STOLEN MEMORIES

ning sun slicing through the floor-to-ceiling windows like a

he flash driv

bout Proje

s expression unreadable. But something flic

e

th a soft click. "Where

tel

rs pressed together in thought.That's

le. Someone sen

ho

n't k

r. "And you b

at I just saw

at the skyline. "Project Ember was never suppos

r w

e like you

caught. "What

tried to take me down. Ember was designed to prot

oing

. Quietly. Legall

destroyi

n't de

Selene said. "I saw the

Until sh

arms. "So you used

a choice. Sh

ng that like i

. But it ex

"You're not a man.

er. "And yet yo

e for th

better be re

out another file. This one was t

decide if I'm

contract. Her mother's signature.

oard member. It outlined a plan to sell proprietary

stomach

ispered. "Sh

esperate. She thought she could fi

Emails. Bank transfers. Meeting no

ad betrayed

us had f

me to keep it quiet. Said she'd w

you a

it. In exchange

mbled. "Why are yo

ou to stop seeing

You think this m

ybe it make

file. "You stil

erself. I just d

fell bet

, "You remin

linched.

lliant. Stub

as my

kno

t here to intern. You're here

didn't

"But you should know - you're

r eyes. "What d

was grainy, black and white. A woman - younger

r," he said. "And

at the image.

re any of this. Before the

at

at never ma

government project. Something big. Something dangerous. E

"You're saying my mo

lped bu

would

control. In order. In p

"No. She was kind. Sh

ower," Darius said

rned t

e," he

pa

th, you'll have to dig deep

n't loo

r. The sky had darkened, clo

hone

er me

me. Midnight. Pi

ed at th

er was a

iming was

perf

back at t

t the

. Two s

ried somewhere