Chapter 196 Her Heart

Chapter 196 Her Heart
Clara woke to a low mechanical hum. Cold metal pressed against her back. She tried to move, but restraints held her wrists and ankles against the platform.

Her eyes searched the room. “Where am I?” Dr. Adrian Vale stood beside the machine. “You’re in the heart of the facility.”

Clara struggled again. “Where’s Liam?” Vale smiled. “Still looking for you.” “Let me go.” “I can’t.” “You can.” Clara glared at him. “You just don’t want to.”

Vale walked toward a control panel. “That’s true.” The machine above Clara began glowing. She looked at it. “What is that?” “The final interface.” “I don’t understand.” “You will.”

Vale pressed a button. A holographic image appeared above her. It showed Liam. He was running through the facility with Adrian, Mara, Aria, Samuel, and Zero.

Clara’s heart tightened. “They’re coming.” “Of course.” “Then they’ll stop you.” Vale smiled. “I expect them to.” Clara frowned. “Why?” “Because Liam has always done exactly what I predicted.”

She stared at him. “You don’t know him.” “I know him better than anyone.” “No.” Clara shook her head. “You studied him.” “That’s different.”

“He chooses.” Vale looked at her. “Choice is an illusion.” Clara laughed bitterly. “That’s what people say when they’re afraid of losing control.”

For the first time, Vale’s expression changed. “You sound like your mother.” Clara froze. “My mother?” Vale nodded. “She was one of the first people to oppose the project.”

“What happened to her?” Vale said nothing. Clara’s eyes narrowed. “You know what happened.” “Yes.”

“Tell me.” “She died trying to expose us.” Clara swallowed. “You’re lying.” “I’m not.” He turned toward the screen. “Your mother discovered the network before anyone else.”

“She tried to destroy it.” “But she failed.” Clara stared at the screen. “Why did you choose me?” “Because she left something behind.” “What?”

Vale looked at her. “You.” Clara’s breathing slowed. “What does that mean?” “Your emotional patterns.” “Your neurological responses.” “Your connection to Liam.” “Everything your mother discovered about the human heart was passed to you.”

Clara shook her head. “I’m not a machine.” “No.” Vale smiled. “That’s why you’re perfect.”

Meanwhile, Liam and the others moved through the facility. Every corridor looked identical. Lucas studied his scanner. “We’re going in circles.” Mara frowned. “Impossible.”

“The facility is rearranging itself.” Zero looked around. “It’s protecting the control room.” Liam stopped. “Then we’ll make it come to us.”

He released golden energy. The walls shook. A hidden door appeared. Samuel smiled. “That worked.” They entered.

A large chamber opened before them. Machines filled the room. At the center was a giant map of the facility. Lucas stepped toward it. “I can locate Clara.”

Liam rushed over. “Where?” Lucas pointed. “Level nine.” “How far?” “Very.” Adrian looked at the map. “There are three security levels between us.” Mara smiled. “Then we break through them.” They started moving.

Suddenly, Zero stopped. “Wait.” Everyone turned. “What?” He pointed toward a dark corridor. “Someone is there.”

A figure stepped into the light. Liam’s expression hardened. Victor. Again. “You.” Victor smiled. “You finally found me.”

Liam stepped forward. “Where’s Clara?” Victor looked at him. “With Vale.” “I know.” “Then you know you’re already too late.” Liam’s golden energy rose. “Move.”

Victor didn’t. “You still don’t understand what Vale wants.” “I don’t care.” “You should.”

Victor looked toward the others. “Because once the network reaches one hundred percent, Clara won’t be the same.” Liam froze. “What does that mean?”

Victor lowered his voice. “She’ll become the permanent stabilizer.” “And?” “She’ll be connected to every person on the network.”

Liam’s face hardened. “She’ll feel everything.” Victor nodded. “Every fear.” “Every pain.” “Every thought.” Liam looked horrified. “She’ll die.” “Not immediately.”

Victor’s voice was quiet. “But eventually.” Liam stepped closer. “How do we stop it?” Victor stared at him. “You can’t destroy the network from outside.” “Then how?” “You have to destroy the core.”

“Where is it?” Victor pointed upward. “Inside Clara.” Silence. Liam stared at him. “No.” Victor nodded. “Vale implanted the core in her.”  Adrian clenched his fists. “Can it be removed?” “Maybe.”

“Maybe?” Victor looked at Liam. “The only person who can remove it is you.” Liam frowned. “Why me?” “Because the core was designed to respond to your energy.”

Liam stepped backward. “You’re saying I have to hurt her.” Victor shook his head. “I’m saying you have to choose between saving Clara and saving millions of people.”

Liam’s expression hardened. “No.” Victor frowned. “No?” “I’m not choosing.” “You don’t have a choice.” “Then I’ll make one.”

Liam turned toward the others. “We save both.” Victor laughed. “Impossible.” Liam looked at him. “You’ve said that before.” Victor’s smile disappeared. “And you keep proving me wrong.”

Suddenly, an alarm sounded. Lucas looked at his scanner. “Synchronization is at seventy-eight percent.” Liam’s eyes widened. “How much time?” “About twenty minutes.” “We move.” 

They rushed toward the next corridor. Victor remained behind. Samuel looked back. “Are you coming?” Victor hesitated. Then followed.

Zero stared at him. “Why?” Victor looked at the others. “Because I helped create this.” He lowered his head. “And I want to help destroy it.”

On Level Nine, Clara struggled against the restraints. The machine above her was glowing brighter. Vale stood beside the control panel. “Seventy-nine percent.”

Clara closed her eyes. She could feel something inside her. A strange pressure. Like thousands of voices whispering. She heard fear. Anger. Sadness. Hope. Millions of emotions rushing through her mind.

She screamed. “Stop!” Vale watched calmly. “This is only the beginning.” Clara opened her eyes. “No.” She focused. One voice was louder than the others. Liam.

He was calling her. She could feel him. “Clara!” She smiled through her tears. “Liam.” Vale looked surprised. “How?” Clara stared at him. “I can hear him.”

The machine began shaking. Vale checked the controls. “Impossible.” Clara smiled. “You made one mistake.” “What?” “You connected my heart.” Her eyes began glowing. “Now I can connect to his.” 

The restraints suddenly cracked. Vale stepped backward. Clara’s energy exploded. The machine alarms screamed.

SYNCHRONIZATION: 82%.

Vale stared at the readings. “No.” Clara stood. Golden energy surrounded her. She looked toward the door. “Liam is coming.” Vale’s expression hardened. “Then I’ll be waiting.”

The door exploded open. Liam stood in the smoke. Their eyes met. “Clara.” She smiled. “Liam.”

He rushed toward her. Vale raised his hand. The entire room shook. “Not yet.” Liam stopped. Vale smiled. “First, you need to see what happens when the network reaches ninety percent.” The countdown appeared. 90%

Clara’s eyes widened. A terrible scream echoed through the facility. And every person connected to the network suddenly looked toward the same direction.