroying the building’s defenses.
Ariella held Elena close, her daughter was remarkably calm now. Like she sensed this was serious. Like even at six months old, she understood silence meant survival.
Jessica was on her laptop. “I’m still streaming. Encrypted feed to servers worldwide. If they kill us, at least people will see…”
The power went out immediately and emergency lights kicked in. It was a Red glow, Like being inside a dying heart.
“Backup generators will last four hours,” Holt said. “After that…”
“After that we’re in the dark and they can breach whenever they want,” Aiden finished.
Ariella’s phone buzzed, it was a text from an unknown number.
“It didn’t have to be this way, Last chance. Surrender, Confess to fabricating evidence, Your daughter lives, You go to prison but she gets placed with a good family, Or everyone dies. You have ten minutes.