“Hi and uh, my apologies,” Bryn replied.“My fault.I’m so clumsy.”
“Not a problem, it’s only water.”Brunt’s tone implied any further misadventures would be rewarded by a life-limiting experience.He radiated hostility and barely contained violence.
Bryn caught Giles’ eye and returned to his side.Brunt was watching him and he felt like a bug under a microscope.“Sir, could you excuse me for a moment?I need to use the restroom.”Giles gave him a dismissive nod and Bryn left the room for the reception area where the staffer with the folders was hovering.Bryn gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile.
“Tough crowd, huh?”
“Uh, yeah… You’re not really Delacourt’s assistant, are you?”she asked, her voice low.
“I’ve been with Mr.Delacourt for almost four years now.”Stretching the truth but not really a lie.
“Then why did you look at the quarterly report upside down for ten minutes without noticing?”she challenged.“And why do you keep searching everyone’s faces like you’re memorizing them?”
“Miss, I’m not sure…”
“They’re planning something terrible,” she interrupted, whispering.“In the sub-basement labs here and at other sites.Gene-affected test subjects who haven’t signed proper consent forms.Drugs that don’t have government clearance.Falsified data.”She glanced around.“I’ve been gathering evidence, but they’re watching me.”
Bryn made a split-second decision.If she made me, who else did?“If you have something to show me, now would be the time.”
“I’m Mira.”She pulled a USB from her pocket.“Tell me I’m not wrong about you.”
“You’re not.I thought I was doing a better job of staying under the radar.”Bryn took the drive.
“On there are two sets of clinical trial results.The real ones show severe neurological side effects in sixty percent of participants.The published ones that they’re planning to submit show only three percent.There’s also a list on there of drug manufacturing sites.Uncontrolled, unlicensed ones.”
“You’re taking a huge risk giving me this.”
“You’re taking a huge risk too.People are dying,” Mira said.“My brother is lupine.I don’t want him to be next.”
“I need to get back,” Bryn said.“I’ve been gone too long.You’re planning to run.Do it.”
Mira’s eyes widened.“How did you…”
“Call in sick tomorrow and don’t come back.”
She gave a brief nod.“Where can I find you?”
“The GCR.”Telling her was a calculated risk but Bryn wanted to give her a lifeline.She might need it.“Now point me at the bathroom because I think we’re being watched.”He was aware that Ty Brunt was looming in the conference room doorway but didn’t think he’d arrived there early enough to see Mira pass him the USB.He waited to make sure no one followed her as she walked away then spent a few minutes in the men’s room before returning to Giles’ side in the conference room.He caught Brunt watching him and avoided eye contact.Being the subject of that man’s attention is not comfortable.We need to get out of here.How can I get Giles to stop talking?He leaned in close to Giles, his voice a low murmur, “We need to go.Now.”
Giles wound up his conversation as if nothing had happened.“Quite fascinating projections,” he said to Harrison Fuller.“I’ll be in touch but for now, I have another engagement to get to.Bryan, is the car waiting?”
“Yes, Mr.Delacourt.”Bryn noticed Ty Brunt move to position himself closer to the conference room’s exit.As they moved toward the door, Bryn tried to keep his posture relaxed, notebook tucked under his arm.The USB drive was deep in his inner jacket pocket but to him it was broadcasting a tornado warning.
“Mr.Delacourt,” Fuller called out as they reached the threshold.“A moment?”
Giles turned, his smile perfect.“Of course.”
By the time Fuller released them, after some irrelevant, suck-up pleasantries, Bryn was sweating.
“Keep walking,” Giles murmured.
Three more steps.The sunlight beyond the lobby doors was blinding after the conference room’s subtle lighting.Bryn blinked despite his dark glasses.Outside the clinic, several expensive cars were lined up.Gunnar was leaning against their ride, his eyes locked on the clinic’s entrance.His jacket was open, his holster visible.Bryn caught his gaze.A slight nod.Nothing more.They were feet from the car when Bryn heard a radio crackle behind them.He glanced back to see Ty Brunt speaking into a walkie talkie and had to resist the urge to run to Gunnar.
Gunnar opened the rear passenger door of the car like a professional chauffeur.Bryn slid across the seat and Giles followed, pulling the door shut.Gunnar got behind the wheel.
“Drive,” Giles ordered.
Gunnar shot him a look in the rear view but didn’t ask questions.He pulled away and merged into traffic without hesitation.“I’m guessing you got something,” he said.
