Page 77 of Rescuing Mia
“We were supposed to be pioneering advancements in medicine. We use deuterium oxide in our research, but my supply kept running low. When I went looking, I discovered the deuterium was being delivered in excess and then shunted to another department. It was clear there was another agenda. That’s when I realized they were stockpiling deuterium—to sell.”
The horror of the realization washes over me again, fresh and raw, like a wound that refuses to heal.
“What did you do?” Rigel’s grip tightens, his anger palpable, a tangible force in the small space of the cabin.
“I downloaded everything I found, and I ran.” My voice breaks with a sob, the weight of my actions crashing down on me. “The potential misuse of deuterium oxide… They were turning a tool for healing into a weapon of destruction... I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Jesus, Mia. That’s… That’s serious. That’s more than corporate theft. It’s dangerous.”
“I know.”
He sits up straighter, alert, his body poised for action. “What was your plan?” His hand pauses in its comforting motions, a silent prompt for me to continue.
“I contacted the U.S. Embassy, seeking asylum in exchange for the information.” Tears stain my cheeks, and I swipe angrily at them, hating the weakness they represent. “They said they couldn’tdo anything on Chinese soil and sent me to Manila, where I was supposed to meet a contact who could take me in.”
I swallow hard, the memory of the dead man flashing before my eyes—a meeting gone horribly wrong, a noose tightening around my neck with every passing second.
“Supposed to? What happened?” Rigel’s voice is sharp, his body tense with anticipation.
“I found him, and then he was murdered right in front of me by an assassin.”
“Murdered? They sent an assassin?”
“To stop me, or at least she tried to. It was you, actually, who saved me. Or rather, that crowd. I still don’t know what happened, except she tried to inject me with something. The crowd jostled us, and that’s when I fell.”
“Into my arms.”
“I was so scared. I-I took his phone and his wallet. I used it to book passage here, on theSerenity. I wasn’t thinking clearly. Just running. They must think I did it—the murder. The police, the embassy, everyone.” My voice trails off, the memory too painful to articulate.
“This is serious.” Rigel’s expression hardens, the lines of his jaw sharpening, his eyes blazing with a fierce protectiveness. “But don’t underestimate the embassy.”
“What does that mean?”
“Only that they’re more used to these kinds of things. I don’t think they’ll be blaming you. Although, they’re probably trying to figure out what happened to you.”
The gravity of the situation settles between us, a heavy, unspoken acknowledgment of the danger that shadows me, the threat that lurks around every corner.
“I know, and I just… I left him there. I feel awful, but I was desperate.” Tears brim in my eyes, my fear unmasked, laid bare before him. “Red Phoenix is looking for me. I just know it, and if I stayed, there would’ve been police and reports, and they would know exactly where to find me. I didn’t know what to do. Before he died, my contact told me to get to Sydney. I hopped on boardSerenitywith no idea what I was going to do on the other end of this cruise.”
“What you did took courage.” Rigel pulls me close, his voice a low rumble of comfort and conviction. “Exposing them… It’s important. Once we get to Sydney, we’ll get this information to the embassy.”
The horror of my own story echoes in the silence that follows, the weight of my confession pressing down on me like a physical force. The warmth of his embrace does little to silence my fear, but his promise lights a small flame in the darkness.
Perhaps, with him by my side, I can still expose the truth of Red Phoenix’s intentions.
“Mia, this is… It’s a lot.” He reaches for my hand, his grip firm, his touch a lifeline in the chaos. “I may not be with the Navy anymore, but I have a friend. He works for a company, private security. They can help us.”
“Us?” The word falls from my lips, a question and a plea all at once.
“Mia, look at me.”
The blend of determination and promise in his voice offers a sliver of hope, a glimmer of light in the darkness that threatens to consume me. His jaw clenches, his resolve palpable, a tangible force in the small space between us.
I lift my eyes to meet his, finding an anchor in the storm, a safe harbor amidst the turbulent sea of my fears.
“You. Are. Not. Alone.” He emphasizes each word. “Yes, it’s terrifying, but I’m here now. We’ll face this together.”
“But the police, the embassy… What if they’re all looking for me? What if Red Phoenix finds me? They won’t stop until…” The litany of ‘what ifs’ spirals, each more frightening than the last, a never-ending cycle of fear and doubt that threatens to drag me under.