Chapter 97 In the Name of Science
[Lysander]
I crouched in front of the old man. "This Phoenix Lab. Who runs it?"
"The owner came once a month to inspect." The old man's voice dropped to a whisper, as if saying the name might summon him. "The guards called him Mr. Raven. Patrick Raven. When he was there, everyone moved faster, spoke quieter. He didn't just manage the place—he built it. Owned the whole blood-harvesting operation."
Patrick Raven. The name from Nyx's investigation—the one receiving Raymond's embezzled millions.
"What were they doing with your blood?" I demanded. "Where was it going?"
"They shipped it out weekly. Big refrigerated containers." The old man's hands shook. "I heard Raven himself talking to someone on the phone once—mentioned 'pharmaceutical production' and 'breakthrough stabilization.' Whatever that means."
I pulled out my phone and stepped away from the group. Nyx answered on the first ring.
"Lysander? What's wrong?"
"I found the source of the border attacks. Fifteen survivors from Phoenix Lab—they've been used as blood banks. Systematic harvesting, massive quantities shipped out weekly for 'pharmaceutical production.' The facility is owned by Patrick Raven."
Sharp intake of breath on the other end.
"They're harvesting human blood," I continued. "Massive quantities. Shipping it out for pharmaceutical production."
A long pause. Then her voice came through, barely a whisper: "Oh god. Lysander, I know what they're making."
"What?"
"Apex." Her voice hardened with fury. "The enhancement drug that's destroying our market. Dr. Mitchell just discovered it requires human blood plasma to stabilize. That's how they solved the formula my mother couldn't crack."
The pieces clicked together with sickening clarity.
"They're using exiled humans as blood banks to mass-produce werewolf enhancement drugs," I said.
"And when you showed up near their facility, they panicked," Nyx added. "Drove the 'evidence' out to be killed by border patrols. Eliminate witnesses and provoke a war with the exiles—two birds, one stone."
"I'm taking Gamma Squad to the facility tonight," I decided. "These people can give me the location. We need physical evidence."
"Do it." Her response was immediate and fierce. "I'll coordinate from here—legal documentation, media strategy, everything we need to expose this the moment you have proof."
The line went dead.
I turned back to my squad, jaw set with cold determination.
Phoenix Lab was going down. Tonight.
---
Midnight. My command tent. In a few hours, we move on Rebirth Isle.
Through the bond, I felt Nyx still working. Don't stay up all night.
You too. Tomorrow's dangerous.
I'll be careful.
Come back to me, Lysander.
Always.
I looked toward the dark island across the water. Somewhere there, a lab was turning humans into weapons. Creating monsters.
Your days are numbered, I thought coldly.
[Nyx]
1 AM. My office lights still burned. Around me: evidence files, legal briefs, media contact lists.
Counter-Attack Plan—48 Hour Countdown
My hand rested on my abdomen. If I was pregnant, I'd give this child a clean world. One without lies and slaughter.
Through the window, the city glittered below. Through the bond, Lysander's steady heartbeat anchored me.
We were fighting on two fronts. But we'd fight together.
And we would win.
One-thirty in the morning. I'd been staring at spreadsheets for six hours straight.
The coffee in my mug had gone cold hours ago. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of my Eclipse office, the city lights were gradually winking out, leaving only scattered pinpoints glowing in the darkness.
I rubbed my burning eyes and returned my focus to the Excel file on my screen.
NorthStar's money trail was crystal clear now—Isla's brother Sebastian pocketing thirty-seven million through offshore accounts. But the numbers still didn't add up. Eclipse's secret R&D account showed an eight-million-dollar deposit from an unknown source.
I clicked on the transaction details.
Date: Five years ago.
Amount: Eight million dollars.
Source account: Moonblade Pack Military R&D Fund.
Project code: Lunar Revival - Human Trial Phase.
Authorized by: Alpha Karl Verdant.
My fingers froze on the mouse.
My heart stopped beating.
Father.
I forced myself to breathe and opened the attached documents.
The project proposal appeared on screen:
"Project Lunar Revival aims to complete final stabilization of werewolf enhancement compounds through human blood collection experiments. Requires establishment of dedicated facility to detain and continuously extract plasma samples from human subjects..."
"Budget breakdown: Offshore facility construction $3M, human subject acquisition and transport $1M, blood collection equipment $2M, security and medical personnel salaries $2M..."
"Applicant: Raymond Hartwell, CFO, Eclipse Pharmaceuticals"
"Co-applicant: Patrick Raven, External Research Consultant"
I scrolled down to Karl's approval note:
"Approved. Moonblade Pack requires stronger warriors. Human resources are abundant and renewable. Ensure facility remains sufficiently covert to avoid intervention from international human rights organizations. Keep operations low-profile."
My hand was shaking as I grabbed my phone.
Karl answered on the fourth ring, voice rough with sleep. "Nyx? It's one-thirty—"
"Project Lunar Revival." My voice came out cold. "Human Trial Phase. Eight million dollars. Your signature."
Silence.
"You approved funding for human blood collection experiments." I stared at the words on screen. "You knew they were going to imprison people and drain their blood."
"Nyx." His voice turned to ice. "That's classified pack business."
"Pack business?" I laughed bitterly. "Father, you funded a prison on Rebirth Isle to kidnap exiles and use them as—"
"Enough." Alpha command flooded through the phone. "You don't understand the strategic requirements—"
"I understand you approved eight million dollars to torture humans!" My voice cracked. "The proposal literally budgets for 'human subject acquisition and transport'—that's kidnapping!"
"Those are exiles. Former werewolves who—"
"They're people!" Tears burned my eyes. "And you treated them like livestock! 'Human resources are abundant and renewable'—you wrote that!"
"I made a decision for Moonblade's security." Karl's voice went flat. "That's what Alphas do."
"Security?" My voice rose. "You approved funding to kidnap and torture people!"
"Those exiles lost their right to protection when they were banished." His tone was cold, final. "This discussion is over."