Chapter 6 - The Confession in Code
Two days later, the storm had passed, leaving behind a crisp, brilliant autumn morning.
In the hospital wing of the OSU Medical Center, Mason Reed sat propped up in a clean white bed, his left forearm wrapped in neat white gauze and his right leg resting in a light orthopedic cast.
The door swung open, and Claire rolled into the room.
She was dressed in her signature cream-colored suit, her posture immaculate, though pale shadows beneath her eyes hinted at the sleepless nights following the incident.
“You look terrible,” Mason said with a weak grin.
“And you look like you tried to wrestle a bulldozer and lost,” Claire replied, wheeling herself right beside his bed. She placed a small, warm thermos on his bedside table. “Chicken soup. Made by the cafeteria chef who was so worried about you she nearly cried.”
Mason chuckled, wincing slightly. “Is the server core stable?”
“100% operational,” Claire said, her voice softening. “And federal investigators used the recovered server data to issue an arrest warrant for Julian Sterling this morning as he tried boarding a private flight to Zurich.”
Mason let out a long breath of relief. “Thank God.”
“No,” Claire said quietly, reaching out to place her hand over his uninjured one. “Thank you. If you hadn't risked your life out on that roof... if you hadn't spoken up in the sub-basement... Northstar would have fallen.”
Mason looked down at her hand, then up into her eyes, feeling a sudden, warm knot form in his throat. “I just didn't want to see someone good get torn apart by people who only care about ledgers.”
The door clicked open again, and Lucy burst into the room carrying a massive, colorful balloon that read GET WELL SOON!
“Dad!” Lucy cried, rushing to hug his neck carefully. “Ms. Claire told me what happened! You’re like an action movie hero!”
“I’m just an electrician, kiddo,” Mason laughed, hugging her back.
Lucy turned to Claire, her dark eyes shining with curiosity. “So, since the bad man is gone, does that mean you don't have to eat alone anymore?”
May you like
Claire looked from Lucy to Mason, a deep, genuine smile spreading across her face.
“Not a chance, Lucy,” Claire said softly. “In fact, I’ve already updated my calendar. Tuesdays are now booked permanently.”
