d Seraphina, and disappearing as soon as it was socially acceptable. He left me alone, a small mercy I clung to. I spent my time in the library, not reading, but plannin

ght of the mansion at bay. I knew this peace was temporary, a holding p

e explosion had torn through a chemical plant on the outskirts of the city. The plant belonged to a subsidiary of Hayes Industries. My blood ran cold. I clicked

ered on the first ring, his voice bre

ning? What are you

The initial reports are saying it was an accident, but one of my contacts inside

cident, it was negligence. Potentially criminal. "And D

ent for a final inspection before the launch of a new produ

rd disaster, not away from it, took over. I grabbed the small emergency medical kit I always kept with me, a habit from my time in the field. My

Mrs. Hayes were in the main hall, their faces pale with shock. Seraphina was

he explosion? Which part of the

raw fear. "Building C. The west wing. But the emergen

arp and clear. "They won't have enough medics who know how to tre

s not safe!" Mrs

ayes' head of security, a man named Thompson who was always by his side

ragmatic patriarch knew a valuable asset when he saw one. My

e air grew acrid, burning my throat. The scene at the perimeter was chaos. Ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars chok

Building C. It was a twisted skeleton of metal and shattered concrete, smoke still pouring fr

pson said, pointing to a section of the

had threatened me, humiliated me, imprisoned me. He deserved to be left to the fate he had created. But then I saw the face of a young worker being carried pas

ing in,

ucturally sound!" a fir

secured it over my face, the smell of filtered air a small relief. "

ll. Sparks showered from broken electrical conduits, and a fine, toxic dust coated every surface. I found the

open air. David was lying on the floor near his desk, partially pinned by a heavy steel beam. He was

I could see the tell-tale signs of severe toxic inhalation. I didn't have much time. I opened my kit, my h

, his eyes unfocused, clouded with pain and confusi

rofessional as I applied a pressure bandage to t

gaze fell to the sapphire necklace still clasped around my neck. "You're... still wearing it," he breathed. A single tear tracked a clean

ne. His eyes rolled back in his he

I didn't notice the second man until he s

ive work

nce uniform stood there, his face covered in soot, but his eyes wer

you?" I

r. Hayes had a little accident. A result of cutting corners on safety pro

ge. The threat Michael had told me about. This man was one

onditions. We just provide the spark. You should get hi

just an industrial accident. It was an attack. And David, the man who had become my tormentor, was the target. I