Chapter 3: The Architect of Deception
The police station was a beehive of activity, but Maya was kept in a holding cell, watched by a nervous guard. Elias Thorne sat on the other side of the glass, a stack of files in front of him.
"You're a former doctor," Elias said, leaning in. "You have no reason to be here, no reason to risk your life. You had a chance to run when the funeral turned into a riot. Why didn't you?"
Maya looked at him, her eyes tired. "Because when I was framed, Isabella was the only one who didn't testify against me. She knew the truth, but they threatened her family. She’s the key to my exoneration, Elias. And she’s the only one who knows where the original research data is hidden."
Elias opened a folder. "Marcus Sterling has high-powered lawyers breathing down my neck. He claims you’re a delusional stalker who tried to desecrate his wife's funeral."
"Check his offshore accounts," Maya said softly. "The night before the 'accident,' a significant transfer was made to a private medical supply company. He bought the neurotoxin there. They ship to high-end labs. Trace the shipment ID."
Elias hesitated, then nodded. "I’ll check. But Maya, if you're lying, you're looking at an extra twenty years for prison break and harassment."
"If I'm lying," Maya replied, "you can bury me next to Isabella."
While Elias investigated, Marcus was working his own angle. He sat in his office, his phone to his ear, his voice a low, dangerous hiss. "I don't care how you do it. Get into the holding area. She knows too much. If she survives the night, the whole house of cards collapses."
The target wasn't Isabella—she was under heavy police guard at the hospital. The target was Maya.
May you like
Back in the holding cell, the lights flickered and died. The hallway went silent, save for the heavy, rhythmic thud of combat boots. The guard at the door vanished without a sound. Maya stood up, her heart hammering. She knew the game was rigged. She didn't wait for the door to open; she unscrewed the metal casing of the light fixture and prepared herself.
She wasn't going to die here. She was a scientist, a prisoner, and a survivor. And she was done being the victim.
