The message stayed on the screen.
ONLY ONE PAIR MAY COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
No one spoke.
Because everyone understood what the facility was trying to do.
It wasn't asking.
It was forcing.
---
Artyom stared at the words.
His whole life had been a series of choices made by other people.
His father.
His enemies.
His bloodline.
Now even this place wanted to decide his future.
His hands slowly curled.
"No."
The word was quiet.
But firm.
---
Viktor looked at him.
"Artyom."
His voice was calm.
Warning.
Not because he disagreed.
Because he understood.
The facility was dangerous.
And Artyom was ready to fight it.
---
Dmitri continued searching the system.
"There has to be a shutdown command."
Nikola checked the sealed doors.
"Find it quickly."
Mikhail looked around.
"And if there isn't?"
Roman answered coldly.
"Then we make one."
---
The machines started.
A low vibration spread through the floor.
The lights around Artyom and Viktor activated.
Blue lines appeared across the ground.
Creating a circle.
A boundary.
A cage.
---
Ω-1 stepped back.
"It's starting."
Artyom looked at them.
"What happens?"
Ω-1's expression darkened.
"The system measures compatibility."
A pause.
"Then it removes obstacles."
---
Everyone went still.
---
Viktor's gaze sharpened.
"Obstacles?"
Ω-1 looked toward the others.
"Anyone it considers a threat."
---
The room changed.
Because everyone realized—
The facility wasn't testing Artyom and Viktor.
It was separating them from everyone else.
---
A door opened.
Behind it—
A hallway filled with old recordings.
Old experiments.
Old memories.
---
And then a voice echoed.
A familiar one.
Andrei Morozov.
"If you're hearing this…"
The recording paused.
Static.
Then continued.
"I failed to destroy this place."
Artyom froze.
Andrei's voice sounded different.
Tired.
Regretful.
"But I could not let them continue."
---
Roman's eyes narrowed.
"You knew."
Not at the recording.
At the truth behind it.
---
Andrei continued:
"Artyom, if you reached this stage…"
A pause.
"You survived what none of us expected."
---
The recording flickered.
A younger Andrei appeared beside a child's chamber.
Artyom.
---
"I tried to remove you from the project."
Silence.
"I tried to take you away."
---
Artyom's breathing stopped.
---
Sergei's voice appeared in the background.
"You cannot undo what has already begun."
---
The recording ended.
---
The room was silent.
Even Roman.
Even Viktor.
---
Artyom looked down.
All those years believing he was abandoned.
All those years thinking someone chose to leave.
---
The truth was worse.
And more complicated.
---
Viktor stepped closer.
"Artyom."
He didn't touch him.
Just stood there.
Present.
---
Artyom's voice was low.
"He tried."
A pause.
"My father didn't."
---
Nobody argued.
Because they all knew who he meant.
---
Suddenly—
The facility reacted.
The lights turned brighter.
The system detected something.
---
EMOTIONAL RESPONSE: ACCEPTED
COMPATIBILITY: INCREASING
---
Dmitri looked at the screen.
"That's impossible."
Yelena glanced at him.
"Again?"
Dmitri ignored her.
"The system isn't measuring power."
---
He stared.
Then slowly:
"It's measuring trust."
---
Everyone looked toward Artyom and Viktor.
---
The facility had expected control.
Fear.
Forced connection.
But it had found something else.
A choice.
---
The doors unlocked.
One by one.
---
But then—
A new message appeared.
Different.
Not from the facility.
Not from Andrei.
---
INTRUDER DETECTED
---
Nikola turned instantly.
"We're not alone."
---
The lights went dark.
A figure moved through the corridor.
Slow.
Confident.
Familiar.
---
Artyom recognized the voice before the face.
---
"Interesting."
A pause.
"I leave for years, and everyone starts fighting over my experiment."
---
The figure stepped into the light.
---
Sergei Sokolov.
---
Alive.
And smiling.
---