y good job calming me down. The fact that she genuinely believed I could handle this meant more than I wanted to admit. My parents hadn't built Vale Biodyne by making careless decisions. They were m

couldn't s

rough the doors. The boardroom was q

eneath a ring of suspended lights. Four people sat waiting for me

said smoothly as he rose fr

alm authority that made people lower their voices around him. His gray eyes

fine," I

ed lightly toward the

immediately from

somehow made her look even more intimidating. Across from her sat Lexi Peter

older, though stress had already started aging him around the eyes. His expres

rest

," Lexi said politely. "

ne of us," Da

a look sharp eno

ded not

ucy already?"

ing me figure out wher

ra?" he asked

oom s

elt it all the same. Every

ed it yet," I sa

ack in his chai

s left instructions. Watching the footage is i

said carefully. "Questions we may

m. "Okay... now I'm o

d be," Daniel

," Lexi

s. "You all keep dancing a

sharpened sli

ilent, though

r a welcome meeting, this feels

intest twitch of a

company. Familiarize yourself with the structure. Watch

like my life was about to d

the door. "Right. Secret

n said before

oked

ed you with this co

in her voice

answer, Danie

t reason survives fi

e it

t him for the first

niel Merce

htened slig

entione

did

very passionate a

nly into his hand, c

yes. "I've dedicated

onestly, I respect it. Must be rough watc

y, shoulders shaking slight

uld respond. "I'm not insecure enough to fi

hen closed it again. Adrian finally leaned back in his chai

rritating everyone wasn'

one last time. "I think we

d laughter erupted inside the room. Mission accomplished. I headed straight back to the

leaning forward s

seem

mmediately. "

r definitely

widened. "What d

e. Just putting

breath. "First day in the building and

k. "They all told me to

from her expressio

red the

on it,

meeting mine again. "Something y

atever was on that tape, everyone

ust from her skirt. "Come on. I'll

the elevator, pointin

egal and acquisitions. Forty-seven is biotech development.

button

most invisibly be

rehouse

vator d

," she explained. "Some of the co

biotech warehouse," I sa

n fact, her whole e

break-ins before,

aid it made the temperatur

ate esp

tation r

ing lik

oors

lled into t

storage containers disappearing into shadow. Security towers overlooked the

is enormous,

ned with terrifying clarity. Boots scraping concrete. Radios crackling two aisles away. Hear

rabbed my arm.

backward, gasping as something inside me twi

w. Something

se and the stench of something sour. It violated my nost

lf, I let out a deep howl that ricocheted off the cement walls around us. There was something

cracked beneath my skin. My vision sharpened into impossible det

nct in my body screamed

a were