Chapter 3

"It's true. I've got the latest data on the antibody. We'll be able to manufacture the next generation of antibodies in a month," I said.

The seven people let out a sigh of relief.

I said, "Before that, there are a few things we need to deal with. First, all of Philip Lawrence's crimes will be exposed. Second, don't mind Lyla. Third—"

My gaze swept across their faces. "You've been following him for three years. Are you seriously saying you didn't know anything about what he was up to?"

No one said a word.

I continued, "Fine. From now on, I make the rules here."

Henry dragged Philip in.

In three days, he looked more haggard. His hair was a mess, his eyes bloodshot, and his uniform was wrinkled beyond recognition.

"Hannah," he said in a hoarse voice. "Who the hell are you?"

"What did you find out?" I asked.

"Samuels Bioenergy Corporation is the biggest bioenergy company in the world before the apocalypse, dominating 60% of the biofuel market. Do you know it's founder, Ethan Samuels?"

"He's my dad."

Philip's legs went weak.

I said, "A year before the apocalypse, Samuels Bioenergy Corporation shifted all production underground into cold-proof facilities. We stored enough fuel and antibody materials to last ten years. We also built six underground bases, the ones now known as Base 1 through Base 6."

"So, is Base 1—"

"It belongs to my family. Charlie Rodgers, the head of Base 1, used to be my dad's secretary."

Philip collapsed into a chair. "You never told me."

"You never asked," I shot back, looking him in the eye. "Three years ago, you said you could protect me. I didn't turn you down, not because I believed you, but because I wanted to see how shameless you could become.

"You stole my research, my data, and my patents. I could let it go, but what you should never have done was play with people's lives in the apocalypse."

"I didn't."

"Really? Do you know how many people froze to death on the edges of the base while you were trading fuel for luxury items? Do you know how many people got infected because they never got their injections in time when you cut antibody rations?"

I pulled a data drive from my pocket and tossed it onto the desk. "I've kept track of every single thing you've done these past three years. I was waiting for you to push yourself to the point of no return."

He stared at the data drive and smiled bitterly. "So, you were sitting back and watching the show all along, right?"

"Yeah," I said.

He suddenly yelled, "Why didn't you speak up earlier? If you'd spoken up, those people might still be alive."

I looked at him without the slightest reaction.

I said, "Because I wanted everyone to see the real you. If I'd stepped up on day one, they would have thought I was trying to grab control.

"I needed you to show your true colors and to let everyone suffer because of your actions. Only then would they understand you had it coming.

"Those lives weren't lost because of me. They're on you. I gave you three years to fix yourself, and you didn't."

The warehouse was so silent that I could hear frost forming.

I said, "Henry, take him to the square. Expose all his crimes for everyone to see. Then throw him out of the base. Don't give him any fuel, food, or weapons."

Henry yanked Philip to his feet and dragged him toward the exit.

When they reached the door, Philip looked back at me. "Hannah, do you hate me?"

I didn't look back. "No. You're not worth it."

He was dragged away.

I stood by the window, watching as the crowd's fury swept across the square like a blizzard.

Just then, my communicator beeped. A message popped up from Base 1: [Lyla's snowmobile broke down in the permafrost zone. Should we send a rescue team?]

I paused for several seconds, then typed back: [No.]

Outside, the blizzard finally died down. The first sunlight of year three in the apocalypse broke through the clouds, shining down on the frozen base.

I walked out of the warehouse and stepped into the sunlight. Behind me, three years of restraint, grievance, and plotting were sealed away in the darkness.

*****

As I entered the square, the crowd saw me and instinctively moved aside, clearing a path.

"Dr. Samuels, you're a hero." Voices surged from every direction, flooding toward me.

I didn't respond. I walked down the path they made for me, heading toward the central office building.

There were too many things waiting for me there.

*****

After being kicked out of Base 3, Philip made his way to Base 2.

The leader of Base 2 was Gordon Holmes, who used to be an arms dealer before the apocalypse. Philip had bumped into him a few times at Northern Alliance meetings. They drank together and acted like buddies.

Gordon had always wanted to buy the technology license for the cold-resistance antibody from Philip, and he'd offered a fortune for it.

Philip walked for six hours, and by the fourth hour, he couldn't feel his toes anymore. The guards at Base 2 found him.

"I need to see Gordon," Philip said.

The guard picked up his radio, spoke into it for a moment, then shot Philip a look that was hard to decipher. "Wait here."

Forty minutes later, an armored snowmobile pulled up, and Gordon's second-in-command stepped out. "Captain Lawrence, Mr. Holmes sent me to pick you up."

The heat inside the vehicle was running strong. Philip's feet started to come back to life, and the pain was sharp.

The vehicle rolled into Base 2. Gordon was lounging in the conference room, cigar between his teeth. When he saw Philip, he jumped up with a grin. "Philip, look at you. What a mess."

"Hannah kicked me out. Come on, let me stay here," Philip said.

Gordon kept smiling, but his gaze turned cold.

He said, "Philip, I've already heard everything. What happened at Base 3 is known throughout the Northern Alliance. Someone recorded the hologram Hannah showed in your square, and the video is all over the place now."

Philip's face went pale.

Gordon continued, "You took her data, traded fuel for luxury items, and sold antibody quotas on the black market. All of that's been proven. And there's more.

"Some of the fuel you dumped on the black market these past two years was actually shipments from Base 1 meant for other bases. You seized those shipments and resold them, and Base 2 almost collapsed because of it last winter."

Philip broke out in a cold sweat.

"That batch was mine." Gordon's voice went icy. "Philip, do you know why I let you in? It's not because you're my friend. It's because of Hannah."

Philip's heart gave a sudden jolt.

Gordon said, "She told me you'd show up and warned me not to take you in. If I did, she'd cut off Base 2's fuel. And if I give you back to her, she'll give me three years of priority access to the antibodies."

Gordon tossed a document onto the desk. "These are Hannah's terms. Philip, trading you for three years of priority access? That's a sweet deal for me."