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Hannah Stone wanted nothing more than to lay back on the lumpy pillows of this two-bit motel and fall asleep for a month.
Well, maybe not nothing. The other thing she wanted was to pull her mini recorder out of her bag and demand answers from the commando sergeant holding her hostage. Who was he? What military branch did he work for?
So far, all her questions had been met with a complete stonewall. She knew his name–Will. And she knew that he had a surprising, yet charming southern accent. Other than that? Nada. Some reporter she was.
Which was absolutely not something she was going to share with G.I. Joe over there. As far as he knew, she worked at the hotel where the assassination happened. She was Melanie, according to the nametag she stole from the hotel breakroom.
Judging by his snarky comments about the press anytime the news came on, he wouldn’t be happy to hear that she’d actually been a reporter trying to do whatever it took to get some exclusive material for her article about President Walters and the hurricane relief.
After this, she’d have the story of a lifetime. If Will didn’t find out who she really was and decide that protecting her from the assassin was more hassle than it was worth.
BONUS EPILOGUE
5 YEARS LATER
Cole adjustedthe microphone and held up a hand to acknowledge the applause at the large press conference. Joey stood on stage with him, and though she was just behind his line of sight, he could feel the support of her presence.
“Thank you all. Thank you for coming today to celebrate with us a new era in Alzheimer’s research. When our confidential data was accidentally released to the world, I remember thinking about how God might take that and use it to do something bigger than I ever dreamed.”
He glanced back toward his wife and smiled warmly, thinking of that day in the hospital.
“What Patrick Wragge and his misguided accomplice meant as a blow to cripple our company and rob us from the opportunity to create lifesaving medicine has actually allowed Zia Pharmaceuticals, in newly established partnerships with talented researchers all over the globe, to make one of the greatest leaps forward in Alzheimer’s prevention therapies.”
It hadn’t been obvious to him until a few years into this process, but there was no question that what others meant for evil, God had turned around for good. And if left to his own plans, Cole never would have made the decision to share everything. Bits and pieces perhaps, to established research partners. But never the entire catalogue of data.
“With our data made public five years ago, Dr. Vivian Fowler reached out and offered a potential solution based on her extensive research in a related field. Her suggested delivery vector was the key to an even greater improvement in the plaque barrier proteins than we had seen previously. Those incredible initial results have now been replicated by more than a dozen laboratories around the world.”
He paused for the applause to subside. “Since that time, the Cognitive Protective Barrier therapy has requested and been approved for a fast track approval process from the FDA following the recent successful phase two clinical trials. We are moving into phase three trials, with optimistic—and educated—hope that the large-scale, long-term results are the breakthrough this community has been waiting for.”
Cole couldn’t disguise the pride and joy in his announcement. Everything he’d worked for was coming to fruition. And while there were still many years of work to be done, he knew the important thing wasn’t that he’d finally reached his goal. Laying in that hospital bed, he’d realized that he knew the answer to Flint’s question. If he worked all his life toward a cure and at the end of the day he only had Jesus? That was enough.
That he also had Joey by his side was a grace he hadn’t expected. That he was spearheading a breakthrough preventative gene therapy to fight the disease that had devastated his family? An incredible blessing and honor.
But in order for both of those things to happen the way they had, he had been forced to rest in God’s plan and trust Him.
“Furthermore, I am pleased to announce that CPB will be the first ever open-source gene protein therapy, the intellectual property for which will be one-hundred-percent available for any established biologic manufacturer to provide after they receive approval.”
He turned to Joey again, waved her forward as the audience applauded. He wrapped his arm around her waist as he finished his speech.
“Once again, thank you to all who have followed our journey, prayed for our research, and donated to this cause. Because of you, we are on the brink of dramatically reducing the occurrence of Alzheimer’s Disease. And to those who have already experienced the devastation of this disease, or are looking toward the oncoming years with anxiety, my heart breaks for you. But I encourage you to find solace, as I often have, in the hope we have for ultimate healing on the other side of heaven.”
With that, Cole stepped back from the microphone and held up a hand to wave to the small crowd. He tightened his grip on Joey. He knew that without her by his side, none of this would have been possible.
While his Director of Research took his place at the podium and answered questions, Cole headed off stage with Joey under his arm.
Before her, he never would have had peace about letting God direct the path for his company or his life. But Joey’s unrelenting passion for justice and goodness in the face of evil and darkness inspired him to seek the same. She kept him humble, encouraged him when he doubted himself, and helped him find that elusive balance of striving too much and resting in the Lord. Her fight with the Syndicate was far from over, but the future was bright.
Once they were behind the temporary curtain, she tugged on his hand. He turned, willingly pulling her into a kiss.
Joey tipped her head up to him, her wide smile open and unreserved. “I’m so excited for you, Cole. You’ve worked so hard for this.”
He kissed her again. “Thank you, love. I know I wouldn’t be here without you. It wouldn’t be the same if you hadn’t been here with me the last five years.” His throat tightened at the admission. How could he adequately explain how much he loved this woman? “I wouldn’t be the same.”
He held her face in his hand and she leaned into it. “Neither would I. I think I’d still be thebest byany measure though.”
He raised an eyebrow and fought back a smile at her teasing tone. Her own laughter sparked his own and he chuckled. “You are the best,” he agreed.
“And don’t you forget it,” she quipped with a cheeky grin.
Cole smiled with a light-hearted certainty. No, he wouldn’t forget. He was planning to remember the special moments God had given him for a very long time.
And hopefully, many others would have the opportunity to remember their own.
Black Tower Security Book 3 – Critical Witness, available for Pre-order now!
A presidential assassin is on the loose, and she’s the key to unlocking his identity.
But it’s her own identity that is going to blow up the entire operation—and her future with the hero who saved her.
