I need a distraction before my underwear starts to get wet.
My eyes land on the coffee table, specifically on a newspaper that’s been sitting there since we came in here. I hadn’t really noticed it before. You know, the whole dying of hypothermia and then fever thing.
But now I see it clearly.
The Wall Street Journal.
And on the front page, above the fold, there’s a photograph.
Of Gregory.
TheGregory.
What the hell, brain?
The headline reads: “Falk Industries CEO Under Fire for Brazil Environmental Disaster.”
The world tilts sideways.
Falk.
Gregory Falk.
Oh no.
No no no.
My hands go numb. Not from cold this time. From shock.
I know that name.
Everyone in environmental sciences knows that name.
Falk Rare Earth Industries controls sixty percent of the global supply of rare earth minerals. The company responsible for the Minas Gerais contamination. The one with leaked internal documents showing they knowingly poisoned water supplies in Brazil and Vietnam.
The one my advisor ranted about for thirty minutes last semester, calling them “environmental war criminals in expensive suits.”
The room is spinning again but this time it has nothing to do with fever.
“You’re Gregory Falk?” The words come out flat.
He turns from the window. “Yes.”
One word. Just yes. Like it’s nothing.
“TheGregory Falk. Falk Industries. Rare earth mining.” My voice is getting louder with each word. “The company that dumped toxic waste into groundwater in Minas Gerais.”
“The alleged dumping--”
“Don’t you dare sayalleged.” I’m on my feet now, shaking. “Don’t you dare! There are leaked documents. Internal emails. Your own engineers confirming the contamination wasknownandignored.”
His face hardens. “You don’t know the full context.”
“I know forty-two people got sick.” My voice cracks. “I know one of them is in the village where my grandmother lives. Where myparentsare from. Your company poisoned their water and you’re standing here talking aboutcontext?”
He looks away. “I told you I was an asshole,” he says softly.
But then a moment later his back straightens and he looks at me again, his eyes flashing defiantly. “My company provides the minerals that make your laptop work.” His voice is cold now. “That power your electric cars and solar panels and wind turbines. Every piece of green technology you environmental activists worship requires rare earth minerals.”
