The Phoenix Directive
Author: D.twister
last update2025-12-16 16:01:47

Miami's morning traffic was a clot of sun-baked metal and impatience, but the SUV moved through it like a shark through sardines—Eleanor's driver knew which lanes were FBI-monitored, which intersections had facial rec, which red lights could be run without triggering a chase.

Marcus sat in the third row, Claire asleep on his chest, her breath warm and regular against his collarbone. The silver thread was gone, but he could still feel it coiled behind her eyes, a viper dozing in a nursery.

Li Mei sat beside him, her ninety-three-year-old frame swallowed by the leather seat, her gold eyes tracking every billboard, every pedestrian, every threat. She didn't blink often. Waste of time.

"Your father," she said, her voice a whisper that cut through the engine noise, "thought he could outsmart the virus. He built the System to cage it. The System became a prison. The prison became a god." She looked at Claire. "She's the first to make it a pet."

Emma rode up front, a cold pack pressed to he
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  • Going public

    "Already on it. But Commander..." She showed him another screen. "Sophia's at the courthouse. She's trying to file a restraining order against Marcus. Claims he's been threatening her." "She's waiving her anonymity. Going public." "Yes." That changed things. A woman who'd once chosen status over safety was now choosing confrontation over comfort. The test subject was rewriting the experiment. "Send a protection detail," Ethan ordered. "Discreet. Not Dragon Guards. Civilians. People who blend." "And if she sees them?" "She won't." He looked out at the city passing by. "She's learning to see what matters. That's a harder skill than it looks." The SUV stopped at a light. Outside, a newsstand displayed the morning papers. The headline screamed: **WELLINGTON SCION TO WALK FREE? EX-WIFE FEARS FOR SAFETY.** There was a photo of Sophia, looking tired but determined, leaving the courthouse. In the background, barely visible, was Ethan's garbage truck. The irony wasn't lost on

  • Anonymity

    "Already on it. But Commander..." She showed him another screen. "Sophia's at the courthouse. She's trying to file a restraining order against Marcus. Claims he's been threatening her." "She's waiving her anonymity. Going public." "Yes." That changed things. A woman who'd once chosen status over safety was now choosing confrontation over comfort. The test subject was rewriting the experiment. "Send a protection detail," Ethan ordered. "Discreet. Not Dragon Guards. Civilians. People who blend." "And if she sees them?" "She won't." He looked out at the city passing by. "She's learning to see what matters. That's a harder skill than it looks." The SUV stopped at a light. Outside, a newsstand displayed the morning papers. The headline screamed: **WELLINGTON SCION TO WALK FREE? EX-WIFE FEARS FOR SAFETY.** There was a photo of Sophia, looking tired but determined, leaving the courthouse. In the background, barely visible, was Ethan's garbage truck. The irony wasn't lost on

  • Commander

    "Already on it. But Commander..." She showed him another screen. "Sophia's at the courthouse. She's trying to file a restraining order against Marcus. Claims he's been threatening her." "She's waiving her anonymity. Going public." "Yes." That changed things. A woman who'd once chosen status over safety was now choosing confrontation over comfort. The test subject was rewriting the experiment. "Send a protection detail," Ethan ordered. "Discreet. Not Dragon Guards. Civilians. People who blend." "And if she sees them?" "She won't." He looked out at the city passing by. "She's learning to see what matters. That's a harder skill than it looks." The SUV stopped at a light. Outside, a newsstand displayed the morning papers. The headline screamed: **WELLINGTON SCION TO WALK FREE? EX-WIFE FEARS FOR SAFETY.** There was a photo of Sophia, looking tired but determined, leaving the courthouse. In the background, barely visible, was Ethan's garbage truck. The irony wasn't lost on

  • Waiving

    "Already on it. But Commander..." She showed him another screen. "Sophia's at the courthouse. She's trying to file a restraining order against Marcus. Claims he's been threatening her." "She's waiving her anonymity. Going public." "Yes." That changed things. A woman who'd once chosen status over safety was now choosing confrontation over comfort. The test subject was rewriting the experiment. "Send a protection detail," Ethan ordered. "Discreet. Not Dragon Guards. Civilians. People who blend." "And if she sees them?" "She won't." He looked out at the city passing by. "She's learning to see what matters. That's a harder skill than it looks." The SUV stopped at a light. Outside, a newsstand displayed the morning papers. The headline screamed: **WELLINGTON SCION TO WALK FREE? EX-WIFE FEARS FOR SAFETY.** There was a photo of Sophia, looking tired but determined, leaving the courthouse. In the background, barely visible, was Ethan's garbage truck. The irony wasn't lost on him. Hi

  • Chances

    "Already on it. But Commander..." She showed him another screen. "Sophia's at the courthouse. She's trying to file a restraining order against Marcus. Claims he's been threatening her.""She's waiving her anonymity. Going public.""Yes."That changed things. A woman who'd once chosen status over safety was now choosing confrontation over comfort. The test subject was rewriting the experiment."Send a protection detail," Ethan ordered. "Discreet. Not Dragon Guards. Civilians. People who blend.""And if she sees them?""She won't." He looked out at the city passing by. "She's learning to see what matters. That's a harder skill than it looks."The SUV stopped at a light. Outside, a newsstand displayed the morning papers. The headline screamed: **WELLINGTON SCION TO WALK FREE? EX-WIFE FEARS FOR SAFETY.**There was a photo of Sophia, looking tired but determined, leaving the courthouse. In the background, barely visible, was Ethan's garbage truck.The irony wasn't lost on him.His phone ra

  • Chapter 169

    "Already on it. But Commander..." She showed him another screen. "Sophia's at the courthouse. She's trying to file a restraining order against Marcus. Claims he's been threatening her.""She's waiving her anonymity. Going public.""Yes."That changed things. A woman who'd once chosen status over safety was now choosing confrontation over comfort. The test subject was rewriting the experiment."Send a protection detail," Ethan ordered. "Discreet. Not Dragon Guards. Civilians. People who blend.""And if she sees them?""She won't." He looked out at the city passing by. "She's learning to see what matters. That's a harder skill than it looks."The SUV stopped at a light. Outside, a newsstand displayed the morning papers. The headline screamed: **WELLINGTON SCION TO WALK FREE? EX-WIFE FEARS FOR SAFETY.**There was a photo of Sophia, looking tired but determined, leaving the courthouse. In the background, barely visible, was Ethan's garbage truck.The irony wasn't lost on him.His phone ra

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