👉 Previous Decision: Maya revealed the Apex Syndicate connection.
The revelation of the Apex Syndicate sent a chill down Clara’s spine. This wasn’t just about Dr. Avery; it was about an organized criminal network. Her small, smuggled note felt laughably inadequate. They needed something bigger, undeniable.
“We need proof,” Clara told Maya, pacing their small living room. “Proof that connects Avery directly to the syndicate, proof of his experiments, and his embezzlement.”
Maya nodded. “Digital trail is good, Mom, but a physical confession, signed by him, would be gold.”
A plan began to form in Clara’s mind. Dr. Avery had a private office within Sub-Level 4, a place he meticulously secured. In it, she had once glimpsed a heavy, reinforced safe. That was where he would keep his most sensitive records.
The next day, Clara approached Toby Lawson, the unwitting orderly, near the staff lounge. He was reorganizing a cart of medical supplies, looking as overwhelmed as ever.
“Toby,” Clara said, her voice soft and reassuring. “Could you do me a favor? Dr. Avery asked me to have this delivered to his private office. It’s a prototype sensor for the ventilation system, part of a new air quality study. Very delicate.”
She handed him a small, nondescript package, wrapped in brown paper. Inside, Maya had ingeniously concealed a tiny, high-definition camera, no bigger than a fingernail, with a powerful adhesive backing.
“Just… place it on the top shelf inside his safe,” Clara instructed. “He wants to test its environmental resilience. He’ll be out for an hour at a conference call.”
Toby adjusted his glasses, looking hesitant. “In his safe? But… isn’t that private?”
“It’s an official research request,” Clara assured him, her gaze unwavering. “Avery’s very particular about these things. Just be quick, place it, and don’t touch anything else.”
Toby sighed, running a hand through his perpetually messy hair. “Alright, Nurse Barrett. If Dr. Avery really wants it.” He picked up the package. “I’ll be extra careful.”
Clara watched him walk away, the package clutched in his hand. She felt a pang of guilt, using him like this, but the stakes were too high. Toby, unknowingly, was about to become the linchpin in their desperate plan to expose Avery and his criminal masters.
➡️ Read CHAPTER 7A to continue the story
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