Page 30 of Enduring Promise

Hillary’s heart pounded as she listened, her fingers gripping Russ’s arm. Claire was close—so close—to getting him to admit everything. If only she could push him a little further.

“Michael,” Claire said, her voice quiet but steady, “you know I’d never do anything to hurt you. But I need you to be honest with me. About everything. The patients... the results. All of it. If I’m really the partner you’re saying I am, please tell me the plan. The big picture. I want to know it all.”

Another pause. Michael’s voice, when it came, was filled with suspicion. “Why do you need so much validation? I think you need to really start asking yourself what part of you is so broken that you need me to constantly try to put it back together with some kind of declaration of commitment. Be your own person, Claire. Stand on your own two feet.”

Downstairs, the guests exchanged uneasy glances, their discomfort growing with every passing second. “This guy is an asshole,” someone called out.

Madame Fournier remained motionless, her hand still resting on the intercom as if she could will the conversation to continue.

“I just... I need to know,” Claire said, her voice faltering slightly. “Because I can’t keep doing this if I don’t understand. I need to hear it from you. How is this going to end?”

The static crackled, and for a moment, it seemed like Michael might say something. But instead, his voice turned cold again. “You’re weak, Claire, and you’re going to stay that way until you’re willing to do what I do. Take risks. Challenge the status quo.”

“That’s what I’m doing right now,” Claire said, her voice elevated. “You’re right. I am weak. But I’m trying to be strong. Tell me how.”

Russ took another step forward, his jaw clenched, but Hillary tightened her grip on his arm. “Not yet,” she whispered again, her voice barely audible.

The room waited; every ear strained to hear what would come next.

CHAPTER 29

Russ felt his muscles coil like springs, every word crackling through the intercom amplifying his anger. Michael’s arrogance, his dismissive tone, and the venom in his words had Russ itching to bolt upstairs and put an end to this.

Hillary’s hand on his arm was the only thing keeping him rooted in place, her grip tightening as though she could feel his restraint fraying.

Michael let out a long, exaggerated sigh, his voice dripping with disdain. “You know what the problem is, Claire? It’s the patients. They’re selfish. Everyone claims they want science to move forward, that they want humanity to evolve, but when it comes down to it? No one’s willing to take the risks themselves. They all want someone else to step up, to suffer, so they can reap the benefits later.”

The room below buzzed with horrified murmurs, guests whispering in shocked tones. Russ clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening as he leaned forward slightly, every nerve in his body screaming for action.

“What are you saying?” Claire’s voice came through, trembling but pushing for clarity.

“I’m saying people like me—people with vision—we have to push boundaries,” Michael snapped, his frustration clear. “We have to make decisions that the average person doesn’t have the stomach for. And yes, that means some people get hurt. But that’s the price of progress.”

Claire’s voice, still trembling, gained an edge. “You mean the patients,” she said softly, a tremor of disbelief underlying her words. “There have been serious injuries. Permanent damage.”

Michael scoffed, brushing off her concern. “Injuries happen. This isn’t magic, Claire. It’s science. And science isn’t perfect—at least, not yet. But we’re getting closer, and every failure is a step toward success.”

Russ’s breathing turned shallow. The self-righteousness, the lack of accountability—it was everything he despised in a man like Michael. He could feel the room around him buzzing with outrage, but his focus was laser-sharp on the conversation above.

Claire didn’t let up, her voice rising slightly. “You’re talking about real people, Michael. People who trusted you. At first, when you asked me to alter results in the lab, you said it was to deal with the corrupt advisory and compliance board. You made it sound like we were fighting a broken system.”

“And we are!” Michael barked.

“But now,” Claire continued, her voice steadier, “real people are being permanently maimed because your technique is dangerous. The list is growing, Michael. How can you dismiss that?”

Russ could hear the tears in her voice, the mixture of anger and anguish that only made him want to rip Michael apart even more. Hillary’s grip on his arm tightened again, and he turned to look at her, her jaw set and her eyes blazing.

“Let her finish,” she whispered, her voice low and taut.

Upstairs, the static crackled again before Michael’s voice returned, sharper and more defensive. “Because it’s necessary, Claire. You think the great minds of history played it safe? You think penicillin, open-heart surgery, or the damn polio vaccine didn’t come with casualties along the way? This is the price of being a pioneer.”

“You’re right,” she said softly, and the strength of her voice seemed to be fading. “You’re absolutely right. The price of progress—it’s necessary. But... what happens if someone starts asking questions? What if someone digs deeper into the data?”

Michael let out a short laugh, sharp and derisive. “They won’t,” he said confidently. “Do you have any idea how much power we wield? The advisory board is corrupt, yes, but they’re also in our pocket. Everyone involved benefits from what we’re doing—pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, even the government. They won’t risk upsetting the balance.”

“But what about the patients’ families? The ones who’ve been... affected. What if they start digging? We can’t control them.”

Michael’s voice dropped lower, a chilling edge creeping into his tone. “That’s where you come in, Claire. You’ve always been good at... smoothing things over. Writing reports that make it all look clean, convincing the right people that everything is under control. That’s why I need you. That’s why you’re so valuable to this project.”

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