Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
MIA
As I step into the captain’s stateroom, a wave of anticipation washes over me, prickling my skin and sending a shiver down my spine. The room is surprisingly spacious, with a large wooden desk dominating the center. Its surface gleams under the soft glow of the overhead lights.
Mitzy and Skye follow close behind, their presence a comforting reminder that I’m not alone in this.
The air feels heavy, weighted with my secrets and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, but the tightness in my chest persists.
Mitzy moves with a determined stride. Her vibrant hair starkly contrasts with the muted colors of the stateroom. Skye’s presence is more subdued, but her calm demeanor and gentle smile offer a brief respite from the emotions swirling inside me.
The door closes behind us with a soft click.
No turning back now.
The weight of my secrets presses down on me, but I’m in good hands. Mitzy and Skye are here to validate the truth and ensure justice is served.
I step further into the room. The anticipation is palpable, a living thing that pulses in the air around me. I catch Mitzy’s eye, and she gives a nod of encouragement. It’s time to lay everything on the table, to trust in the strength of these remarkable women.
“May I have the tablet?” Mitzy asks, her voice gentle but firm. She extends her hand, her fingers wiggling in a ‘gimme’ motion that somehow eases the tension in the room.
I nod, my throat suddenly dry.
I hesitate, though. My grip tightens on the device that has become my lifeline, my only proof of Red Phoenix Pharmaceuticals’ atrocities. I’ve been clinging to it with a sense of false security. As if, while it’s in my possession, no harm will come to me.
Foolish, at best.
“It’s okay, Mia.” Skye’s soothing voice breaks through my thoughts. She guides me toward a chair, her touch light but reassuring. “You’re safe here. We’re going to make sure of that.”
I sink into the chair, and the soft cushions envelop me like a comforting embrace. Skye kneels beside me, her warm eyes searching mine. “Is there anything you need? Water, tea, a blanket?”
“No, I’m okay. Thank you.” I shake my head, my voice barely above a whisper.
Skye smiles, her hand resting on my arm momentarily before she moves to join Mitzy.
With a deep breath, I relinquish control of the device.
Mitzy takes it from me, her hands steady and sure.
The transfer feels like a physical weight lifting from my shoulders, but the knot of anxiety in my stomach remains.
“You’re doing the right thing.” Mitzy’s voice is full of conviction. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this, I promise you.”
I nod, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I’m trusting the right people, but the fear of the unknown still grips me. I wish Rigel was here. I’ve become accustomed to his protective presence.
Mitzy settles into the chair across from me, her eyes already glued to the tablet’s screen. The room falls silent, save for the soft tapping of her fingers against the device and the distant hum of the ship’s engines.
I watch as her brows furrow. Her gaze darts across the screen with an intensity that sends a chill down my spine. She navigates through the files and folders with practiced ease—not once asking where to find the files on the tablet. Her movements, precise and purposeful, are those of a seasoned professional.
The screen’s glow casts a pale blue light across her features, accentuating the determination etched into every line of her face. Her lips move silently as she reads, mouthing the words as if committing them to memory.
Skye leans over Mitzy’s shoulder, her own eyes widening as she takes in the information displayed before them. The two women exchange a glance, a silent communication passing between them that I can’t quite decipher.
The air in the room grows heavy with their silence. I shift in my seat, my fingers twisting in my lap as I try to quell the tide of anxiety rising within me.
Minutes tick by, each second feeling like an eternity. The anticipation is tangible, a living entity that grows with every passing moment. I hold my breath, waiting for Mitzy to speak and confirm the horrors I’ve uncovered are real.
Finally, Mitzy looks up, her eyes meeting mine. There’s a gravity to her expression, a solemnity that tells me she understands the magnitude of what she’s seeing. She takes a deep breath, her voice steady as she speaks.
“Mia, this is… This is huge. The level of detail, the evidence you’ve compiled… It’s staggering.”
I nod, my throat tight. “I didn’t want to believe it at first. I kept hoping I was wrong, that there had to be some other explanation.” I clear my throat. “But the more I dug, the more I realized…” My voice trails off, the words sticking in my throat.
Mitzy reaches across the desk, her hand resting on mine. Her touch is warm and grounding.
“You did the right thing. This information is going to change everything. We’ll make sure of it.”
I nod, a single tear escaping down my cheek.
Skye settles into the chair beside me, her presence a calming balm to my frayed nerves. She turns to face me, her eyes filled with a gentle curiosity that invites me to open up.
“This whole thing must be overwhelming. You’re incredibly brave. I admire that.” Her voice, soft and understanding, helps to decrease my unease. “It would help if you could tell us a bit more about your work at Red Phoenix Pharmaceuticals. What brought you there? What were you researching?”
I take a deep breath, my mind drifting back to the early days of my career.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the potential of biochemical engineering.” My voice gains strength as I speak. “The idea we could use the building blocks of life to create new therapies, to heal people… It was a dream come true when I was offered a position at Red Phoenix.”
Skye nods. Her expression encourages me to continue.
“I was part of a team researching the applications of deuterium in targeted cancer treatments. We were making incredible progress, pushing the boundaries of what was possible. I felt like I was making a real difference, you know?”
“I can only imagine,” Skye says, her smile genuine. “It sounds like you were doing truly groundbreaking work.”
I nod, a bittersweet feeling washing over me. “I was so focused on the science, on the potential to help people, that I didn’t see the warning signs at first. The inconsistencies in the data, the odd requests from upper management… I thought it was just the chaos of cutting-edge research.”
Skye reaches out, her hand resting on my arm. “You couldn’t have known. You were doing your job, focused on the problem, and it sounds like you were doing it very well.”
I swallow hard, the weight of my realization settling heavily in my chest.
“When I started digging, I realized what was really going on. My whole world shattered. Everything I thought I knew, everything I believed in—was all a lie.”
Skye squeezes my arm, her touch grounding me in the present. “But you didn’t let that stop you. You had the courage to keep going, to uncover the truth no matter the cost. That takes an incredible amount of strength.”
I look up at her, tears blurring my vision. “I couldn’t stand by and let it happen. I had to do something, even if it meant risking everything.”
Skye nods, her eyes filled with fierce determination. “And you did. You took that first step, a step not many would take. From here on out, we will be with you every step of the way.”
I take a shuddering breath, the knot in my chest loosening slightly. For the first time in weeks, I feel a glimmer of hope.
I lean back in my chair, my mind drifting back to that fateful moment when everything changed.
“It was just another day in the lab.” My voice turns distant as I lose myself in the memory. “I was going through the inventory logs, double-checking the numbers against our research data. At first, everything seemed normal, but then…”
I pause, the image of the discrepancy burning bright in my mind’s eye. “We were short on deuterium. I never would’ve known what was happening if Dr. Xiang hadn’t gone to that conference. He asked me to go to the supply dock and inventory one of our scheduled shipments. The amount of deuterium didn’t match up.”
Skye leans forward, her brow furrowed. “What did you do?”
I take a deep breath, the memory of that moment sending a chill down my spine. “I tried to rationalize it at first. Maybe it was just a clerical error, a simple mistake, but something about it didn’t sit right with me. So, I decided to wait for Dr. Xiang to return and let him deal with it.”
Mitzy looks up from the tablet, her eyes wide. “And that’s when you found other discrepancies?”
I nod, my throat tight. “Well, I went back to work. Checked out the deuterium I needed for my work. I pulled an all-nighter, two in fact, and had to go back to get more deuterium to finish up. That’s when I discovered the theft. I started going through the logs with a fine-toothed comb. Every shipment, every transfer, every requisition form. And the more I looked, the more I found. The numbers were off, not just by a little, but by staggering amounts. ”
My heart races as I remember the feeling of dread that settled in the pit of my stomach.
“It was like a puzzle, but with every piece I put together, the picture became more and more disturbing. The excess deuterium, the secret shipments, the coded messages… It all pointed to considerably more threatening than I could have imagined.”
Skye reaches out, her hand resting on mine. “I can’t even begin to imagine how that must have felt. To realize that the company you trusted, the work you believed in…”
I nod, blinking back tears.
“It was like my whole world had been turned upside down. Everything I thought I knew, everything I dedicated my life to... it was all a lie. And the worst part was, I had no idea how far up the chain of command the corruption extended.”
Mitzy sets the tablet down, her expression grave. “But you didn’t stop. You kept digging, kept searching for the truth.”
I take a shuddering breath, the weight of my actions settling heavily on my shoulders.
“I had to. I couldn’t just turn a blind eye, not when I knew what was at stake. But the more I uncovered, the more dangerous it became. I was risking everything, but I couldn’t stop. Not until I had the whole picture, not until I had the evidence to prove what was really going on.”
Skye squeezes my hand, her voice filled with quiet strength. “And that’s exactly what you did. You risked everything to bring the truth to light, and that takes an incredible amount of courage.”
I look up at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
“I just did what anyone would have done in my position.”
But even as I say the words, I know they’re not true.
Not everyone would have had the strength to keep going, to keep fighting in the face of such overwhelming odds.
The room falls silent, the only sound the soft hum of the ship’s engines and the occasional creaking of the hull. I watch as Mitzy works, her fingers flying across the keyboard, her eyes darting back and forth as she scans the information on the screen .
“Mia, what does this character mean?” Mitzy tilts my tablet to show me the screen: 哨兵.
“That’s shàobīng.”
“Shàobīng? What does it mean?”
“Loosely?” I pause, considering the translation into English. “Translation into English isn’t always precise, but shàobīng means sentry or sentinel.”
Mitzy suddenly stops. Her eyes widen and a look of disbelief washes over her features. She leans in close as if trying to confirm what she’s seeing. I glance over at Skye and see the same tension mirrored in her expression. She meets my gaze, a silent question passing between us.
“What is it?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Mia—have you seen this symbol before?” Mitzy takes a deep breath, her eyes still glued to the screen.
“Yes. It was on the card key that was used to access our deuterium supply locker. It’s not a Red Phoenix department. At least, not one I’ve heard of before.”
Mitzy looks to Skye. “I’ve seen it before. Honestly, I didn’t recognize it as a symbol. It was just some lines scratched into… Well, that doesn’t matter.”
“Sentinel?” Skye leans forward, her brow furrowed. “You don’t think…”
“I prefer not jumping to conclusions, but…” Mitzy leans back, cupping her chin. “I just don’t know.”
“The meaning can change depending on context and syntax. Sometimes, it can refer to a lookout or scout, someone who keeps watch for danger, but in other contexts, it can have a more militaristic connotation, like a guardian or defender. Or it can be a sentry. Or sentinel.”
Mitzy’s eyes narrow, her expression calculating. “And in the context of these files? The deuterium shipments?”
I pause, my mind whirling as I try to piece together the fragments of information.
“In the files, the character is often paired with other symbols and codes. It seemed to be part of a larger system, a way of identifying certain shipments or transactions. I think… I think it might be a codename. A way for Red Phoenix to communicate with their partners or buyers without raising suspicion.”
Skye’s eyes widen, her voice low and urgent. “Partners? Buyers? You mean—for the deuterium?”
I nod, my throat tight. “I didn’t understand it then, but looking back—it makes sense. The excess deuterium, the encrypted files, the coded messages… It was all part of a larger operation. A way to move the deuterium without anyone knowing.”
Mitzy’s jaw clenches, her eyes blazing.
A chill runs down my spine. Mitzy would be a fierce opponent. I’m glad she’s on my side, and I try to make myself as useful as possible.
Chinese is notoriously difficult to master unless one is a native speaker. Word meanings can vary greatly depending on context.
“If they’re using the name ‘ Sentinel ’,” I explain, “it suggests they see themselves as some kind of guardian or protector. But they’re not guarding anything. They’re stealing it.”
Mitzy glances over at Skye, a look of trepidation passing between them.
“What?” I glance between the two women, wondering what thoughts are going through their minds because when I translated shàobīng , a palpable ripple of fear passed between them.
“Sentinel is… Well, they’re bad news. They’re involved in all sorts of illegal activities: human trafficking, money laundering, and arms dealing, but we’ve never been able to pin anything on them. They’re like ghosts, always one step ahead of us.”
“You’ve run across this before?” I knew there was something.
Mitzy leans back in her chair, her expression grim. “Yes. Like I said, I’ve run across it. In some of the files we recovered from a previous operation.”
Sentinel.
The name hangs in the air like a dark cloud, and the tension in the room suddenly spikes.
I’ve never heard of Sentinel before—but it seems Guardian HRS has. From the tight expressions on their faces, it’s clear this is a significant actor within the criminal world.
“What operation? What files?” I ask.
“It was a mission with Charlie team. A case involving an organization known as Citadel. We destroyed their operation, but discovered a sister organization, Sentinel, but never learned much about them. However, their name kept popping up concerning all sorts of illegal activities.” Mitzy shakes her head, her brow furrowed.
“You think it’s the same, don’t you?” Skye’s head snaps up, her eyes widening.
Mitzy shrugs, her expression uncertain. “I don’t know. Like I said, I didn’t recognize the symbol as a word. I thought it was just random scratches, some kind of code or encryption. But now, seeing it here, in connection with Red Phoenix? I just don’t like coincidences.
“What are the chances it’s one and the same? It could be a coincidence.” Skye shakes her head, her voice low and urgent.
“True. But the fact that it’s showing in these files, with the same kinds of illegal activities we saw before. It’s too much to ignore.” Mitzy nods, her eyes distant.
“I can’t believe this is happening. That Red Phoenix could be involved with something like this.” It’s like putting together a terrifying jigsaw puzzle. “Do you really think Red Phoenix might be working with this Sentinel group? That they’re part of some larger criminal network?”
Mitzy sighs, her expression grim. “It’s starting to look that way. The encrypted files, the coded messages… The fact their symbol is showing up in these files, in connection with the excess deuterium; it can’t be a coincidence. It all points to something bigger than just one company.”
“Then we need to find out more. We need to dig deeper and follow the trail wherever it leads. If Red Phoenix is involved with Sentinel, we need to know what they’re planning and how to stop them.” Skye leans forward, her eyes blazing with determination.
All I wanted was to hand off the tablet, wipe my hands of it forever, and find a quiet place to hide for the rest of my life .
“This begs a greater question.” Skye leans forward, her brow furrowed. “What would Sentinel want with nuclear weapons? What’s their endgame?”
Mitzy shakes her head, her eyes distant. “I don’t know, but whatever it is, it can’t be good. An organization like Sentinel, with its resources and connections, terrifies me. The thought of them getting their hands on nuclear weapons is beyond terrifying.”
“So, what do we do now? How do we stop them?” A wave of nausea washes over me, and the full weight of what I uncovered sinks in. It feels like getting hit by a truck.
Mitzy looks up at me, her eyes blazing with determination. “We keep digging. We find out everything we can about Sentinel, about their connection to Red Phoenix, and then we use that information to bring them down.”
Skye nods, her jaw set. “Mia, you’ve already done the hard part. You brought this information to light at great personal risk. Now it’s our turn. We’ll take it from here.”
I take a deep breath, and the knot of fear in my chest loosens slightly.
“All I want is to put this whole thing behind me.” But there’s a small part of me that whispers this isn’t over yet.
“No wonder Red Phoenix wants you dead.” Mitzy turns back to the table, fingers tapping, eyes scanning, brow furrowed tight with concentration.