Page 50 of Conquered Betrayal
“I don’t believe in coincidences,” I said, stepping forward to take the label from Marley. A stylized logo swept across the width—twoVs mixed with aW: Vaunce Vitamin Water.
“I’ve heard of this stuff,” I murmured, frowning. “A major cola company is doing a launch this week. They’ve been advertising nonstop.”
“This factory isn’t owned by that company.” Marley propped her night vision goggles on her helmet, then bent down to plug in the computer. “It’s owned by your brother,” she said to Jolyn, striding to the door, then to all of us, “Light incoming.”
The two other women took off their goggles, and I mimicked the action right before the lights turned on. We all squinted against the glare.
“Let’s see if we can find more information in here,” Jolyn said, returning to the stack of folders. “My brother has this place for a reason.”
I joined her while Marley sat at the computer and Alina moved to the filing cabinets. Setting the label on the desk, I picked up the next folder—an employee roster dated from a year ago. The next was the same sort of thing. I kept digging.
“Here’s a whole section marked SDX-42,” Alina announced, pulling out a thick folder from the middle cabinet. “The stuff we found earlier was BDX-32. Too similar to be unrelated.”
Trepidation dried the inside of my mouth. I picked up the label again.
“And some FDA applications and correspondence for the same compound,” Alina added, holding another thick folder.
I blinked at the label in my hand, shaking as I read the ingredient list. “It’s in here.”
“What?” Jolyn asked, lifting her head.
“That compound. The shifter-killing drug. It’s in the vitamin water.” It was right there, SDX-42, in amongst the monopotassium phosphates, folic acid, and natural flavors.
It’s in the goddamn drink.I closed my eyes against the memory of the shifter dying a horrifically painful death. Instead of erasing the image, it changed her face to that of Kane, then Walker, then their mates. If this stuff got out into the world…
I opened my eyes, swallowing. Around me, all three women had frozen, the gravity of this situation sinking in.
Beneath the makeup Jolyn had used to darken her skin, she looked like she was about to be sick. “We need to stop him.” She stared at the file she held, and around at the other cabinets full of information. “There’s enough evidence here, along with what we’ve already cracked on the other server, to take my brother down.”
“The FBI and FDA will need to be informed,” Marley said, plugging a USB drive into the side port. “If people start dropping dead, they’ll be investigating anyway. We could help them get the right information.”
“Emerson will pay them off,” Jolyn spat, her whole body vibrating with anger. I wanted to comfort her, but my own fingers were clenched around the label, mangling it.
“How can he pay them off with something so public?” Alina asked. “As soon as people start to die and they link it to the drink, it will get pulled from the shelves.” She looked up from the folder she held and slid another one out of the filing cabinet. “I don’t get it. What’s his endgame? All of this for a few dead shifters?”
Shaking her head, she stared down at the folder open in her hand. “Hold on. What’s this?” Her finger skimmed over the page. “This is a delivery schedule and these dates are current: today, tomorrow. Samples of Vaunce Vitamin Water are being delivered across the country.”
“Not only the US,” Jolyn said, turning the page in her hand so we could all see. “This says Toronto. Another says Tokyo.” The paper crinkled as she set it aside. “This is a worldwide delivery schedule.” She kept filing through the pages, her voice edged with panic.
My mind raced. This was a launch of a new product and they were taking it worldwide with free samples. Anyone who tested it was in danger, especially shifters. If they shifted and died as soon as they drank it, then it was mass genocide. This wasn’t a few dead shifters. Countless people would die.
“He couldn’t have supplied this many locations from this one site.” Jolyn slammed the folder on the desk. “He must have other factories.”
“Maybe not all of it has the SDX-42 in it.” Alina glanced between all of us. “Maybe it’s just some of the samples.”
I shook my head. “We can’t take that risk. We have to assume it’s all tainted.”
“Son of a bitch,” Jolyn muttered, her eyes glued to another paper.
I stepped closer. “What?”
“One of the shipments is going to Goldenlach Ridge. It’s set to arrive at the high school tomorrow.”
“Fuck,” Marley said, her voice barely above a whisper.
I couldn’t speak. A school full of shifters. If they all drank the stuff, hundreds would die in that one location alone. Kids. “We need to stop that delivery.”
I pulled out my phone from my back pocket and dialed my mother’s number. She could contact the town council, tell them of the danger. Except, the call wouldn’t go through. No cell service.
