ing. The cold Manhattan wind hit her face, an

ering crystal was stil

SUV she had rented that morning. She gripped the steering wheel, star

She saw the sterile hospital room. She saw her grandfather, Gardner Lang, lying in the bed, hi

A hot tear slippe

the massive iron gates of the Lang

ain. She grabbed her bag and walk

she saw her in the foyer. "Miss

?" Alondra asked,

greenhou

n the heavy glass doors of the greenhouse. The air inside wa

His silver hair caught the sunlight. He was wearing reading

looked up. His wrinkled face brok

s contro

nd threw her arms around his legs. She buried her face in his tr

red hands quickly stroked her hair. "W

ainst his knees. "I was so stupid,

mrests of his chair. "Did Gerard hurt you?

ped her wet cheeks with the bac

"I made him sign the di

ook of relief washed over his face. He

his wheelchair and slowly pushed h

Group," Alondra said, her v

head to look at her, studying her face to se

of the wheelchair. "The supply chain for the new tech division is vulnera

up. That was a highly cl

cousin. "You need to look closely at his fin

temples. "I'm getting old, Ally. The

dle him," A

tes. Alondra outlined a fla

, he drafted and signed a formal Chairman's Authorization. It granted Alondra absolute, unquestioned executive control over

" Gardner said, han

cument. She looked up at the orange sunset. The fir