Personnel files had been deleted.
Arthur stared at the screen.
"Who authorized this?"
His assistant hesitated.
"Sir, the closure was handled by the executive research committee."
"Who chaired it?"
She swallowed.
"Victor Hale."
Arthur looked up.
Victor.
The same man he had humiliated the night before.
Arthur felt anger rise.
But another thought followed.
Victor had been one of the investors who pushed hardest for the Meridian project.
Why would he destroy it?
Arthur summoned him.
Victor arrived within twenty minutes.
"What do you want?"
Arthur turned his wheelchair toward him.
"The Meridian files."
Victor's face changed.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't lie."
Victor sighed.
"You were never interested in the project."
"I was interested."
"You were interested in owning it."
Arthur said nothing.
Victor continued.
"Elena Reed refused to sell you exclusive rights. You shut her lab down."
Arthur's voice was low.
"I didn't steal anything."
"No."
Victor laughed bitterly.
"You just signed the papers."
Arthur stared at him.
"Who took the research?"
Victor looked toward the window.
"I don't know."
"Then find out."
Victor shook his head.
"You still don't understand."
"What?"
"Someone inside Sterling wanted Meridian gone."
Arthur felt a chill.
"Why?"
Victor looked directly at him.
"Because if it worked, certain people would lose billions."
The Man Behind the Files
Arthur ordered a complete internal investigation.
For the first time in years, he stopped trusting the people around him.
They found irregularities everywhere.
Research payments redirected.
Equipment transferred.
Clinical subjects erased from databases.
Confidential documents copied.
And one name appeared repeatedly.
Dr. Marcus Vane.
Vane had been Sterling Holdings' chief medical researcher.
He had left the company six months after Elena's laboratory closed.
Now he ran a private biotechnology firm.
Arthur stared at his photograph.
"I want him here."
Vane arrived the next morning.
He was elegant.
Calm.
Confident.
He walked into Arthur's office as if he owned it.
"You've been looking for me."
Arthur nodded.
"Meridian."
Vane smiled.
"Dead project."
"You know that's a lie."
Vane sat.
"Arthur, you paid me to develop it."
"I paid you to finish it."
"And I told you it couldn't be done."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"Then explain Daniel Reed."
For the first time, Vane's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Arthur noticed.
"You know him."
"No."
"You know Elena."
"Everyone in the field knew Elena."
Arthur leaned forward.
"She developed a partial protocol."
Vane shook his head.
"She developed a dangerous theory."
"Then why are you afraid of it?"
Silence.
Arthur suddenly understood.
"You knew it worked."
Vane stood.
"You have no idea what you're playing with."
Arthur smiled coldly.
"Then perhaps you should explain."
Vane turned toward the door.
"Stop searching."
Arthur's smile disappeared.
"Or?"
Vane looked back.
"People already died because of Meridian."
Then he left.
Arthur sat alone.
For the first time, the possibility occurred to him that his accident might not have been an accident.
The First Step
Daniel was brought to a private medical facility.
Arthur insisted on testing the boy's method under controlled conditions.
Dr. Bennett objected.
"We don't know what Daniel is doing."
Daniel answered quietly.
"My mother knew."
Arthur looked at him.
"Show us."
Daniel placed electrodes along Arthur's spine.
He adjusted the current manually.
A machine hummed.
Arthur closed his eyes.
"Ready?"
Daniel nodded.
"Think about moving your foot."
Arthur laughed.
"I've spent five years doing that."
"Try again."
The current began.
Arthur felt heat.
Then pressure.
Then pain.
His entire body tensed.
"Stop!"
Daniel immediately shut the system down.
Arthur gasped.
Bennett checked the monitors.
Then froze.
"Arthur."
"What?"
"Your motor response increased."
Arthur stared.
"How much?"
"Thirty-two percent."
Nobody spoke.
Arthur looked at his feet.
He concentrated.
Nothing.
Then—
his right big toe moved.
Only a fraction.
Barely visible.
But it moved.
Arthur stared.
Dr. Bennett began to cry.
Arthur didn't.
He simply whispered:
"Again."
Daniel shook his head.
"Not today."
Arthur turned toward him.
"Why?"
"Your body needs time."
Arthur almost shouted.
"I've waited five years!"
Daniel remained calm.
"If you rush, you'll destroy what is waking up."
Arthur stopped.
The boy sounded exactly like Elena.
For the first time, Arthur understood something.
Daniel wasn't pretending.