Chapter 5 - Whispers from the Grave
The armored SUV pulled into an underground garage beneath an abandoned industrial warehouse in South Boston.
Dominic turned off the headlights and locked down the reinforced steel garage doors.
"We have about two hours before Eleanor's contacts trace this vehicle's transponder, boss," Dominic said.
Marcus carried Chloe into a heated back office where a loyal private doctor was waiting with medical supplies.
Dr. Thorne immediately hooked Chloe up to a portable oxygen tank and cleaned the bruises on her wrists.
"She has mild respiratory distress and traces of a heavy sedative in her bloodstream," Dr. Thorne reported after a quick exam.
Marcus handed Dr. Thorne the amber vial he had taken from Eleanor.
"Run a full spectrum analysis on this right now," Marcus ordered.
While Dr. Thorne set up his portable testing equipment, Marcus opened an encrypted laptop on the metal desk.
He inserted Claire's silver thumb drive into the USB port.
The folder contained a single encrypted audio file recorded forty-eight hours before Claire's fatal car crash.
Marcus clicked play with a trembling finger.
Claire's soft, familiar voice echoed through the quiet room, bringing tears to Marcus's eyes.
"Marcus, if you are listening to this, it means I never made it to the state prosecutor's office," Claire's voice said.
"Eleanor found out that I discovered her secret shell company, Vance Biometrics."
Marcus leaned in closer to the speakers, his heart pounding in his chest.
"She has been testing synthetic neurological toxins on private clinic patients to patent a cognitive control drug," Claire continued, her voice breaking with fear.
"She threatened to poison Chloe if I went to the federal authorities."
Claire paused on the recording, taking a shaky breath.
"Marcus, Eleanor paid my driver, Thomas, to cut the brake lines on the mountain pass tonight."
Suddenly, the lights inside the warehouse flickered and died.
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The emergency backup generator whined and shut down completely.
Through the frosted high windows of the warehouse, four red laser dots danced across the metal desk.
