Chapter 4

Peter's eyes darted around before he suddenly shouted, "The T-3 Gene Enhancement Serum is gone! Someone stole it from my safe!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing.

Derek had already reserved the T-3 serum. He needed it to strengthen Ashford's elite fighters. A single dose was worth three months' worth of food rations.

Fiona immediately pointed at me. "I saw her lurking around the counter earlier! It had to be her!"

The crowd quickly closed in around me.

Derek glared at me. "Sophie Langford, I can't believe I was ever with you. I knew you were selfish and greedy, but now you're stealing, too?"

"I didn't steal anything."

Peter was obviously trying to frame me, and I wasn't about to take the blame.

But Derek was too angry to see reason. "Search her!"

The guards ripped my backpack off my shoulders, sending everything inside spilling across the floor.

Rare plant seeds and the medicinal herbs I'd carefully grown for my husband, Nathan Blackwood, were scattered everywhere. The guards trampled them underfoot.

I'd risked my life for those plants.

Then an empty vial identical to the ones used for T-3 serum rolled out of my backpack.

"Caught red-handed! What do you have to say for yourself now?" Fiona could barely hide her excitement.

Derek looked at the mess on the floor, then at me, his face full of disappointment. "Tie her up and take her back for questioning."

"Wait," I said coldly. "That vial is empty."

"So what if it's empty?" Fiona shot back, looking smug. "That just proves you stole the serum! Why else would you carry an empty vial? As a souvenir?"

The onlookers burst out laughing.

"And another thing," Fiona continued. "How does a scavenger like you have so many rare plants? You stole those, too, didn't you?"

I stared at my ruined herbs, seething. I'd risked my life to bring them back from deep inside the radiation zone. Every single one was like a child to me. Some were even the only specimens of their kind.

"You ruined my plants," I said, ignoring her question.

"Your plants?" Derek sneered. "What makes you think you're entitled to anything that valuable?"

"Come on, Sophie. Just admit it," Fiona said, feigning concern. "Look at you. There's no way you could've gotten plants this rare on your own. Did you steal them from some research lab?"

I slowly clenched my fists.

Just then, Peter spoke up hesitantly. "Chief Callahan, shouldn't we at least check if the serum is real?"

Derek waved him off. "Why bother? The evidence is right there!"

Peter fell silent, not daring to argue. But he kept eyeing the valuables still left in my backpack.

Just then, the communication bracelet on my wrist lit up. Nathan had given it to me and always insisted I keep it switched on.

Fiona spotted it immediately. "What's that?"

I didn't answer.

"Search her wrist!" Fiona shrieked. "She could be hiding something else!"

A guard reached for my arm, but I stepped back. "Don't touch me."

"How dare you fight back!" Derek roared and kicked me hard.

I doubled over and collapsed to the floor, accidentally hitting the button on my bracelet.

A hologram of a man appeared, and a gentle voice came through. "Sophie, why haven't you answered me?"