Chapter 59: After the Fire

The chopper’s blades beat the air in a noisy rhythm as it soared away from the smoking remains of the Meridian facility. Below them, the destruction was complete—fires still burned, smoke rising from the ruined server room, and scattered debris littered the ground. Ava could barely hear her thoughts over the roar of the engines, but her mind was spinning with everything that had happened. They had done it. Project Nexus was offline, and Meridian had been dealt a critical blow. Yet, as the adrenaline began to wear off, Ava couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. They had made a powerful enemy, and the cost of their victory was still unknown. Lucas sat beside her, his face pale, staring out the window. He hadn’t said much since they escaped the facility, but Ava knew the last few hours weighed heavily on him. His father’s involvement, the narrow escape, and the destruction they had wrought were all a lot to process. Ava leaned closer to him, her voice barely audib