They reached a massive vault door, sealed with a crystalline interface. As Kai placed his hand on it, the entire room illuminated with a ghostly blue light.
A holographic figure materialized—a man who looked exactly like an older, tired version of Kai.
"Father?" Kai's voice broke for the first time.
The hologram didn't look at him. It was a recording, but it reacted to their presence. "If you have reached this room, the Forbidden Bond has been recognized. You are not alone, Kai. The girl with you... she is the descendant of the original architect of the Icarus protocol."
Lian froze. "What? My father was a janitor!"
*"He was a genius in hiding,"* Kai's mental voice whispered, filled with shock.
The hologram continued: "The bond between you isn't an accident. It was a safety measure. Only a combined biometric pulse from both bloodlines can delete the weaponized version of the code. Elena and the board want to use Icarus to rewrite human memory. To make the world forget their crimes."
Suddenly, the vault door began to hiss. But it wasn't opening—it was being forced. From the other side, the sound of a laser cutter sparked.
"They're here," Lian cried.
"We don't have time to process this," Kai said, turning to the terminal. "Lian, place your hand over mine. We have to delete the server. If we don't, they'll have the power to control every mind on the planet."
"But if we delete it," Lian looked at the hologram of his father, "he'll be gone forever, won't he?"
Kai looked at the flickering image of the man he loved. A single tear tracked down his cheek. "He's already gone, Lian. This is just his ghost. We have to save the living."