By the time Nate was pulling up in his parking spot beside the trailer at the Starlight pipeline, he felt thoroughly overwhelmed and ready to snap. It wouldn’t be the best way to approach his father, so he took a few deep breaths, letting the engine cool now that he’d drawn the key out and tucked it into the sun visor over his head.When he finally did get out of his Lexus, he walked over to the stack of pipes set yards back from the trench. Construction workers bid him good morning as he passed. He nodded in response, though his gaze was locked on the new materials. To the naked eye, they appeared to be the new, platinum-coated steel cylinders that Mira had advocated for. When he stopped by seven chemical barrels and waved the construction manager over, he could tell by the labeling on the side of each barrel that it was also the correct, eco-friendly material.As he questioned the manager, a friendly guy who aimed to please, and as he tried to follow the man’s explanation, Nate coul

When Mira woke the next morning she felt a strange mix of elation and dread. She almost couldn’t believe the Starlight Energy pipeline was going to be built far out in East Bellevue. It was the biggestaccomplishment of her career, and there was nothing to fear. Nate had signed the contract. This was happening. As thrilled as this made her, it wasn’t reason enough for her to forget the damning prognosis she had received from Dr. Fitzpatrick. Vital nerves behind her eyes were too damaged for Seattle Mercy to feel confident about giving her donor eyes.The board felt they couldn’t risk wasting two good eyes should her surgery go badly, and it would, according to her doctor. Nate was acting as though he wouldn’t let Dr. Fitzpatrick’s opinion on the matter stop him. But Nate ’s determination to somehow secure donated eyes without the help of the hospital wasn’t exactly realistic, as far as Mira was concerned.Opposites might attract, but Mira knew she and Nate couldn’t be more different.

Nate was due at the new Starlight site in East Bellevue, and though Mira had planned on making the drive with him to take pictures of the new site to document her achievement, she was completely shocked that Carter had been in the Escala the night she was attacked.Like Frank Wright, Carter wasn’t one to wear dress shoes, and Mira would like to think she would recognize him in some way his stature, his smell, his vibe but just because she hadn’t, didn’t mean itwasn’t him. Even though Mira had her suspicions as to who might be at the top of this twisted pyramid, she felt the first step toward solving the mystery would be to confront Carter. Why had he been there that night? She wasn’t looking forward to this. It had been so hurtful of him to take Nate ’s medical records to the press, completely disregarding her order not to. And if that hadn’t been bad enough, she still hadn’t dealt with his betrayal. Hearing Carter and Layla feed the press twisted truths mixedwith lies at the pres

When Mira woke, gradually regaining consciousness, she couldsee nothing. Groggily, she lifted her hand to her eyes, though her arm feltheavy as cement. Touching gently, she felt a thick band of gauze wrappingher head and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t that she couldn’t “see.”Thegauze was preventing her from seeing. Vaguely, she remembered Dr.Fitzpatrick had told her it could take the majority of the day for her eye toheal, but by nightfall she would be able to take the bandage off and tellwhether or not the surgery had been a success.Her hospital room felt warm, and for a moment she listened to thewhir of the vent pump crisp air into her room. It was quiet, though sheheard voices murmuring far beyond her door, perhaps nurses talking,doctors briefing the families of patients on their conditions, patients andloved ones reuniting after surgery, which made her wonder. Where wasNate ?Feeling along the armrest of her hospital bed, she found a fewbuttons on the console.

Chapter 39.The next day, Mira and Nate drove out to the Starlight Energy pipeline in East Bellevue where the rest of One World was scheduled to meet them. Davey Construction, its managers, and its employees had been hard at work assembling the new piping materials in the trench that had been dug along the new route as approved by the city.When Nate pulled the SUV up to the executive trailer, Mira spotted her team getting out of the Jeep and a few other vehicles.“I’m going to get them started on taking photos,” she told Nate as they climbed out of his SUV.“I’ll be in the trailer,” he said in response before heading towards it.It was great to see Jenny, Hector, and the others. Mira smiled wide at the look of surprise on their faces as she made eye contact with each and every one of them.“You can see!” said Jenny, throwing her arms around Mira and giving her a big hug. Mira urged her back so she could look at her, then said, “I can. One eye, but it’s better than nothing.”“How did