Chapter 15 - THE BETRAYAL BEFORE THE BILLION-DOLLAR EMPIREMartha finally told Emma the truth.
Before Hartwell Technologies became a billion-dollar company, her father had been working with Daniel Cross.
Together, they created a revolutionary artificial intelligence system.
Its name was Minerva.
But the project was not originally designed for profit.
It was created to identify talented children from poor families and give them access to education.
Daniel wanted to make the system completely free.
Emma’s father wanted to commercialize it.
At first, they argued.
Then they reached a compromise.
Hartwell Technologies would build the technology.
A percentage of the profits would fund education programs.
But something went wrong.
Daniel discovered that the company was secretly collecting data on the children.
Their abilities.
Their weaknesses.
Their families.
Their psychological profiles.
Daniel tried to expose the truth.
But before he could do it, he disappeared.
Everyone believed he had died in a car accident.
Emma stared at her mother.
“Did Dad know?”
Martha looked down.
“Yes.”
“Did he cause the accident?”
“I don't know.”
Emma’s voice became quieter.
“Do you?”
Martha closed her eyes.
“I know your father was not the same after Daniel disappeared.”
That night, Emma returned to the old chessboard.
She studied the pieces.
Then she noticed something.
The white king had a small crack in its base.
She removed it.
Inside was a tiny memory card.
Jonathan examined it.
“There’s a password.”
Emma looked at the board.
“What is the password?”
Jonathan tried several combinations.
Nothing worked.
Then Emma looked at the photograph.
The words on the back came back to her.
THE FIRST KING MUST FALL BEFORE THE REAL GAME CAN BEGIN.
She typed:
DANIEL.
The file opened.
There was only one video.
Emma pressed play.
Her father appeared on the screen.
He looked much younger.
And terrified.
“If you are watching this,” he said, “then Minerva has returned.”
He paused.
“Emma, if you are the one who found this…”
May you like
His eyes seemed to look directly at her.
“Then I am sorry.”
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