Rage

Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

A gentle touch on my shoulder wakes me. I look up to see Romello standing beside me, concern in his eyes.

“What are you doing here?” I ask coldly.

“I heard about your friend. I wanted to help.”

I stand abruptly. “Help? I think you’ve helped enough already?”

He sighs. “It’s not that simple.”

“Then explain it to me,” I demand, anger boiling over.

He glances around. “Not here. Can we talk somewhere private?”

I hesitate, then nod curtly. We move to an empty corridor.

“I’m undercover,” he begins quietly. “I’m working with a government agency to gather evidence against Zenith.”

I laugh bitterly. “Do you expect me to believe that?”

He pulls out a badge, showing me credentials that seem official. “The agency recruited me after the company hired me. I was told they’d make sure I had a golden parachute, so no matter what I would come out of this unscathed. I couldn’t risk blowing my cover, even when you started digging.”

“How did you know I was digging into the company?” I crossed my arms and gave my best side-eye death stare.

“I knew from that first day in that hallway when you said you were R and D, yet you didn’t know where the bathroom was. My team had a dossier delivered later that night on who you really are.”

I sheepishly looked away. I knew I was caught, but I was stupid enough to believe that I had gotten away with it.

“Why didn’t you tell me? You let me keep fumbling every time we crossed paths?”

“It was too dangerous—for both of us.”

I search his eyes, looking for deceit, but find none. “Then why interfere with my investigation?”

“To protect you. Zenith is onto you. They won’t hesitate to eliminate threats.”

The weight of his words sinks in. “Mia.” I feel sick.

He places a hand on my arm. “I know, and I’m sorry I couldn’t stop that without blowing my cover. The real threat is still out there, Wynter. With what we have now, we should be able to stop the counterfeit drugs from being disbursed to the general public.”

“What do you mean, counterfeit?” My eyebrows knit together. This is new.

“Zenith is a shell corporation and has been stealing patents and reproducing formulas from other pharma companies. The real tragedy is what they do to shut down the companies they steal from.”

I pull away slightly. “Why should I trust you?”

“Because the truth matters to me as much as it does to you.”

Romello puts his hands on my arms, squeezing gently. He looks me square in the eyes, probably searching for the same thing I am.

Trust.