Chapter 44 The Poisoned Well

• The day of the press conference dawned grey and tense. The hospital, still on a modified lockdown, buzzed with a different energy. Lawyers, PR consultants, and FBI agents moved through the secured wing like a nervous circulatory system. The story had been carefully crafted, the narrative boundaries set. Alexander Sterling, flawed visionary, victim of a ruthless conspiracy. Dr. Evelyn Lin, brilliant scientist, wronged hero. A tidy story for public consumption. The messy, bloody, emotional truth was a secret we would now share forever.
• I was in a small antechamber, being prepped by a stern-faced woman from the Attorney General’s communications team. She spoke in soundbites. “Resilience.” “The pursuit of truth.” “A testament to American justice.” The words felt like ash in my mouth.
• A soft knock interrupted her. Thorne entered, his expression unreadable. “Evelyn. You might want to see this.” He handed me a tablet.