The meeting was called before sunrise.
No agenda.
No press.
No observers.
Just numbers on the screen.
The Data Speaks First
Survival rate: +41%
Response time: −63%
Resource waste: Near zero
No commentary followed.
Data didn't need defending.
The Question Nobody Wanted
A council member finally spoke.
"Who authorized the intervention?"
Silence.
Everyone already knew the answer.
Responsibility Claimed
Lin Chen didn't wait.
"I did," he said.
"No delegation. No ambiguity."
Dr. Hart turned sharply toward him.
"You didn't have to—"
"Yes," Lin Chen replied calmly.
"I did."
The Expected Accusation
"You violated observation-only parameters."
"Yes."
"You exposed the council to legal risk."
"Yes."
A pause.
"But you saved lives."
That line wasn't in the script.
System Evaluation
[Risk Accepted: Operator-Level.]
[Outcome Justification: Maximum.]
[Institutional Response: Inconsistent.]
The system had learned something new.
Institutions hesitated when results were undeniable.
The Split Revealed
One faction pushed for suspension.
Another demanded expansion.
No middle ground remained.
Lin Chen's Position
"I'm not asking for retroactive approval," he said.
"I'm setting a precedent."
He stood.
"Next time, I won't wait for permission.
And next time, more people will be watching."
Final Exchange
A senior voice asked quietly,
"And if the system fails?"
Lin Chen met their gaze.
"Then hold me accountable," he said.
"But don't pretend hesitation is safer."
Closing Moment
The meeting adjourned without resolution.
But something fundamental had changed.
They weren't deciding if the system would be used—
Only who would control it.
End of Chapter 82