"That's impossible."Martinez stared at Chris like he'd lost his mind. They were back in the conference room, Chris having postponed his rest despite Vera's protests. This was too important."Director Morrison has been with the FBI for thirty years," Martinez continued. "She's one of the most decorated agents in Bureau history. She's led investigations into organized crime, public corruption, everything we're fighting against.""Which makes her the perfect candidate," Chris said. "Think about it. Who better to protect a criminal organization than the person in charge of investigating criminals?""You're suggesting the Director of the FBI is the mastermind behind a criminal conspiracy," Rodriguez said carefully. "Based on what? References in your father's notes?""Based on access," Chris said, pulling up documents on the screen. "Look at every Consortium operation that succeeded. Every investigation that failed. Every witness who disappeared. They all required information that only som

"Jane Morrison is gone."Rodriguez's voice cracked over the phone as Chris and Martinez drove back from the park. "The team got to her safe house thirty minutes ago. Empty. No sign of struggle, no indication where she went."Chris felt ice in his veins. "Director Morrison got to her first.""Or Jane fled when she realized her mother was compromised," Martinez suggested, though her tone said she didn't believe it."We need to find her," Chris said. "If Morrison has her—""She's already dead," Rodriguez finished grimly. "I'm sorry, but you know that's the most likely outcome.""We don't know that," Chris insisted. "Jane is smart, capable. Maybe she saw the writing on the wall and ran.""Where would she run?" Martinez asked. "Morrison has access to every surveillance system, every database. There's nowhere Jane could hide that her mother couldn't find her."Chris's mind raced through possibilities. "What if she went public? What if she's planning another article exposing her mother?""We

"Breaking news: FBI Director Helen Morrison found dead in her holding cell this morning. Officials are calling it an apparent suicide, but sources suggest foul play."Chris stared at the television screen in disbelief. He'd been up for only ten minutes, having actually slept through the night for the first time in weeks. Now his coffee cup hung forgotten in his hand."That's impossible," Vera said, appearing behind him in her robe. "She was in federal custody. Maximum security. How could she commit suicide?""She didn't," Chris said grimly. "The Consortium killed her."His phone exploded with calls. Martinez, Rodriguez, William, journalists, everyone trying to reach him. He answered Martinez first."Tell me this isn't what it looks like," Chris said."It's exactly what it looks like," Martinez said, her voice tight with fury. "Morrison was found hanging in her cell at six AM. The camera in her cell conveniently malfunctioned overnight. The guards claim they saw nothing unusual.""Insi

"I found something."The FBI analyst's voice cut through the tense silence in the command center. It was two in the morning, fourteen hours since Chris had released Morrison's files to the public. The city was burning metaphorically and in some cases literally as arrests were made, suspects fled, and the public reacted to revelations of widespread corruption."What?" Chris asked, exhausted but alert. He'd been reviewing files non-stop, looking for any clue to The Architect's identity."A pattern in Morrison's communications," the analyst said, pulling up screens. "She received encrypted messages regularly from someone she only ever referred to as 'A.' But the encryption has a signature, a specific algorithm that's only used by one organization.""What organization?" Martinez asked, joining them."The Department of Justice," the analyst said. "Specifically, high level officials with access to classified communication systems.""That narrows it down to maybe a hundred people," Rodriguez

Chris's phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. A single line: "Your warehouse friends from the old days might be interested in who's really running things. Sometimes justice doesn't come from courts."He recognized the implied message immediately. Someone was suggesting he go outside the law, use his old contacts from his three years living as a "poor" warehouse worker, people who operated in spaces the Consortium couldn't control."Chris, whatever you're thinking, don't," Vera said, reading his expression. "Don't become like them. Don't let revenge turn you into a criminal.""This isn't about revenge anymore," Chris said. "This is about survival. The Architect just admitted they plan to kill me eventually. I have to act first.""Through legal channels," Martinez insisted. "We can protect you. We can build a case that even The Architect can't escape.""How?" Chris asked. "You just told me Thornton's lawyers are already dismantling his confession. The Architect has had forty