The war room fell into a heavy silence as James's words settled over the team like a shroud.
Harper stared at him, her face pale. "Destroy the old world? You think the Shepherd was planning to trigger some kind of global catastrophe?"
James nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the file in front of him. "The Evolution Protocol was never just about creating a new species. It was about clearing the way for that species to thrive. The Shepherd believed that humanity had reached a dead end—that the only way forward was to tear down everything and start over."
Dr. Cross moved to the table, her voice trembling. "I've heard whispers about this. The Shepherd called it 'The Cleansing.' He believed that the old world had to be destroyed to make way for the new one."
David's voice was cold. "That's in
