The voice echoed through the facility.
"Come out. We only want the heir."
Silence followed.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Because everyone in the room understood one thing.
The heir they wanted…
was Artyom.
Roman's expression turned colder than anyone had ever seen.
Viktor noticed immediately.
"You know them."
Roman didn't answer.
"Father."
A long pause.
Then Roman finally spoke.
"Before the Volkovs. Before the Sokolovs. Before the Morozovs..."
His eyes remained on the door.
"There was one family."
Dmitri looked through the old records.
His face paled.
"I can't find anything."
Roman nodded.
"You won't."
"They erased themselves."
Another tremor shook the facility.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Approaching.
The main door opened.
A man entered.
Tall.
Silver-black hair.
Dark coat.
Not old.
Not young.
His presence felt strange.
Not dominant.
Not oppressive.
Simply...
absolute.
Behind him stood several others dressed in black.
Silent.
Disciplined.
Watching.
His eyes landed on Artyom immediately.
A faint smile appeared.
"There you are."
Viktor stepped in front of Artyom.
The man's smile widened slightly.
"So protective."
"Name," Viktor said coldly.
The man looked at him.
Then at Roman.
"You never told them?"
Roman remained silent.
The stranger sighed.
"That's disappointing."
Then he looked back at Artyom.
"My name is..."
A pause.
"Lucien Vesper."
The room went silent.
Nobody recognized it.
Except Roman.
And Valentin.
Valentin whispered,
"No..."
Artyom frowned.
"Who is he?"
Roman answered quietly.
"The last head of the first empire."
Silence.
Lucien inclined his head.
"Former head."
He looked at Artyom again.
"I've been searching for you for a very long time."
Viktor's expression hardened.
"You won't touch him."
Lucien smiled.
"I have no intention of harming him."
A pause.
"I'm here to bring him home."
Every person in the room stiffened.
Artyom frowned.
"Home?"
Lucien nodded.
"Yes."
"You belong with us."
"I don't even know you."
Lucien's expression softened slightly.
"No."
A pause.
"But your blood does."
Silence.
Andrei's voice suddenly came through the speakers.
"Don't listen to him."
Lucien looked upward.
A small laugh escaped him.
"Still alive, Morozov?"
Andrei ignored him.
"Artyom."
A pause.
"Whatever happens..."
"Don't go with him."
Lucien sighed.
"He always ruins my entrances."
Viktor stepped forward.
"Give me one reason not to throw you out myself."
Lucien's eyes met Viktor's.
For the first time—
the air changed.
"You must be Viktor Volkov."
A pause.
"The Emigen."
Viktor didn't blink.
Lucien smiled.
"Interesting."
Then he looked at Artyom.
"Do you know why everyone wants you?"
Nobody answered.
Lucien's smile disappeared.
"Because you are not the end of the Origin Project."
A pause.
"And you are not the beginning of a new era."
His eyes remained fixed on Artyom.
"You are something much older."
The room became perfectly still.
Lucien spoke one final sentence.
"You are the last descendant of the First Family."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Even Andrei said nothing.
Even Roman looked stunned.
Even Viktor's expression changed.
And Artyom...
simply stared.
Because for the first time in his life—
he had no idea who he was anymore.