The Mediterranean sun was setting over the island as Slade stood on the rocky shore, watching the waves lap against the coast. The Foundation's headquarters was in ruins behind him—smoke still rising from the main building, the bodies of guards being loaded onto transport ships, the files and equipment being cataloged by his team.
It should have felt like a victory. But Slade felt hollow.
Ember approached him, her footsteps silent on the sand. "We've secured the island. The Foundation's files are being uploaded to Lyric's servers. We're finding everything."
Slade nodded slowly. "And Aris?"
"Dead. You made sure of that."
"I made sure of a lot of things." He turned to face her. "But I keep thinking about what Mira said. About the Foundation being an idea. About how ideas don't die."
"T
