Chapter 9 - The Price
Russell called again ten minutes later.
This time Elias recorded it.
"You want Grace?"
"I want what belongs to Vance Biomedical."
"She's a child."
"She's a research subject created with company assets."
Mara's face twisted in disgust.
Elias kept his voice calm.
"Elena is my daughter."
"She made choices."
"You buried an empty coffin."
"I protected the company."
"You made me bury my child."
Russell sighed.
"You were grieving. You were easier to manage."
Elias nearly broke the phone.
"Where is she?"
"Bring Grace to Saint Orison at midnight."
"No."
A pause.
"Then Elena stops breathing before sunrise."
Mateo lunged toward the phone.
"You touch her--"
Elias caught him.
Russell laughed softly.
"Mateo. Still emotional."
Mateo went rigid.
"You know me."
"I know all of you."
Ruby stepped closer.
"Where is our mother?"
"Ask your grandfather why she had to hide."
Elias said, "Don't use them."
"I'm not. I'm educating them."
The call ended.
Mateo shoved Elias's hand away.
"This is your fault."
"I know."
"You built the place."
"I funded the project."
"You picked him."
"Yes."
"You didn't listen to Mom."
"Yes."
Mateo's anger cracked into tears.
"Then fix it."
Elias nodded.
"I will."
They made a plan.
Mara would publish part of Elena's evidence at 11:45.
Frank would send copies to federal prosecutors, three newspapers, and an international medical watchdog.
Samuel would stay with Tomas.
Ruby and Caleb would remain hidden.
Mateo refused.
"I'm going."
"No."
"She's my mother."
"You're twelve."
"So?"
"So you don't walk into a facility run by men with guns."
Mateo pointed at Elias's chair.
"You can't walk either."
Elias almost smiled.
"Low blow."
"Still true."
At 11:30, Elias transferred controlling voting shares of Vance Biomedical into an emergency trust.
If he died, the evidence would automatically become public.
If Russell killed him, Russell lost the company.
Mara read the document.
"You planned that fast."
"I've spent forty years making people afraid of contracts."
At 11:42, Grace woke.
She reached toward Elias.
Mateo pulled her back.
"No more."
Elias looked at him.
"You're right."
For the first time, he understood the difference between receiving a miracle and having a right to one.
At 11:47, Mara's article went live.
PROJECT LAZARUS: CHILDREN USED IN SECRET VANCE BIOMEDICAL TRIALS.
Phones erupted.
Then Saint Orison called.
Russell's voice was no longer calm.
"You made a mistake."
Elias replied, "No."
He looked at Mateo.
"I finally made something public."
May you like
Russell whispered, "Then say goodbye to Elena."
A gunshot sounded through the phone.
