Chapter 13 - The Name on the DriveVictor examined the USB drive in a secure office.
He didn't connect it to the foundation network.
Smart man.
The files were encrypted.
"Whoever created this knew what they were doing."
"Can you open it?"
"Eventually."
"I don't have eventually."
He looked at me.
"Then you're going to have to be patient."
I hated those words.
Three hours later, the first file opened.
A spreadsheet.
Patient names.
Treatment histories.
Genetic information.
Financial information.
I stared at the screen.
"This isn't hospital data."
"No."
"It's foundation data."
Victor nodded.
Someone had accessed our system.
I looked at the dates.
The breach began two years ago.
A full year after we thought the corruption was gone.
"How many patients?"
"Thousands."
"What's the purpose?"
Victor opened another file.
A column labeled:
Response Probability.
Another:
Long-Term Survival.
Another:
Commercial Value.
I stared.
"What is this?"
Victor didn't answer.
"Victor."
He swallowed.
"It's a research database."
"Who authorized it?"
"No one."
I looked at the names.
Then I saw something familiar.
Keo Martinez.
My heart stopped.
"What is his name doing here?"
Victor looked at me.
"I don't know."
"Open it."
Keo's file appeared.
His treatment history.
His genetic information.
Every fever.
Every medication.
Every response.
Everything.
Someone had been watching him for years.
Then we found another column.
Primary Subject: K-07.
I stared.
"What does K-07 mean?"
Victor shook his head.
"Maybe Keo."
"No."
I pointed at the screen.
"His name isn't K-07."
Victor opened another file.
K-01.
K-02.
K-03.
K-04.
K-05.
K-06.
Then K-07.
K-07 was Keo.
I felt sick.
"How many children?"
"At least seven."
"What happened to K-01 through K-06?"
Victor searched.
Five were dead.
One was missing.
I stood.
"Find the missing child."
Victor looked at me.
"Already did."
He turned the screen.
A photograph appeared.
A girl.
About eleven.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
Hospital bracelet.
I recognized her.
"That's Emma."
Victor nodded.
"Emma Brooks."
The girl at our gate.
I stared at the screen.
"Jacob is her brother."
"Yes."
"Then why is she in this database?"
Victor opened another file.
K-08.
Emma's name appeared.
I felt the room close around me.
"They're not after Jacob."
Victor looked at me.
"They're after Emma."
My phone rang.
Linda.
I answered.
Her voice was shaking.
"Where are you?"
"With Victor."
"Come home."
"Why?"
"Emma is here."
I froze.
"Is she okay?"
"No."
"What happened?"
Linda whispered:
"She just asked me one question."
"What?"
"She asked if Keo is K-07."
I closed my eyes.
The past had found us again.
May you like
But this time, it hadn't come through a hospital door.
It had come through our front door.
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