Not fire.
A diversion.
Alexander grabbed the archive.
The lights died.
From somewhere beyond the vault, a woman’s voice shouted:
“Caroline!”
Carmen.
She had found us.
PART 6 — THE CHOICE CARMEN NEVER EXPECTED
Emergency lights glowed red through the smoke.
Carmen stepped into the vault corridor holding nothing in her hands.
No we/@/pon.
No guards.
She looked exhausted.
Alexander moved between us.
“Stay back.”
Carmen ignored him.
“Thomas is coming.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“You expect us to believe you?”
“No.”
She looked at me.
“But you should.”
I held the archive case.
“What do you want?”
“To end this.”
“That’s what you said before.”
“I lied before.”
At least she admitted it.
Then Sofia appeared behind us.
Carmen saw her.
Something changed in her face.
For the first time, she looked ashamed.
“Sofia.”
“Don’t say my name.”
Carmen stopped.
Sofia stepped forward.
“You put me in that hotel room.”
