Chapter 4 - A Dead Account
Emily was not confirmed dead.
That mattered.
She was missing.
Her family had eventually petitioned for legal control of certain affairs, but no death certificate existed.
So an account carrying her initials did not mean a dead woman had logged in.
It meant someone was using credentials associated with her trial.
Daniel contacted Mercer Biomedical cybersecurity.
EMD-17 was not Emily’s personal account.
It was case code.
Emily Dawson had been Participant 17 in Aster-9 validation cohort.
Someone had reactivated case credential.
Who?
Login originated from an old Mercer Biomedical server still connected to archive.
Physical location:
Mercer Research Pavilion.
The same facility where Emily was transferred.
Pavilion supposedly closed eighteen months ago.
Daniel looked genuinely shocked.
Claire no longer knew what to believe.
Vanessa demanded police search.
Daniel opposed immediate entry.
“There are biological archives inside.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“My sister disappeared there and your concern is samples?”
“My concern is contaminating evidence.”
“Then call authorities.”
They did.
Search warrant followed after evidence of unauthorized medical-record access.
Inside abandoned pavilion investigators found no captive women.
No hidden babies.
No horror chamber.
Most rooms were empty.
But one laboratory remained powered.
Blue diagnostic light glowed over old imaging platform.
Lily refused enter.
“That’s it.”
Vanessa crouched.
“The blue light?”
Lily nodded.
“Mommy said if baby was really dead, blue light would show truth.”
Daniel examined system.
It was Aster-9 verification scanner.
During Emily’s emergency, first hospital ultrasound suggested fetal demise.
At pavilion, experimental scanner detected cardiac activity.
So Daniel’s statement “baby died” had been premature.
He had been wrong.
But he had corrected course by ordering transfer.
What happened afterward remained hidden.
Then investigator opened archive cabinet.
Participant 17.
Emily Dawson.
Inside was consent form.
Imaging reports.
And neonatal identification band.
Vanessa began shaking.
Name:
BABY DAWSON.
Sex:
female.
Live birth time recorded.
Emily’s baby had not been stillborn.
She had been born alive.
Daniel stared at record.
“I never knew.”
Vanessa slapped him.
“You told my sister her baby was dead.”
“At first. Then I sent her here because readings changed.”
“And afterward you never checked?”
Daniel had no defense.
Then Claire noticed one line.
Disposition:
TRANSFERRED TO FAMILY AUTHORIZED CARE.
Authorized by:
May you like
D. MERCER.
Daniel’s signature.
