Chapter 6 - The Extraction
They couldn't risk a hospital. Elias made a risky call to an old medical school colleague who ran an underground, off-the-books veterinary clinic downtown.
Under the cover of darkness, they drove Clara back into the city. The vet clinic smelled of bleach and wet dog.
Using a portable X-ray machine, Elias located the tiny metallic object resting comfortably in Clara's lower intestine. A dose of strong laxatives and four agonizing hours later, they had it.
Elias scrubbed the tiny micro-USB with alcohol and plugged it into a burner laptop Reynolds had procured.
The screen flickered to life. Folders upon folders of data. Emails between Julian and Pendelton. Bank transfers to the FDA inspector. And the smoking gun: a video of Julian discussing the acceptable mortality rate of the new drug.
"This is it," Reynolds said, the glow of the screen reflecting in his eyes. "This brings down the entire empire."
"No," Clara said quietly. "If we just hand this to the police, Archibald Sterling will tie it up in court for decades with expensive lawyers. They'll claim the drive is a fake. They need to confess publicly."
Elias looked at the young woman. She was no longer the tragic victim on his autopsy table. She was a weapon forged in fire.
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"What do you have in mind?" Elias asked.
"Tomorrow night is the Sterling Charity Gala at the Four Seasons," Clara said, her eyes cold. "Julian will be there, playing the grieving fiancé. I want to attend my own funeral."
