The surrender negotiations took place through a secure video conference. At the same time, Eddie lay in the military medical facility's intensive care unit, his small body fighting a battle that only Phoenix Legacy could end. Dr. Natasha Volkov appeared on screen—the same woman who had visited Viktor in federal custody, now revealed as Phoenix Legacy's primary negotiator for what they clearly believed would be their ultimate victory.
"Mrs. Prescott," Dr. Volkov's voice carried the cultured precision of someone accustomed to discussing human lives as strategic assets: "Your son's condition is indeed serious. But entirely treatable with the proper medical intervention."
I held my secure communication device steady despite the trembling in my hands. Through the medical unit's observation wi
