Chapter 9 - A Voice From the Dead
June's hands shook as she pulled shards of glass from her sleeve. “I charge extra for bomb disposal.”
Mara barely heard her. “Ask Adrian where his mother is,” she repeated.
Adrian shook his head. “I wish I knew.”
Ruiz studied the message. “They want us chasing Nina. They also want us suspicious of each other.”
“Both can be true,” Mara said.
June's computer emitted a soft chime. An encrypted voice call had arrived through an old emergency channel.
Adrian answered. “Mom?”
Evelyn's face appeared under harsh fluorescent light. She had a bruise along one cheek and a medical bracelet on her wrist.
“Adrian.” Her voice cracked. “You're bleeding.”
“Where are you?”
“Northpoint. Sublevel three. But don't come yet.”
Mara leaned into view. “Where's Lily?”
Evelyn stared at her. “You look like Samuel.”
“My father died last month.”
Evelyn closed her eyes. “I know. I tried to get him out.”
“Then why didn't you?”
“Because Graham threatened the children. There were six of them. He kept records of every family member.”
Mara's anger burned hotter. “You let my dad rot in prison.”
“Yes,” Evelyn whispered. “And there's no excuse good enough.”
A buzzer sounded behind her. She turned, terrified.
“Listen. Your sister isn't a patient anymore. She's a doctor-in-training. They made her help administer treatments. She believes she saved children. Some did survive because of her.”
“Some?” Mara asked.
Evelyn's lips trembled. “Graham is moving the remaining children tonight. He'll erase everything before tomorrow's election hearing.”
Adrian leaned closer. “Tell us how to stop him.”
Evelyn lifted a folded sheet of paper. It showed a line of numbers and a single word: MERIDIAN.
“The evidence isn't at Northpoint. The original research server is under the Meridian Tower. Don't trust anything Graham shows you until you've seen it.”
A door opened behind her. Graham Cross stepped into the frame, handsome and composed in a navy suit.
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“Good evening, everyone,” he said. “I hope you're enjoying the reunion.”
He put a hand on Evelyn's shoulder, and the screen went black.
