Chapter 5 - The FortressThey took refuge in a cabin owned by one of Caleb's former colleagues in the mountains, a place off the grid where the cellular dead zone acted as a natural shield. Over the next forty-eight hours, Caleb and Vivian worked in shifts. She was regaining her memories in flashes—the sound of the operating room, the smell of antiseptic, the feeling of the metal implant beneath her skin.
"It’s not just a cardiac device," Vivian realized, her eyes filled with tears. "It’s a receiver. It tracks thoughts. It modulates dopamine levels. My father is trying to create a generation of compliant, high-functioning drones for his board of directors."
Caleb uploaded the evidence to an encrypted server he’d spent years maintaining for his investigative reports. He wasn't just sending it to the FBI; he was sending it to the press, the WHO, and the internal audit committees.
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"It’s done," he said.
But as he spoke, a beam of light cut through the forest canopy above them. A drone. Richard Ashford had found them.
