Chapter 733
Chapter 733:
Skye hailed a cab. “Kensington Logistics Warehouse, District 7 p>
The warehouse was a massive corrugated-metal beast on the edge of the industrial sector. It was dark. The Medical Devices Division stored its overflow stock here.
Skye used her executive keycard to open the side door. The interior was a cavern of shadows, filled with rows of crates stacked twenty feet high.
She pulled out a flashlight. She was looking for the shipment codes Harper had found in the decrypted files.
Lot 491. Dialysis Units.
She found them in the back, near the loading dock. A dozen large crates marked “Fragile p>
Skye grabbed a crowbar from the wall and pried open the first crate.
Inside sat a sleek, white machine. It looked like a dialysis unit, with tubes and digital displays. But something was wrong. The power unit was too big. And there was an extra filtration chamber that didn’t belong on a standard kidney machine.
“What are you?” Skye whispered.
She reached in and unscrewed the back panel.
“I wouldn’t touch that wire if I were you p>
The voice came from behind her. Sharp. High-pitched.
Skye spun around, raising the crowbar.
Victoria Hayes stood there, shivering in a trench coat thrown over silk pajamas. Her face was pale, her eyes darting nervously around the cavernous space. She didn’t look like the haughty heiress Skye knew; she looked like a cornered animal.
“Victoria?” Skye lowered the crowbar slightly, confusion warring with adrenaline. “What are you doing here p>
“I need… I need something to trade,” Victoria stammered, wringing her hands. “The police froze my accounts. My father is gone. Parker… Parker won’t answer my calls. I have nothing, Skye p>
“So you followed me p>
𝖸𝗼𝘶𝗿 𝖽і𝗴𝘪𝘵𝗮𝘭 𝘭𝗂𝘣ra𝗿𝘆 𝘰𝗻 𝘣e𝗹ոo𝘃el𝘴.c𝗈𝗆
“I saw you leave the hospital. You looked like you were going to war,” Victoria said, her voice cracking. “I figured if I helped you, maybe… maybe you wouldn’t let me starve. Or go to prison p>
Skye looked at her. It wasn’t bravery. It was pure, desperate self-preservation.
“If you want to help, hold this flashlight. And don’t make a sound p>
Victoria grabbed the light, her hands shaking. “Just don’t leave me here alone p>
“It’s a K7-Series centrifuge,” a deep voice echoed from the shadows of the rafters. “Or at least, the core component for one p>
Skye and Victoria both screamed.
A figure dropped from the catwalk above, landing with a heavy thud. He stood up, dusting off his leather jacket.
Lucian Graves.
He looked rougher than the last time Skye had seen him. Stubble shadowed his jaw, dark circles ringed his eyes. He was supposed to be in police custody.
“Lucian!” Skye raised the crowbar again. “How did you get out p>
“The transfer van had an ‘accident,’” Lucian said, holding up his hands. “Relax, Skye. I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here for the same reason you are p>