Page 32 of For Rage

"There's a ton of books on this stuff at my university," Forbes said. "I used to spend hours reading up about poison and how it can affect the human body. Good to know as a forensic analyst."

"Sounds like it would be good for me to know too," Morgan said. "Know any profs from the program who might be able to help me dig up some information?"

"Yeah, call Professor Asha," he said. "She's the head of toxicology. She taught me everything I know."

Morgan thanked Forbes and quickly made her way over to her office, sliding behind her desk to grab her phone. Her heart was racing as she dialed Professor Asha's number. After a few rings, the professor answered.

"Hello?" a tired, female voice said.

"Professor Asha, this is FBI Special Agent Morgan Cross. I'm working on a case and was hoping to pick your brain about something."

"Of course, what can I help you with?" Asha said, sounding more alert.

Morgan explained the situation to Asha, detailing the Bleeding Woodbine poison and the mystery surrounding the killer's identity.

"I see," Asha said thoughtfully. "Bleeding Woodbine is a powerful poison. A high concentration of it can be lethal. Whoever is doing this knows what they're doing."

"Do you think it's possible that the killer is stalking these women, poisoning them before they realize it?" Morgan asked.

"It's definitely possible," Asha said. "Someone who knows about plants and their effects could easily get their hands on Bleeding Woodbine. And by poisoning them slowly, the killer could control when they die."

Morgan felt a chill run down her spine. The thought of the killer stalking his victims, watching them suffer before their ultimate demise, made her sick to her stomach.

"You're welcome to come down to the lab, Special Agent Cross," Asha said. "I'm working a late night, and we have plenty of research here for you to view."

"Thank you, Professor," Morgan said with relief. "I'll be down there shortly; it would be great to have a look at the research."

***

Morgan hadn't been to a university in a long time. The lab was located in the basement of the university, and as Morgan made her way down the dimly lit stairwell, she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, her mind still swimming on the white rose beneath her pillow. She'd felt like she was being watched before—maybe, somehow, she was. But it didn't make sense. How could someone have gotten into her house?

She pushed the thought aside and made her way to the lab entrance. It was dead quiet at this hour, only the sounds of Morgan's shoes clacking over the floor. She ignored the pain in her leg as she followed the instructions Professor Asha had given to her. She found a tall, lithe woman with brown skin and a long, dark braid running down her back. Professor Asha smiled at her and held out a hand.

"Special Agent Cross?"

"Yes," Morgan said, "thanks for meeting with me."

"Not a problem at all," Professor Asha said. "I'm glad to help. I have a few things I'd like to show you." She led Morgan to a table filled with books and papers. "This is everything we have on the plant in the last five years. All my students' work as well. Feel free to take a look."

Morgan sat down at the table and began to read through the papers. She couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the amount of information in front of her. The sound of Professor Asha typing on her computer was the only noise in the room.

Morgan read through papers and studied diagrams for hours, but found nothing note-worthy. She looked over the research, trying to make sense of it all. Asha had written detailed accounts of her experiments and the results she'd gotten. Morgan read them carefully but still couldn't draw any connections between the victims and her work.

As the night went on, Morgan's eyes began to droop with exhaustion. She rubbed them wearily as she pushed away from the table. It was getting into the morning now, and her day was only just beginning, despite the fact that her sleep had been abruptly interrupted by the news earlier.

Just as she was thinking of giving up, a paper she had missed caught her eye. She pulled it closer to her, only to see it was about a potential fast-acting antidote to the poison.

Not only that, but it had been written recently––only a month ago. By someone named Professor George Johnson.

"Professor Asha." Morgan lifted her head, and Asha looked over at her. "Do you know a Professor George Johnson?"

"Of course," Asha said, "he is my colleague. You saw his paper? He's a brilliant man."

Morgan nodded. "I did. Do you think I could meet with him?"

"Absolutely," Asha replied. "I can give you his contact information. But why do you want to meet with him?"

Morgan hesitated before answering. "I think he might have some information that could help with my case."

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