Chapter 14 - The Final Upload
“Not yet it isn't,” Clara said fiercely, refusing to panic as she reached behind the main console and yanked out the primary circuit breaker, rerouting the power directly through the bunker’s emergency diesel generator.
The monitor flickered back to life with a blinding flash. The progress bar surged forward: 60%... 85%... 98%...
Outside the reinforced bunker doors, heavy impacts shook the concrete foundation. The syndicate hit squad had found the auxiliary entrance and was using a hydraulic breaching charge to blast their way through the steel door.
“Clara, they’re breaking through!” Julian yelled, grabbing a heavy iron wrench from the workbench and standing defensively in front of the console.
“Hold the line, Julian! Just five more seconds!” Clara urged, her eyes locked on the monitor as the upload percentage crawled upward with agonizing slowness.
99%...
With a deafening explosion, the bunker's steel door blew inward, sending a cloud of dense smoke and twisted metal flying across the room. Two heavily armed mercenaries surged through the breach, their assault rifles raised to fire.
Commander Vance didn't hesitate. He raised his rifle and fired two precise shots, dropping the lead mercenary instantly. The second mercenary lunged forward, swinging the butt of his weapon and knocking Vance to the floor.
Before the attacker could turn his rifle toward Clara, Julian screamed a battle cry and brought the heavy iron wrench down across the mercenary’s helmet with all his remaining strength, sending the attacker crashing unconscious to the floor.
100%. Upload Complete. Broadcasting globally.
The monitor flashed a brilliant green checkmark, confirming that the encrypted truth about the Sterling estate and the Prime Minister’s treasonous syndicate had just been transmitted to millions of screens worldwide.
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The room fell into an eerie, heavy silence. Clara sat back in her chair, letting out a long, slow breath as the distant sirens of independent journalists and uncompromised federal investigators began to wail across the horizon.
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