The words hung in the air like a physical presence, freezing everyone in place. Hannah's hand flew to her throat and the colour on her face drained. Anola's rigid posture faltered for the briefest moment before she regained her imperious bearing.
"That's impossible," Aaron whispered, though doubt had crept into his voice.
Atlas betrayed nothing, his features still carefully arranged in the professional mask of James Reed.
"Let me handle this," Atlas said with measured authority. "If someone is claiming to be Atlas Prime, it's likely a threat designed to unsettle your family."
Aaron's eyes flickered between Atlas and the two guards still kneeling on the floor. "Restrain them first," he ordered, gesturing toward Brock and Tyson. "I don't want any loose ends while we deal with this... s
