Single Mom Warned Him Three Times to Stop — 5 Seconds Later, She Shocked Everyone Watching
Chapter 7
Thomas Vance had been inside Reed Industrial for thirty-two years.
He had worked with Daniel’s father.
He had advised Daniel.
He had attended family dinners.
He had held Daniel’s hand at Andrew’s funeral.
And now Daniel realized he had been standing beside the enemy for most of his life.
Olivia studied the old photograph.
“He knew about Emily.”
“Yes.”
“He knew about Horizon.”
“Yes.”
“He knew about the trust.”
Daniel nodded.
“Then why hasn’t he taken the money?”
Olivia thought for a moment.
“Maybe he doesn’t want the trust.”
“What does he want?”
“The company.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because Horizon is worth more than your company.”
She explained.
If Horizon could be perfected, Reed Industrial could dominate automated manufacturing for decades.
But the original technology was flawed.
Someone needed a way to control it safely.
Daniel’s father had refused.
Thomas apparently believed he could finish the work.
Daniel pulled up engineering files.
“There’s one problem.”
“What?”
“Horizon requires a neural control interface.”
Olivia stared.
“Human-machine synchronization.”
“Yes.”
“That’s dangerous.”
“Very.”
“Who has been testing it?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Marcus.”
Olivia’s eyes narrowed.
“That’s why he disappeared.”
Daniel nodded.
“They’ve been testing Horizon secretly.”
“On humans?”
“I don’t know.”
“Find out.”
They returned to headquarters.
Daniel ordered an internal lockdown.
Every employee with access to Horizon was questioned.
Olivia reviewed maintenance logs.
At 11:20 p.m., she found something.
A private research facility in Indiana.
Reed Industrial had been leasing it for eighteen months.
The lease was approved by Thomas Vance.
Daniel stared at the address.
“That’s where Horizon is.”
Olivia nodded.
They drove there with federal investigators.
The facility was heavily secured.
Inside, they found something far worse than machinery.
Medical equipment.
Patient records.
Neural monitoring systems.
And a small room containing photographs of volunteers.
Some were employees.
Some were people from local shelters.
Olivia’s stomach turned.
“They tested it on vulnerable people.”
Daniel looked sick.
“How many?”
“Twenty-three.”
“Where are they?”
Olivia checked the files.
“Some withdrew.”
“And the others?”
She didn’t answer.
Daniel understood.
“They died.”
Olivia closed the file.
A voice came from behind them.
“Not all of them.”
They turned.
Emily Reed stood in the doorway.
She was thirty years old.
Dark hair.
Gray eyes.
A scar near her left temple.
She looked at Daniel.
“Hello, brother.”
Daniel couldn’t speak.
Olivia watched them.
Emily looked at the files.
“Thomas started the experiments.”
“Why didn’t you stop him?”
“I tried.”
“You threatened me.”
“I was trying to get your attention.”
“You almost killed me.”
Emily shook her head.
“I didn’t.”
She looked at Olivia.
“She did.”
Olivia froze.
“Who?”
Emily smiled bitterly.
“Yourself.”
Olivia frowned.
“What?”
Emily pointed toward the machines.
“You pulled the emergency lever.”
“Yes.”
“That triggered a backup protocol.”
Olivia stared.
“What backup protocol?”
“The system transmitted the entire Horizon database.”
Daniel’s eyes widened.
“To where?”
Emily smiled.
“Every federal agency.”
Silence.
Olivia stared.
“You knew?”
“I designed the backup.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You?”
Emily nodded.
“I’ve been working against Thomas for years.”
Olivia suddenly understood.
The warnings.
The sabotage.
The threats.
The factory fire.
Maybe Emily hadn’t been trying to kill them.
Maybe she had been trying to expose Thomas.
Daniel stepped toward her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would you have believed me?”
He hesitated.
Emily shook her head.
“You wouldn’t.”
She handed him a flash drive.
“This contains everything.”
Daniel took it.
Then the lights went out.
Emily looked toward the hallway.
“They found us.”
Footsteps echoed.
Several men entered.
Armed.
Daniel grabbed Olivia.
Emily whispered:
“Run.”
