Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
MIA
We spend the rest of the night wrapped in each other’s arms, fucking and talking, sleeping and loving, our bodies entwined in a dance of passion and intimate connection.
Rigel’s touch is tender yet fierce, his every caress a promise of protection and devotion. I lose myself in the warmth of his arms, the solid strength of his body anchoring me to the present.
Several times, I pinch myself, thinking this can’t possibly be real, but he’s here, in my cabin, his skin pressed against mine, his breath mingling with mine.
His toes playing with mine.
The cabin walls close in around us, a cocoon of whispered secrets and still-warm sheets. Rigel’s chest rises and falls with a steady rhythm against my side. His fingers trace idle patterns on my arm, sparking trails of warmth that contrast with the cool post-coital air.
“Rigel,” I start, my heart thudding a frantic beat against my ribcage. “There’s something I need to tell you.” The words hang between us like a tightrope, waiting for me to step out into the unknown.
“Anything, Mia.” He shifts, his smoldering gaze fixing on mine. There’s steel in his voice, a determination that steadies me, even as my hands tremble and my pulse races.
“I did something.” My voice is barely above a whisper, the confession heavy on my tongue.
His body tenses, an alertness snapping into his posture. His eyebrows knit together in concern, but his touch remains gentle and encouraging, a silent promise of support.
“Tell me.” His voice is a soft command, an invitation to unburden me of the secrets that weigh me down.
I take a deep breath, the story tumbling from my lips in a rush of fear and desperation.
“I’m not safe.”
“What does that mean?” Instantly alert, there’s a sudden change in Rigel.
Gone is the easygoing, carefree man I’ve come to know. In his place stands a warrior, fierce and focused, ready to face any threat. For the first time, I catch a glimpse of the Navy SEAL he once was, the steely determination and unwavering resolve that must have served him well in countless battles.
“I’m in trouble.” My voice is a mere wisp of sound. Each word feels heavier than the last, laden with fear.
“Tell me.” He turns to me, his expression shifting to one of intense focus.
“It’s—it’s my job. Or it was.” I bite my lip, the floodgates of my anxiety threatening to burst open. “I work for—worked for—Red Phoenix Pharmaceuticals in Shanghai.”
Rigel’s hand pauses in its movements, his expression unreadable for a moment. “Go on,” he prompts, his gaze never leaving mine.
“They were doing something—illegal.” The words taste bitter on my tongue, the horror of my discovery still fresh in my mind.
“What do you mean, you worked for them? As in past tense?” Rigel’s brow furrows, his concern deepening.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, I struggle to find the words to explain the complexities of my work and the dangerous potential misuse of heavy water.
“I’m a biochemical engineer. My team… We were exploring the po tential uses of deuterium in medical therapies—cancer treatments.”
“Deuterium? As in heavy water?” Rigel’s eyes widen, his grip on my hand tightening. “I thought that was more—nuclear?”
“Yes.” I nod, my heart hammering in my chest. “Heavy water plays a critical role in both medical research and, unfortunately, nuclear weapon design.”
He squeezes my hand, a silent but grounding reassurance. “What kind of work were you doing with heavy water?” He leans in, his attention sharp, his body coiled with concern, anticipation, and instant alertness.
“It’s used in nuclear weapons for initiators and boosted fission weapons. A heavy hydrogen isotope absorbs fewer neutrons than regular hydrogen. This property is crucial for nuclear fission reactions.” My hands move, sketching the invisible atoms between them as if the physical representation can somehow make the truth less terrifying. “During fission, uranium atoms split apart, releasing neutrons that can trigger more splits in nearby atoms. Deuterium atoms, however, slow down these neutrons without capturing them, making them more likely to cause additional fissions. It’s like—ensuring a chain reaction, which is essential for the explosive power of nuclear weapons.” The words pour out of me, the technical jargon a flimsy shield against the growing sense of dread that threatens to consume me.
“I meant the medical side?” Rigel frowns, the gravity of the situation dawning on him.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s okay. Tell me about your research.”
“Completely different and so full of hope.” My voice brightens despite the heaviness of the topic. “Heavy water is used as a contrast agent in medical research. It offers a non-invasive, universally applicable, and cost-effective method to monitor metabolic activity. It’s incredible, really. With stable isotope labeling, deuterium intake becomes a marker for bacterial metabolism, helping us rapidly detect drug sensitivity and even identify fast-growing tumor cells through their increased deuterium uptake. ”
Rigel nods. His expression alternates between fascination and concern. I can see the wheels turning in his mind, the puzzle pieces falling into place.
“Using heavy water with microscopy, we can distinguish the boundaries of a tumor by its higher metabolic activity. It’s a promising avenue for precision medicine, offering insights into cellular development, tissue homeostasis, and even the effectiveness of drug therapies through monitoring extracellular vesicles. I’m a biochemical engineer, and that’s some of what I was working on.
The words flow from my lips, a desperate attempt to cling to the hope and promise of my work, even as the dark reality of Red Phoenix’s intentions threatens to shatter it.
“We were supposed to be pioneering advancements in medicine. We use deuterium oxide in our research, but my supply kept running low. When I went looking, I discovered the deuterium was being delivered in excess and then shunted to another department. It was clear there was another agenda. That’s when I realized they were stockpiling deuterium—to sell.”
The horror of the realization washes over me again, fresh and raw, like a wound that refuses to heal.
“What did you do?” Rigel’s grip tightens, his anger palpable, a tangible force in the small space of the cabin.
“I downloaded everything I found, and I ran.” My voice breaks with a sob, the weight of my actions crashing down on me. “The potential misuse of deuterium oxide… They were turning a tool for healing into a weapon of destruction... I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Jesus, Mia. That’s… That’s serious. That’s more than corporate theft. It’s dangerous.”
“I know.”
He sits up straighter, alert, his body poised for action. “What was your plan?” His hand pauses in its comforting motions, a silent prompt for me to continue.
“I contacted the U.S. Embassy, seeking asylum in exchange for the information.” Tears stain my cheeks, and I swipe angrily at them, hating the weakness they represent. “They said they couldn’t do anything on Chinese soil and sent me to Manila, where I was supposed to meet a contact who could take me in.”
I swallow hard, the memory of the dead man flashing before my eyes—a meeting gone horribly wrong, a noose tightening around my neck with every passing second.
“Supposed to? What happened?” Rigel’s voice is sharp, his body tense with anticipation.
“I found him, and then he was murdered right in front of me by an assassin.”
“Murdered? They sent an assassin?”
“To stop me, or at least she tried to. It was you, actually, who saved me. Or rather, that crowd. I still don’t know what happened, except she tried to inject me with something. The crowd jostled us, and that’s when I fell.”
“Into my arms.”
“I was so scared. I-I took his phone and his wallet. I used it to book passage here, on the Serenity . I wasn’t thinking clearly. Just running. They must think I did it—the murder. The police, the embassy, everyone.” My voice trails off, the memory too painful to articulate.
“This is serious.” Rigel’s expression hardens, the lines of his jaw sharpening, his eyes blazing with a fierce protectiveness. “But don’t underestimate the embassy.”
“What does that mean?”
“Only that they’re more used to these kinds of things. I don’t think they’ll be blaming you. Although, they’re probably trying to figure out what happened to you.”
The gravity of the situation settles between us, a heavy, unspoken acknowledgment of the danger that shadows me, the threat that lurks around every corner.
“I know, and I just… I left him there. I feel awful, but I was desperate.” Tears brim in my eyes, my fear unmasked, laid bare before him. “Red Phoenix is looking for me. I just know it, and if I stayed, there would’ve been police and reports, and they would know exactly where to find me. I didn’t know what to do. Before he died, my contact told me to get to Sydney. I hopped on board Serenity with no idea what I was going to do on the other end of this cruise.”
“What you did took courage.” Rigel pulls me close, his voice a low rumble of comfort and conviction. “Exposing them… It’s important. Once we get to Sydney, we’ll get this information to the embassy.”
The horror of my own story echoes in the silence that follows, the weight of my confession pressing down on me like a physical force. The warmth of his embrace does little to silence my fear, but his promise lights a small flame in the darkness.
Perhaps, with him by my side, I can still expose the truth of Red Phoenix’s intentions.
“Mia, this is… It’s a lot.” He reaches for my hand, his grip firm, his touch a lifeline in the chaos. “I may not be with the Navy anymore, but I have a friend. He works for a company, private security. They can help us.”
“Us?” The word falls from my lips, a question and a plea all at once.
“Mia, look at me.”
The blend of determination and promise in his voice offers a sliver of hope, a glimmer of light in the darkness that threatens to consume me. His jaw clenches, his resolve palpable, a tangible force in the small space between us.
I lift my eyes to meet his, finding an anchor in the storm, a safe harbor amidst the turbulent sea of my fears.
“You. Are. Not. Alone.” He emphasizes each word. “Yes, it’s terrifying, but I’m here now. We’ll face this together.”
“But the police, the embassy… What if they’re all looking for me? What if Red Phoenix finds me? They won’t stop until…” The litany of ‘what ifs’ spirals, each more frightening than the last, a never-ending cycle of fear and doubt that threatens to drag me under.
The promise in his voice, laced with the steel of a vow, cuts through the fog of my terror.
Rigel, with his unwavering gaze and the steady beat of his heart beneath my palm, offers a flicker of hope in the darkness, a lifeline to cling to in the midst of the storm.
“I won’t let that happen.” His voice is fierce, his body a solid wall of protection between me and the dangers that lurk beyond the cabin walls. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, Mia. I promise you that.”
I nod, tears streaming down my face, my body shaking with both fear and relief simultaneously. The knowledge I’m no longer alone and have someone to share my burden with is both terrifying and exhilarating.
Rigel pulls me closer, his arms a fortress around me, his heartbeat a steady rhythm against my ear. I cling to him, my fingers digging into the solid muscles of his back, anchoring myself to the strength and security he offers.
“We’ll figure this out. Together. One step at a time.”
I nod, my face buried in the crook of his neck, my tears soaking his skin. For the first time since I stumbled upon the truth of Red Phoenix’s intentions, I believe there may be a way out, a path forward that doesn’t end in tragedy and despair.
As the night deepens around us, and the gentle rocking of the ship a reminder of the vast, unknowable ocean that surrounds us, I sink into the comfort of Rigel’s arms and draw strength from the unwavering love and support he offers.