Chapter 20 - THE SECOND PHOENIX
The underground facility shook.
Emergency alarms screamed.
Sarah looked at the main screen.
A second server had activated beneath the desert.
Mercer entered with federal agents.
"What happened?"
Sarah pointed.
"They built a backup."
Cross, now handcuffed, laughed.
"You still don't understand."
Sarah turned toward her.
"Explain."
Cross smiled.
"The system doesn't need aircraft anymore."
Sarah froze.
"What does it control?"
Cross whispered,
"Satellites."
The room fell silent.
Sarah looked at the screens.
Thousands of satellites appeared.
Communication satellites.
Navigation systems.
Weather networks.
Military surveillance.
Everything.
Cross laughed.
"Phoenix Protocol was only the beginning."
Mercer looked horrified.
"Can we shut it down?"
Sarah shook her head.
"Not from here."
"Where's the server?"
Cross smiled.
"You'll never reach it."
Sarah stared.
"Try me."
Cross leaned closer.
"Below the Pacific."
Sarah's eyes narrowed.
"A submarine?"
Cross nodded.
"The master server is aboard a mobile submarine."
Daniel's voice suddenly came through the communication system.
"Sarah."
She turned.
His voice was weak.
"Don't go after it."
Sarah looked at the screen.
"Daniel, where are you?"
"Hangar."
"Are you safe?"
A pause.
"No."
Then the transmission cut.
Sarah turned to Mercer.
"We have to get him."
Mercer nodded.
"We'll send a team."
"No."
Sarah looked toward Emily.
"Daniel knows the system."
Mercer frowned.
"You've been flying for five minutes and already want to run a rescue operation?"
Sarah smiled faintly.
"I've never been good at following orders."
Emily stepped forward.
"I'm coming."
Sarah immediately shook her head.
"No."
"Mom—"
"This isn't negotiable."
Emily stared at her.
"You spent thirty-two years without me."
Sarah's expression softened.
"That was different."
"No."
Emily's voice trembled.
"That was because they took you away."
She stepped closer.
"I'm not letting anyone take you away again."
Sarah looked at her daughter.
Then she nodded.
"Stay beside me."
They returned to the surface.
A military transport waited on the runway.
Within minutes, they were airborne.
Sarah sat beside Emily.
For the first time, they were flying together.
Emily looked out the window.
"Are you scared?"
Sarah smiled.
"Terrified."
"You don't look scared."
"That's because I've had practice."
Emily laughed softly.
Then the aircraft shook.
A pilot shouted from the cockpit.
"We're losing navigation!"
Sarah immediately stood.
She entered the cockpit.
The instruments were flickering.
"What's happening?"
The pilot shook his head.
"GPS failure."
Sarah looked at the display.
A black phoenix symbol appeared.
"The submarine."
The system was attacking them.
Sarah grabbed the controls.
"Switch to manual."
"We're not trained for this."
Sarah looked at the pilot.
"I am."
She took the controls.
The aircraft dropped.
Emily held onto the seat.
Sarah stabilized the plane.
Then a second warning appeared.
REMOTE OVERRIDE.
Sarah smiled.
"They want me to fight."
She pushed the controls.
The aircraft rolled.
Sarah used engine thrust.
The plane responded.
The pilot stared.
"How are you doing that?"
Sarah didn't answer.
She was listening.
To the engines.
To the wind.
To the machine.
Just like thirty-two years ago.
She looked at Emily.
"Hold on."
The aircraft plunged toward the Pacific.
Emily screamed.
Sarah waited.
At the last possible second, she pulled up.
The aircraft leveled.
Below them, a massive submarine surfaced.
Sarah stared.
"There."
Mercer looked through the window.
"What?"
Sarah pointed.
"That's the master server."
The submarine opened a missile hatch.
Sarah's eyes widened.
"That's not a server."
The missile launched.
May you like
Sarah grabbed the controls.
"We're under attack."
