Chapter 6 - THE LOWER WARD
Margaret led them deeper into the mansion.
Two armed men followed.
Noah hated the guns.
He hated the secrets more.
“Why did everyone say you died?”
Margaret didn’t slow down.
“Because your father needed me dead.”
David, behind them, snapped, “That isn’t what happened.”
Margaret turned.
“You signed the papers.”
“To protect my family.”
“You protected your company.”
“I protected them from you!”
Noah shouted, “Stop!”
Everyone fell silent.
He pointed at Margaret.
“You explain.”
Then at David.
“And you don’t interrupt.”
Margaret studied him.
“Your mother discovered your father’s foundation was being used to hide illegal medical trials.”
David said nothing.
“Patients without money were transferred, declared dead, then used in experimental drug programs.”
Lily covered her mouth.
Noah glanced at the files in his bag.
“That’s what those records are.”
“Yes.”
Margaret continued.
“Your mother wanted to expose it.”
“Who started it?”
Margaret looked at David.
Noah followed her gaze.
His father’s face was empty.
“Dad?”
David whispered, “My father.”
Noah’s grandfather.
Thomas Bennett.
Dead for three years.
Or supposedly dead.
Noah almost laughed.
“Is anybody in this family actually dead?”
“Noah,” David warned.
“No! I’m serious!”
Margaret opened a steel door.
Cold air hit them.
Below was an underground medical ward.
Rows of empty beds.
Monitors.
Locked rooms.
Noah felt sick.
“How long has this been here?”
“Decades,” Margaret said.
They moved through the ward.
At the far end, they heard fighting.
Dr. Pierce stumbled into view.
Blood covered his forehead.
“Noah!”
“Where’s Mom?”
Pierce pointed.
“Operating room three.”
Margaret grabbed him by the collar.
“What did you give her?”
“Nothing tonight.”
“What did you give her before?”
Pierce looked ashamed.
“Sedatives. Neurological suppressants.”
Lily whispered, “Why?”
“To make her confused.”
Noah stared.
Pierce’s voice cracked.
“So no one would believe her.”
Noah wanted to hit him.
Instead, he ran.
Operating room three was locked.
He slammed his shoulder into it.
Margaret’s man shot the lock.
The door opened.
Inside, Evelyn Bennett lay strapped to a hospital bed.
Thin.
Pale.
Alive.
“Mom!”
Noah ran to her.
Her eyes opened.
She touched his face.
“My boy.”
Lily climbed onto the bed.
“Mommy!”
Evelyn started sobbing.
For a few seconds, the world disappeared.
Then Evelyn saw David standing in the doorway.
Every bit of warmth left her face.
“You.”
David stepped forward.
“Evelyn…”
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
She looked at Noah.
“Listen to me carefully.”
Noah leaned closer.
“Your father didn’t start this.”
David shut his eyes.
Evelyn continued.
“But he made sure it survived.”
Then a slow clap came from the hallway.
An old man’s voice followed.
“Always dramatic, Evelyn.”
David’s face went white.
Margaret raised her weapon.
Noah turned.
A man in a dark suit stood outside the room.
Thomas Bennett.
May you like
His dead grandfather.
Alive.
