Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
“What’s your plan?” my mentor asks.
“I’m going to cut the enemy off at the knees by uploading the cure to MedFree, an open source software site.” A reputable site owned by a cadre of scientists who cannot be bought by big pharmaceuticals. Any reputable researcher knows the name.
Jonah doesn’t argue. He obviously sees the wisdom of my plan. Expose the formula so the company after me can’t profit and remove the need to come after the cure.
He swivels his chair toward yet another screen and types in a password. “Here you go. Do your worst.” He glances at the monitors. “But do it fast.”
I swallow hard as Shane finds himself surrounded. He drops his gun and raises his hands in the air, outnumbered by the incoming men.
“Oh my God,” I say, scrambling for the computer just as Jonah hands me two separate notebooks, each opened to the right set of information.
I pull up the site and log in. And then I frantically but carefully begin to type.
I am still inputting the information when the door bursts open wide, followed by a gust of wind. Just as I press the final entry and hit upload, Shane, wet and muddy, steps inside, hands in the air, followed by what looks like an army of men in black.
“Hands in the air,” one of the men says.
Fear pulses through me, but I comply, as does Jonah.
“I want the formula,” the first man through the door says, his voice deep and formidable.
“You’re too late,” I say, facing them. “I uploaded all the pertinent information necessary to recreate the cure onto freeware. The world has access to the formula.” I raise my chin. If I am going down, I am going down having done the right thing.
Before the man in charge can reply, the sound of windows shattering echoes through the room.
“Get down!” Shane shouts.
Everything happens in a blur. A large body slams me to the floor, knocking my breath out of my lungs. Shots ring out around me, and I hear screams—before realizing the sounds are coming from me.
* * *
Shane
“Clear!”
At the sound of Ian’s voice, I ease myself off Talia and help her to a sitting position. Her face is pale, her eyes wide, her teeth chattering.
Gunshots can do that to a civilian, and I pull her close as she recovers from the shock of Ian and the team coming in through the windows. They now have the men surrounded at gunpoint.
Jonah climbs out from beneath the desk. “Who’s going to pay for this mess?” he asks, grumbling.
Ian meets my gaze. “All good?”
“You took long enough,” I mutter. I was outnumbered and saw them walk in and train a gun on Talia.
“You try flying in this God-awful weather. Your girl okay?”
Before I can answer, Talia struggles to a standing position. “I’m fine. Thank you for getting here,” she says, ignoring her still-trembling limbs.
“The formula’s safe?” Ian asks.
She rubs her hands up and down her arms. “It’s available to whomever can get it to the FDA the fastest. I uploaded it to a freeware site to prevent anyone who could profit from its destruction from accessing it first.”
She sounds shocked by her actions, and I understand. The cure won’t be sold in a traditional sale from her employer to a big pharmaceutical company.
“You killed your company’s chance at a big sale.”
“And I won’t be able to guide a team of scientists into testing and see my product helping people firsthand.” She sucks in her bottom lip. “On the other hand, now scientists and even hobbyists will have the chance to work with my research,” she says, sounding more hopeful. “They could possibly even expand on it.”
“And there will be competition to market—competition that might take your discoveries to a higher level,” Ian offers.
“Regardless, what you did was selfless and brave,” I say, completely in awe. I slide my hand into hers. “I’m proud of you.” For more than just outsmarting the people after her. She faced down the men with guns like the brave woman she is.
She manages a shaky smile. “Thank you.”
“Okay, kids,” Ian says. “The local cops are coming in to clean up this mess. With any luck, they’ll find out who was behind this. We’re out.” He glances at Shane. “You know how much I hate dealing with bureaucratic shit.”
I roll my eyes. We’ll all be tied up late answering questions, but Talia is safe. Which means this particular job is complete.
Chapter Ten
Talia
Shane and I are separated as soon as the local sheriff and his men arrive wanting answers, considering they have bullet holes everywhere and a few non-life-threatening injuries to the men after me. Shane refused to leave me, but the sheriff demanded our individual stories, so we separate. I am more than happy to provide my version of events.
The sheriff plans to get in contact with Dallas authorities so they can compare notes and tie up loose ends on both sides. I know it will take more time and investigation before the truth of what happened finally comes out.