The observation gallery overlooked the circular central chamber like a theater of the damned. Aria, Rogue, and Emma pressed against the reinforced glass, hearts pounding in the narrow walkway. Below them, the silhouetted figure slowly turned. Floodlights hit his face.
It was Jax — the young, trusted Viper who had fought beside them since the early days. The one who had “found” clues, the one who had seemed loyal. Alive. Smiling with cold, calculated triumph.
“Hello, old friends,” Jax said, voice amplified through the speakers. “Surprised? You shouldn’t be. I was with you from the highway. Feeding information. Shaping every betrayal. The senator, your mother, even your father — all useful idiots. I am the Architect.”
The revelation slammed into Aria like a bullet. The core struggle insid
