Chapter 7: The Man Behind the Experiment
The conference room was silent except for the buzzing emergency lights.
On the screen, Uncle Nathan stood behind Madison.
Not beside her.
Behind her.
Like he had been there all along.
Madison looked terrified.
“Nathan?”” Dad whispered.
Samuel Vale smiled through the camera.
“Surprised?””
My father stepped closer to the screen.
“Where are you?””
“That’s not important.””
“It is when you’re holding students hostage.””
Samuel laughed softly.
“Hostage?””
He looked offended.
“Always so dramatic, Elijah.””
I felt Dad tense.
That was the first time I realized something.
Samuel wasn't afraid.
Not of the security team.
Not of the police.
Not of my father.
He had spent years preparing for this.
“You built Project Merit,” Dad said.
Samuel tilted his head.
“I improved it.””
“You manipulated children.””
“I studied them.””
“You destroyed their lives.””
“No.””
Samuel leaned forward.
“I revealed their weaknesses.””
My hands curled into fists.
“Those are people.””
Samuel looked directly into the camera.
“Exactly.””
The way he said it made my skin crawl.
Like people were numbers.
Like pain was just another measurement.
Dad moved toward the screen.
“You used my company.””
“Our company.””
“No.””
The word came out cold.
“You stopped being part of this company when you decided people were experiments.””
Samuel smiled.
“There it is.””
“What?””
“The reason you always lose.””
Dad stared at him.
“You think compassion is a weakness.””
“I know it is.””
The screen switched.
A document appeared.
A contract.
My father's signature.
My stomach dropped.
Dad stared at it.
“I never signed that.””
Samuel laughed.
“You signed the foundation approval.””
“For scholarships.””
“Yes.””
He pointed toward the document.
“You just never read the appendix.””
Dad's face changed.
Richard stepped forward.
“What appendix?””
Samuel answered.
“The one that allowed long-term educational behavior studies.””
Dad looked sick.
“That language was never there.””
“It was.””
“No.””
Dad's voice hardened.
“I reviewed every clause.””
Samuel smiled.
“And I reviewed every weakness.””
The room went quiet.
Lena moved closer to Dad.
“Mr. Brooks, we need to locate the source of the video.””
Samuel interrupted.
“Always solving the problem.””
He looked at me.
“Never asking why.””
I stepped forward.
“Why me?””
Dad immediately looked at me.
“Nia.””
But I kept looking at Samuel.
“Why did you watch me?””
Samuel's expression softened.
Almost like he was proud.
“Because you were interesting.””
I felt disgusted.
“Interesting?””
“You were the perfect subject.””
“I’m not a subject.””
Samuel smiled.
“That’s what made you perfect.””
The screen changed again.
My file appeared.
A note highlighted.
*SUBJECT REFUSES PRIVILEGE EVEN WHEN AVAILABLE.*
Samuel continued.
“You had access to everything.””
“But you chose to take the bus.””
“You chose ordinary clothes.””
“You chose to struggle.””
I stared at him.
“Because I wanted to.””
“Exactly.””
His voice became excited.
“You proved my theory.””
Dad stepped in front of me.
“Enough.””
Samuel ignored him.
“I wanted to know if a person raised with wealth could survive without depending on it.””
“That wasn't your decision.””
“No.””
Samuel smiled.
“It was Nathan's.””
Everyone looked toward the other screen.
Uncle Nathan stepped closer to Madison.
“Nathan.””
Dad's voice was different now.
Not angry.
Hurt.
“Why?””
Nathan looked away.
For the first time, he seemed uncomfortable.
“You never understood what we built.””
“What we built?””
“You created a company that rewards comfort.””
Dad shook his head.
“I created opportunities.””
“And I created proof.””
Nathan looked at Madison.
“Students like her reveal the truth.””
Madison flinched.
“I didn't know about all this.””
Nathan ignored her.
“You gave them money, protection, and resources. But what happens when nobody knows who they are?””
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“You hurt people to prove a point.””
Nathan looked at me.
“You were never supposed to get hurt.””
I laughed once.
The sound surprised even me.
“You tore apart my life.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“Your life was interrupted.””
He stepped closer to Madison.
“The test wasn't about you.””
Madison looked confused.
“Then what was it about?””
Nathan answered:
“Your reaction.””
The words made the room colder.
Samuel spoke again.
“And today was supposed to be the final observation.””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“You planned everything.””
“Yes.””
“The test. The video. The humiliation.””
Samuel nodded.
“Everything except one thing.””
“What?””
He looked at me.
“Your father showing up.””
A silence followed.
Samuel smiled.
“That changed the data.””
Dad moved closer.
“You mean you wanted to see what she would do.””
“Yes.””
“And?””
Samuel's smile faded.
“I haven't decided yet.””
The lights flickered.
Then the screen went black.
A second later, every door unlocked.
Security rushed out.
Lena grabbed her radio.
“Find Samuel Vale and Nathan Brooks now.””
Everyone moved.
Except me.
I stood frozen.
Because my phone had received one final message.
Not from Samuel.
Not from Nathan.
From Madison.
I opened it.
May you like
Three words.
*I KNOW WHO HELPED.*
