Chapter 16 - Robert’s Last Choice
Robert moved slowly toward Celia.
She tightened her grip on Emily.
“One more step and she dies.”
Robert stopped.
“You always said emotions made people predictable,” he said. “You were right.”
Celia narrowed her eyes.
Robert lifted his cuffed hands.
“That’s why you never understood Emily.”
He suddenly drove his shoulder into Celia.
Emily fell away.
The scalpel cut Robert across the chest.
Ortiz grabbed the detonator while officers tackled Celia.
But the rooftop alarm continued.
The heartbeat trigger had already activated.
Robert collapsed beside the control relay.
Blood spread across his shirt.
He pointed toward a panel.
“Blue wire,” he gasped. “Then the manual valve.”
An engineer raced forward.
The blue wire was cut.
Nothing happened.
Robert coughed.
“I lied to Celia about the design years ago. The real shutdown is under the relay.”
Emily saw a metal lever beneath the machine.
It was surrounded by exposed electrical wiring.
Anyone pulling it risked electrocution.
Robert crawled toward it.
Emily grabbed his arm.
“You’ll die.”
He looked at her.
“I already destroyed my family.”
“That doesn’t erase what you did.”
“I know.”
He pulled the lever.
A violent electrical flash threw him backward.
Across the hospital, the oxygen systems restarted.
Doctors reported that no patients had died.
Robert remained conscious long enough to look at Emily.
“Tell Maya… I’m sorry I didn’t believe her.”
Emily’s eyes filled with tears, but her voice stayed steady.
“You don’t get forgiveness because you finally did one right thing.”
He nodded weakly.
“I know.”
Paramedics carried him away under armed guard.
Celia screamed as officers restrained her.
“You need my research!”
Dr. Lawson, standing in the rooftop doorway, answered coldly.
“No. Medicine needs consent, ethics, and humanity. You had none.”
Celia was taken into custody.
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But before trial could begin, Robert’s attorney announced that Robert intended to testify against everyone involved.
👉 Robert’s testimony could finally destroy the entire network—but first Maya had to decide whether she could face him in court.
