Page 69 of King's Reckoning
"For the right price, such proof is invaluable," Blackwood agreed. "Especially to certain interested parties concerned about tribal sovereignty protections falling into the wrong hands. About the need for legal failsafes that can't be hacked or duplicated."
More systems crashed as the feedback loop intensified. Rowan felt her consciousness wavering as her lineage documentation interfaceddirectly with failing forgery protocols. But through the haze of realization, pieces of a lifetime's preparation finally clicked into place.
Elena hadn't just built loopholes into her land claim documentation. Hadn't just created ways to bypass corporate land grabs through specific historical markers. She'd designed something far more sophisticated.
A way to permanently destroy dangerous corporate encroachment using the very treaties that Blackwood Industries had helped violate. Using her daughter's carefully documented lineage as the ultimate legal failsafe.
"It's done," Blackwood announced as final systems failed. "Proof of concept confirmed. Indigenous land claims can indeed disable corporate forgeries permanently through direct lineage documentation."
Rowan felt her tension ease as the forgery equipment powered down around them. The weight of realization about her mother's legal protections left her momentarily overwhelmed. Reed's solid presence supported her as she stood shakily, drawing strength from his nearness.
"You got what you wanted," she said quietly. "Proved Mom's theories correct. Showed that indigenous claims can destroy corporate land grabs permanently."
"Indeed." Blackwood's smile held genuine satisfaction. "My employers will be quite pleasedwith the results. Though I doubt they'll appreciate the wider implications."
"What implications?"
"That Elena didn't just create a way to protect ancestral lands," he replied. "She ensured that anyone attempting to contest them would fail. Because now that your lineage documentation has interfaced directly with these forgery systems..." His smile widened. "Any future attempts will recognize those same historical patterns. Will automatically begin failing the moment they detect indigenous sovereignty sequences."
Fresh understanding bloomed as Rowan processed his meaning. "She made me into a permanent legal guardian. A way to ensure these lands could never be successfully stolen."
"Quite brilliant, really," Blackwood agreed. "Using Blackwood Industries' own legal tactics against them. Ensuring that every future attempt to develop land grabs would fail the moment they approached contested territories."
"You admire her," Rowan realized. "Even now, even after everything..."
"Of course I do. Elena was a genius who saw possibilities none of us imagined. Who understood that the best way to destroy dangerous corporate overreach was to use its own principles against it." He spread his hands in a gesture of surrender as more teams entered the lab. "I imagine your alliance will want to take me into custody now. Study my research, analyze my data."
"No." Rowan's voice held firm conviction as she straightened fully, supported by Reed's steady presence. "We're going to let you go. Let you report to your employers exactly what happened here. Let you show them proof that any attempt to forge counterclaims will fail automatically."
"Because of your indigenous documentation," Blackwood finished. "Because Elena ensured her daughter would become the ultimate legal failsafe."
"Exactly." Rowan smiled grimly as she gave orders through their secure comms. "Let him leave. But make sure he takes copies of all test data. Evidence of exactly what happens when indigenous land claims interface directly with corporate forgery systems."
Teams moved to comply as Blackwood gathered his research materials. But before he could exit, Rowan added quietly, "Tell your employers one more thing, Miles. Tell them my mom didn't just create a legal protection for ancestral lands. She created a guardian—someone capable of ensuring they never threaten anyone again."
Blackwood's smile held genuine respect as he departed. Within hours, the facility was stripped completely—all equipment destroyed, all evidence eliminated except the specific data Rowan had allowed him to take.
"Think they'll finally give up?" Reed asked as they watched cleanup teams finish their work. "Stop trying to contest the land claims?"
"They'll have to," Rowan replied, leaning into his solid warmth. "Mom made sure of that when she documented my lineage. Made me into something that could permanently invalidate corporate land grabs just by existing near them."
His arms tightened around her. "Quite a legacy."
"Yes." Rowan smiled slightly as she thought about carefully documented heritage and unexpected love creating something stronger than mere corporate greed. "But not the only one worth protecting."
Because some legacies weren't about land claims or historical markers. Some were about choices made, trust earned, love freely given.
The kind of legacy Rowan intended to build with the man holding her. The future they would forge together.
Starting with their wedding, just two weeks away.
"Ninety-eight percent invalidation rate and climbing." Barbara's voice cut through the tense silence of the clubhouse chapel as her screens displayed cascading legal failures across every known Blackwood document forgery system nationwide.
The assembled leaders leaned forward, watching the corporate giant's carefully constructed legal manipulation collapse under the influence of Rowan's authenticated land claims. Each failing node on the map represented millions in wasted corporate resources, years of careful forgery rendered useless by Elena's meticulously documented historical evidence.
"The effect is spreading exponentially," the professor continued, highlighting specific metrics that scrolled across multiple displays. Text messages and encrypted communications between corporate offices flashed by—increasingly panicked reports of legal challenges and invalidated claims. "Every forgery system that comes online automatically begins failing when it encounters our historicaldocumentation. Elena's legal precedent has gone viral at a fundamental level."
Barbara pulled up detailed analytics showing the invalidation spreading. "Look at the pattern. It's not just invalidating active claims. The legal precedent is embedding itself in the basic corporate strategies. Any attempt to rebuild using similar forgery methods triggers an immediate legal challenge."
