Chapter 14 - The Final Ping
The harsh electronic chime of the smartphone cut through the receding din of the emergency alarms, echoing off the damp concrete walls of the water treatment plant. Federal agents were busy escorting Director Hayes in handcuffs toward the breached exit, while paramedics knelt beside Clara to check her vitals and hand out thermal blankets to the shivering children.
Julian stood a few feet away, watching the scene with a heavy, numb sense of detachment. He slowly walked over to the shallow puddle where the device lay face-up, its screen glowing brightly against the dark water and white foam. He reached down, picked it up, and wiped the moisture from the glass with his thumb.
A new video file had just finished downloading from an unknown, unlisted terminal. There was no sender ID, no metadata, and no proxy routing.
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"Julian?" Clara’s voice called out softly from behind him. She was wrapped in a silver emergency blanket, holding Carter’s hand while the toddler rested sleepily against her shoulder.
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