Sofia said, “What about the preservation lawyer?”
Marcus smiled.
“Exactly.”
By midnight, the lawyer had arranged a sealed meeting with two inspectors from a federal oversight office.
No local police.
No military contacts.
No advance notice.
We arrived at First Federal Archive Vault at 7:00 the next morning.
The manager verified my identity.
Then my old authorization.
He looked surprised.
“This box hasn’t been accessed in twenty-two years.”
My hands trembled.
The vault door opened.
Box 731904 was placed on the table.
Inside were three binders.
A reel of microfilm.
Bank records.
Photographs.
And a sealed videotape labeled:
RICHARD BROOKS — FINAL STATEMENT.
Alexander stared at his father’s handwriting.
We played it.
Richard Brooks appeared on screen.
Older than I remembered.
Tired.
Ashamed.
“My name is Colonel Richard Brooks.”
He looked directly into the camera.
“I created Meridian.”
What followed destroyed every remaining illusion.
He confessed to creating the network.
He named General Vale.
