“You do,” he insisted. “Deep down, you do. When the machine stimulates the cortex, you will remember.”

The sound of an explosion echoed from the corridor.

The glass walls of the rotunda vibrated, and dust drifted down from the ceiling.

“They’re through the first barrier,” Mara shouted, firing three rapid shots down the hall.

I looked at the monitors again.

My father’s heart rate was dropping further.

“Come with us,” I pleaded. “We can find a doctor. We can get the inhibitor out of my system together.”

“I am already gone, Natalie,” he said softly. “Save yourself. Save the country from what we created.”

He reached up, his trembling hand touching my cheek.

“I am so sorry,” he whispered. “For everything.”

His hand fell back to the bed sheet.

His eyes remained open, but the light behind them went out.

The heart monitor emitted a long, continuous tone.

“Dad,” I said.

I shook his shoulder gently.

He didn’t move.

“Natalie, we have to go now,” Mara yelled, her gun firing again. “The smoke is coming in.”

I stood up, my chest feeling completely hollow.