Chapter 134

A thunderous boom shook the early morning quiet. Orange flame shot into the dark sky as Substation 12 of the Phoenix Grid exploded. Pieces of metal and concrete flew in all directions. The night security guard, having stepped outside for a cigarette moments earlier, stared in shock from the parking lot.

Three blocks away, Rose watched from the passenger seat of a stolen van, her face lit by the distant flames. A small smile played on her lips as smoke rose into the night sky.

“Beautiful,” she whispered. “Just like I planned.”

Beside her, Herod gripped the steering wheel, his face tight. “Drive now, admire later,” he said, shifting the van into gear. “Security cameras might have caught us.”

As they sped away, emergency sirens began to wail in the distance. Fire trucks and police cars raced toward the burning substation.

“Phase one complete,” Rose said, her voice filled with satisfaction. “Now we wait for phase two, the system collapse.”

Herod kept