Chapter 6 - The Bloodline
The pristine underground corridor fell into a heavy, suffocating silence as Sarah’s tragic revelation echoed off the sterile walls.
Daniel stared at his mother’s terribly scarred hands, a profound, violent hatred for his biological father blooming darkly inside his chest.
"I am a direct blood descendant of Arthur Sterling," Daniel stated firmly, stepping bravely toward the massive biometric scanner.
"You only share a fraction of Arthur's direct genetic code, the incredibly strict system might entirely reject you," Chloe warned with genuine concern.
"We literally have no other choice if we want to save my grandfather's life," Daniel replied, rolling up his damp sleeve.
He forcefully pressed his bare palm against the glowing blue glass of the advanced scanner and braced himself for the painful prick.
A hidden automated needle swiftly pierced his skin, drawing a small vial of his blood directly into the complex machine.
The digital screen flashed a terrifying red for three agonizing seconds before suddenly shifting to a brilliant, confirming green.
"DNA accepted, welcome home, Master Sterling," the robotic voice announced smoothly as the massive steel doors hissed violently open.
They rushed frantically into the freezing, state-of-the-art laboratory, desperately searching the glowing refrigeration units for the specific cure.
Chloe expertly located the glowing blue vial of the synthetic antidote, carefully securing it inside a protective metal case.
"We actually have the cure, we can save him right now," Daniel breathed a massive sigh of profound relief.
Suddenly, the heavy steel vault doors behind them slammed violently shut with a deafening, earth-shattering crash.
The bright laboratory lights immediately turned a dark, menacing red, signaling a complete and total facility lockdown.
"Someone just manually overrode the master system from the outside," Chloe yelled, frantically typing commands into the locked control terminal.
The massive digital monitor mounted on the far wall abruptly flickered to life, displaying a crystal-clear live video feed.
The video showed Arthur Sterling lying completely helpless on a hospital bed, hooked up to dozens of failing life-support machines.
Standing casually beside the dying billionaire was a tall, incredibly imposing man wearing an immaculate, expensive black suit.
He had Daniel’s exact same dark eyes, but they were completely devoid of any human warmth or basic empathy.
"Hello, Daniel, it is truly a shame we have to meet under these unfortunate circumstances," Victor Vance smiled wickedly through the screen.
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Victor gently rested his heavy hand directly over Arthur’s faintly beating heart, presenting a terrifying, impossible ultimatum.
"I have complete control of this hospital, and if you ever want to leave that vault alive, you will officially sign the Sterling empire over to me."
