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My Mafia Husband Begged Me Back - Full EP
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Short filmTranscript
00:00The day my daughter died, my husband was standing right there.
00:03The railing gave way.
00:05Kelly and Madeline slipped at the same time.
00:06He grabbed Madeline, without hesitation, and Kelly fell.
00:10She fell right in front of us.
00:12After that, his family blamed me for her death.
00:15His mother held me over a ventilation shaft, and pushed me to the edge again and again,
00:19just to make me feel what Kelly felt in her last seconds.
00:23That was the day I learned I never mattered.
00:25Not to him, not to his family, and my husband.
00:28His response was to offer me 30% of his company shares.
00:31If I took the blame, those were the last honest words I ever said to him.
00:36Because after that, I divorced him, uploaded the recording that proved everything to the
00:40dark web, and boarded a helicopter out of his world forever.
00:44Finally, I was free.
00:46What he didn't know, was that I'd taken more with me, enough to burn his empire to the ground.
00:52After my daughter Kelly died, I erased every habit my arms dealer husband had ever disliked.
00:59I stopped asking, where he went.
01:01I slept just fine, when he didn't come home.
01:05Even after I was injured in an explosion, the medic told me to notify my family.
01:10I just replied calmly.
01:11I don't have any.
01:13A nurse recognized me.
01:15Mrs. Curran, right?
01:18Mr. Curran is right next door.
01:20Should I inform him?
01:22I shook my head.
01:23That won't be necessary.
01:26Thirty minutes later, Everett showed up anyway.
01:29His sharp eyes carried their usual oppressive intensity.
01:32Why didn't you tell me you were injured?
01:34I lowered my gaze.
01:36Just shrapnel scratches.
01:38Nothing serious.
01:40My indifference irritated him.
01:42He was about to speak.
01:44When the guard's voices drifted in from outside.
01:47Mr. Curran really cares about Mrs. Finley.
01:50She only twisted her ankle.
01:52He called in a helicopter and carried her on and off himself.
01:56He wouldn't even let her feet touch the ground.
01:59Everett panicked.
02:00He glanced at me, waiting for me to make a scene like I used to.
02:03But I didn't even blink.
02:06I simply leaned back against the pillow and closed my eyes.
02:13The air around Everett grew heavy.
02:16Don't listen to them.
02:19Madeline is a specialist in the company.
02:22If she's hurt, it affects operations.
02:26I'm just doing it for the greater good.
02:28I nodded without a word.
02:30His temper flared.
02:31You don't believe me?
02:33I do.
02:35You personally trained Madeline to keep personnel.
02:38And you're her superior.
02:41It's only natural you look out for her.
02:44My calm response unsettled him.
02:45More than anger ever could.
02:47A loud crash echoed from outside.
02:51Madeline staggered into here.
02:53And collapsed right in front of my ward.
02:56Everett strode over.
02:57And swept her into his arms.
02:59What are you doing here?
03:00Didn't I tell you to stay in bed?
03:04I heard Mrs. Curran got hurt.
03:07I came to check on her.
03:09She shrank into his embrace.
03:11As if I were something to fear.
03:13Mrs. Curran.
03:15Please.
03:15Don't blame me.
03:18I never meant for Kelly to die.
03:21In the past, I would have seized him by the collar.
03:24I would have demanded to know why he was shielding the woman.
03:26Responsible for our daughter's death.
03:29But now...
03:33I just stared at the ceiling in silence.
03:35I'm taking Madeline back to her ward.
03:37I'll be right back.
03:39Everett turned and carried her away.
03:41It was midnight.
03:42He still hadn't come back.
03:45Instead, I got a call from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
03:49Mrs. Simpson.
03:50Are you absolutely sure you want to join the Welkin Shield Project?
03:53This is a classified initiative at the highest level.
03:55Once you're in, you'll be stationed at the base for a minimum of 20 years.
04:00Completely cut off from the outside world.
04:01That includes your husband.
04:03Yes.
04:05I'm sure.
04:07The person on the other end hesitated.
04:10If you change your mind, you have three days to withdraw.
04:14After all, you used to care so much about Mr. Curran.
04:18I won't regret it.
04:20Because I don't love him anymore.
04:28The next second, the door slammed open.
04:31Everett stood there.
04:32His gaze icy.
04:36You don't love me anymore?
04:38I dare you to say that again, Alicia!
04:43I quietly ended the call and closed my eyes, fending sleep.
04:48Everett approached.
04:48His presence cold and commanding.
04:50But he paused when he saw my tightly shut eyes.
04:53He thought I'd been talking in my sleep.
04:55His frown eased slightly, yet somehow that only fueled his anger further.
05:02He couldn't stand the thought of me leaving him, even in dreams.
05:05He grabbed my wrist and then shook me awake.
05:10Allie, did you have a nightmare?
05:12I lowered my eyes.
05:14I dreamed about Kelly.
05:18The word struck him like a blade.
05:20He pulled me into his arms.
05:23Allie will have more children.
05:26Lots of them.
05:29I said nothing.
05:31My heart was damaged beyond on repair.
05:34And even my tears had long since run dry.
05:42Kelly was gone.
05:43Did he really believe another child could erase that?
05:49Everett, it's the middle of the night.
05:51Why are you here?
05:52He looked caught off guard.
05:55Allie, Maddie's stomach is bothering her.
05:57She's craving that soup you make.
06:02My body went ice cold.
06:07I just survived an explosion.
06:09Shrapnel was still embedded in my body.
06:11And here was at Everett, waking me in the dead of night to make soup for Madeline.
06:15Give me a pen and paper.
06:17I'll write down the recipe.
06:19Everett signaled one of his men to bring them.
06:24As I handed him the paper, his fingertips trembled.
06:29Recognition dawned on him.
06:33Once, long ago, he'd asked me for that recipe.
06:37Back then, I'd told him,
06:39I'll give it to you the day we part ways.
06:41As long as we're together.
06:43Father, I'll always make the soup for you myself.
06:46Now I'd handed it over without a second thought.
06:49Mr. Curran, Miss Finley is in considerable pain.
06:51She's been asking for you.
06:52He frowned and strode out without a backward glance.
06:55I was accustomed to this by now.
06:57I closed my eyes and tried to rest.
07:01But I barely drifted off when a brutal force pulled me up.
07:05Alicia, Maddie coughed up blood after drinking that soup.
07:08Why?
07:10His grip on my chin was punishing.
07:14What did you put in that recipe you gave me?
07:19I glanced at him flat.
07:22You think it's off?
07:23Let the medics check it!
07:27Allie, if you're upset, just say so.
07:30Don't shut me out like this.
07:32I'm your husband, not your enemy.
07:34I closed my eyes.
07:35I have nothing more to say to you.
07:37For a moment, he thought he'd stopped breathing.
07:40What is that supposed to mean?
07:41I fell silent.
07:42As if he weren't even standing there.
07:44Outside, his subordinate's voice filtered through.
07:47Mr. Curran, Mrs. Finley's stomach has been humped.
07:49She's out of danger, but she's terrified.
07:51She keeps calling for you.
07:52I see.
07:53He turned back to give me one deep look.
07:55Get some rest, Allie.
07:57I'll drive you back tomorrow.
07:58That night stretched on, like an endless windchup.
08:01Allie, my daughter, who'd grown inside me for ten months, would be reduced to ashes tomorrow.
08:07Sealed in a cold earth, and laid to rest in dark earth.
08:11The next day, Everett throwed me to the company town, hidden deep in the mountains.
08:16Leaning on my crutch, I made my way into the funeral home, desperate, for one last glimpse
08:21of my little girl.
08:22But the instant I crossed the threshold, Beverly Curran lunged at me like a woman possessed.
08:26You vile bitch!
08:28You actually have the nerve to come back?
08:33Beverly slapped me twice, across the face.
08:36Kelly died because of you!
08:38You knew she was afraid of heights.
08:40Why did you take her to that observation deck?
08:43You wanted her to die.
08:45I went cold.
08:46All over.
08:48Madeline was the one who took Kelly to the observation deck.
08:51Why was Beverly saying it was me?
08:53I turned to look at Everett.
08:55He looked away.
08:56The other parents stepped forward, joining them already as they struck me with colds.
09:00Beat her!
09:01Kill her!
09:01She murdered her own daughter!
09:03Get out!
09:04You don't deserve to see Kelly one last time!
09:07Stoops of batons rained down on me, without mercy.
09:10Someone threw a rock that split my forehead open.
09:12My crutch was wrapped and used as a weapon against me.
09:15I collapsed to the floor, blood and dust smearing across my face.
09:21Enough!
09:22After what felt like an eternity, Everett pushed through and shielded me with his body.
09:29Kelly's death was an accident.
09:31Allie isn't to blame.
09:32Anyone who touches her again will be dealt with according to family rules.
09:39His razor-sharp gaze swept the room, until the crowd slowly dispersed.
09:43Only then did his expression soften.
09:49He lifted me into his arms, and carried me back to our bedroom.
09:53He retrieved the first aid kit to tend to my wounds, but my eyes remained utterly cold.
09:58Everett, Madeline took Kelly to that observation deck.
10:02So why did Beverly say it was me?
10:04His hand holding the gauze paused.
10:06Allie, Maddie is the weapons expert the family invested in.
10:09Her identity is sensitive.
10:12If anyone finds out she was indirectly responsible for Kelly's death, she won't have a place here anymore.
10:18You're different.
10:19You're my wife, under my protection.
10:24Take the blame for her this once, okay?
10:27I'll transfer 30% of Curry Defense Industries' shares to you as compensation.
10:32He watched me with barely concealed unease.
10:33He thought I'd break down crying or lash out.
10:36But my expression stayed so calm.
10:37It sent panic seeping into his chest.
10:40I nearly glanced at him flatly.
10:41Whatever, I don't care.
10:45He should have felt relieved.
10:47Instead, something in his chest tightened painfully.
10:52Allie, don't overthink it.
10:54Maddie is talented.
10:55And that's why I look out for her.
10:57That's all it is.
10:58I understand.
10:59I lowered my head.
11:01You don't need to explain.
11:03Only someone still in deep love.
11:05Needed explanations.
11:07I didn't love him anymore.
11:08So none of his words meant anything to me.
11:11Utterly irritated.
11:12Everett was about to say something.
11:15But before he could, a guard burst in.
11:18Bad news, Mr. Curran.
11:20Mrs. Finley went to pay her respects and ran into Ms. Curran.
11:24They're fighting.
11:25Diane Curran was the family's true-blooded heir.
11:28Everett's expression changed drastically.
11:30Allie, bandage yourself.
11:32I have to handle this.
11:33He strode out hastily.
11:35The moment he left,
11:37Beverly barged in with several of her trusted people.
11:41Alicia, no one's here to protect you now.
11:44Her gaze was pure malice.
11:46Kelly's dead because of you.
11:51I'm going to make sure you understand what it feels like to fall.
11:56She signaled her men to drag me to an abandoned ventilation shaft.
12:01Deep, dark, with cold wind howling up from the bottom.
12:05Kelly fell from that observation top 30 stories high.
12:10Do you have any idea how terrifying that fall was?
12:15Beverly grabbed my hair and forced my upper body over the shaft's edge.
12:20You were right there.
12:22Why didn't you catch her?
12:25Dizziness overwhelmed me.
12:26The darkness below gaped like a monster's mouth.
12:30Beverly pushed me to the edge time and again,
12:32yanking me back only at the last second.
12:35Breathe!
12:35You know how to breathe, don't you?
12:38When Kelly fell, she didn't even have time to cry!
12:42After several rounds of this torture,
12:44a sharp pain tore through my chest.
12:47A metallic taste flooded my mouth.
12:49Blood trickled from the corner of my lips.
12:52Her internal organs might be damaged.
12:55If this keeps up, she could die.
12:57Only then, did Beverly let go?
13:00I slumped to the ground, my consciousness fading.
13:03When I woke, I was in the ward.
13:07Everett sat by the bed.
13:08You're awake, Ellie.
13:10He held my hand.
13:11His eyes bloodshot.
13:13I'm sorry I didn't protect you well enough.
13:16Don't worry.
13:17I've dealt with everyone who hurt you.
13:19I warned Mom, too.
13:20She won't lay a finger on you again.
13:22A deep chill ran through me.
13:24I'd nearly died.
13:26And all he did was warn her.
13:28He still hadn't told her the truth.
13:30He never failed to disappoint me.
13:32Okay.
13:33I closed my eyes, unwilling to say another word.
13:37Allie, I know you're upset about Kelly.
13:39I promise I'll make it up to you.
13:42We have a long future ahead.
13:47I'll make you fall for me again.
13:49He stood and left.
13:50The moment the door closed,
13:52two encrypted messages arrived on my phone.
13:54The first was from the courthouse.
13:56Miss Simpson, your divorce from Mr. Curran has been finalized.
14:00The second was from DARPA.
14:02Miss Simpson, the Welkin Shield project launches tomorrow.
14:06Your helicopter is ready.
14:08I stared at the screen for a long time.
14:11Finally, I let out a relieved smile.
14:14At last, the day had come.
14:16But before I left, I had one last thing to do.
14:19I braced myself on my crutch and walked to Madeline's room.
14:23Alicia?
14:25What are you doing here?
14:27The usual fragile act vanished from her face, replaced by contempt.
14:31Here to look for Rhett?
14:33How pathetic.
14:34Look at how badly you're hurt.
14:37And he hasn't spared you a second glance.
14:39But me?
14:40I twisted my ankle and he stayed by my side around the clock.
14:45I felt nothing.
14:46These petty games over attention no longer concerned me.
14:49I asked only one question.
14:51Madeline?
14:52That day on the observation deck?
14:55Did Kelly fall on her own?
14:57Or did you push her?
14:59Madeline's face split into a wild grin.
15:01Alicia, you know what?
15:03Rhett was there that day too.
15:04The railing gave way.
15:06Kelly and I slipped at the same time.
15:08Rhett grabbed me without hesitation.
15:10And Kelly fell.
15:12She fell right in front of us.
15:13Everett had been there the day Kelly died.
15:16He chose to save Madeline.
15:18He let her daughter fall.
15:21You want to know the funniest part?
15:24Rhett knows I'm trained in climbing.
15:26He knows my balance is perfect.
15:29But his first instinct was still to save me.
15:33Tears blurred my vision.
15:35I swore this would be the last time.
15:37I ever cried for Everett.
15:40I wiped my eyes.
15:41Picked up my crutch.
15:42And walked out.
15:44I moved slowly.
15:45But I never looked back.
15:47Everett.
15:48We no longer have a future.
15:52From now on we won't see each other again.
15:54Not in this life.
15:55Not in the next.
15:56I took a vehicle to the courthouse.
15:58And picked up my divorce decree.
16:00Before getting on the helicopter.
16:02I uploaded the complete recording of my conversation with Madeline.
16:06To the dark web.
16:07Kelly's death was an accident?
16:09The law couldn't touch them?
16:11Then let the truth burn in the shadows.
16:14That was the last thing I did for my daughter.
16:16I threw away my phone.
16:18The helicopter lifted me into the clouds.
16:20Finally.
16:21I was free.
16:24The helicopter punched through layers of clouds.
16:27Below me.
16:27The company town shrunk rapidly.
16:29Until it disappeared behind rolling mountain regions.
16:32I leaned against the cabin wall as the sky out slowly brightened.
16:47My heart no longer beat for Everett.
16:50By the time we landed at the Northwest Air Base.
16:52Dusk had settled over the desert.
16:55The base sat like a steel fortress.
16:57Embedded in the earth.
17:01Welcome.
17:02At Mrs. Simpson.
17:10I'm Vernon Lynch.
17:11Base commander.
17:13As of today.
17:14You're the lead systems engineer for the Weldon Shield project.
17:18This will be your home for the next 20 years.
17:21Or longer.
17:23Home?
17:26The place I'd once called home.
17:28Had long become a hell that consumed me.
17:34Thank you, Commander Lynch.
17:36My voice was calm as I accepted the non-disclosure agreement and ID badge.
17:40Here.
17:42I wasn't Mrs. Scurran.
17:47I was Mrs. Simpson.
17:50That realization brought me an almost cruel sense of relief.
17:56The days blurred into a rhythm of intense work and isolation.
18:03No internet.
18:05No personal communication.
18:07No personal communication.
18:07Only encrypted internal lines and mountains of blueprints and data.
18:12I poured everything into Weldon Shield.
18:15Each problem I solved felt like stripping away another layer of who I used to be.
18:20Occasionally, occasionally, in the dead of night, Kelly's face would flash through my mind.
18:27The dimples when she smiled.
18:31The soft way she called for me when she threw herself into my arms.
18:35My heart would seize, suffocating me with pain.
18:41But I'd force myself back to the flickering screen.
18:47Work was the best sedative.
18:50My deputy, at Damon Jenkins, seemed to sense something my silences.
18:54But he never pried.
18:57He just pushed warm energy drinks my way after I'd worked ten hours straight.
19:02One night, I stood alone in the corridor, staring at the stars through the reinforced glass.
19:08Damon appeared beside me.
19:12He held out a cup of hot coffee without a word.
19:16Then, he walked away.
19:20I wrapped my hands around the warmth.
19:22And for a moment, the night didn't feel quite so endless.
19:25Three years slipped by before I realized it.
19:30Welgel Shield's Phase 1 test platform was about to undergo its inaugural orbital deploy-in.
19:34It was the project's most critical and dangerous stage yet.
19:38The entire base hummed with high pressure mixed with barely-contrained thrill.
19:45Sometime during my eighth month, Vernon called me into his office.
19:50He handed me a classified briefing document, his expression grave.
19:55Something's happened to Curran Defense Industries.
19:58I scanned the contents.
20:00An anonymous source had leaked their covert overseas trading channels, exposing a web of black market weapons deals.
20:08The information had been released in carefully-timed batches to international regulators.
20:15Each leak landed like a precision strike.
20:20Curran Defense Industries had once seemed like an unsinkable juggernaut.
20:27Now it was sinking at astonishing speed.
20:31Very professional work.
20:33Pinpoint intel.
20:38Feels like someone on the inside.
20:41Vernon's gaze carried both scrutiny and a hint of probing.
20:48I set the briefing down, my face revealing nothing.
20:52Commander Lynch, right now, all I care about is whether we can push Weldok Shield's efficiency by 3%.
20:58Current Defense Industries situation is none of my concern.
21:06I see.
21:07Get back to work.
21:13In the dead of night, when I faced the stars alone, I'd think about the recording I'd uploaded before I
21:17left.
21:18That was just the spark.
21:22The information that followed was more fatal.
21:25More precise.
21:27I'd collected it during my years with the Curranton family.
21:31In Everett's study, in encrypted server logs, beside weapons designs he thought I didn't understand.
21:38Like a trapped animal, I'd subconsciously gathered it all.
21:41The day I left, together with that recording, I set it all as a timed release gift.
21:46I wondered if Everett appreciated my parting gesture.
21:5272 hours before launch, I'd practically moved into mission control.
21:57The entire base held its breath.
22:02During the final full system integration check, an unexpected alert flashed across the main display.
22:09A minuscule anomaly in the orbital parameters.
22:13Probably background radiation interference or minor sensor drift.
22:19I'm not bashed, though.
22:20It's within acceptable tolerarity.
22:23But Damon kept comparing the data, frowning.
22:27Miss Simpson, the fluctuation pattern is unusual.
22:30I don't think it's natural interference.
22:35Looks more like some kind of signal injection.
22:41My heart tightened.
22:42I immediately pulled all relevant logs and ordered a full investigation.
22:47Something wasn't right.
22:52Someone had touched the system.
22:59A few hours later, the investigation results came back, sending a chill straight through me.
23:04Three days ago, someone had used a brief maintenance window to implant malicious code into the core navigation substabray.
23:09The code wasn't designed to cause immediate destruction.
23:14It was programmed to trigger cumulative errors under specific conditions.
23:19Eventually causing the platform to drift off course or fail completely.
23:25Luckily, we'd caught the injurgeon in time and purged the code.
23:32Before it could do any real damage.
23:35The Weckl Shield project was classified at the highest level.
23:41An external cyber attack was practically impossible.
23:45This had to be an inside job or someone with extremely high level access.
23:49Security launched an immediate investigation.
23:54The trail went cold when they traced it to a young technician responsible for a peripheral data interface.
24:02He'd gone missing the day before the incident.
24:07They found his abandoned vehicle, out in the desert.
24:14The car yielded no useful leads.
24:16Just a faint, distinctive scent that lingered in the air.
24:20A mixture of gunpowder and fur.
24:25My fingernails dug into my palms.
24:28As I recognized it instantly.
24:30It was Everett's signature custom blended cologne.
24:33The scent unique and long-lasting.
24:37He'd once mentioned casually.
24:39That the scent helped him maintain absolute calm.
24:43Was it him?
24:44Had he found this place?
24:46Or had he sent one of his men?
24:50Vernon's face turned livid.
24:52He immediately elevated the base's security alert level and reported directly to higher command.
24:57The instructions came back swiftly.
25:00Proceed with the launch as scheduled.
25:02But activate the highest emergency protocols.
25:05Launch day dawned bright and clear over the desert.
25:08The massive launch tower stood upright against the sky.
25:17Inside mission control.
25:18The atmosphere was heavy with tension.
25:21Everyone remained glued to their workstations.
25:25Focus absolute.
25:31I sat in the chief engineer's seat.
25:33Facing multiple screens displaying different data.
25:36My heartbeat stayed steady.
25:39Everything else.
25:40The tangled thoughts.
25:42The painful memories.
25:43Even the recent security breach.
25:46Was forcefully pushed to the periphery of my mind.
25:50For now.
25:51My entire world consisted of jumping data points and flowing curves.
25:56One minute to launch.
26:0010, 9, 8.
26:043, 2, 1.
26:07Ignition.
26:11the roar reached us through the ground itself on the screens the rocket lifted off steadily
26:20first stage separation nominee second stage ignition nominee orbit insertion phase the
26:27platform successfully entered its designated orbit the solar panels began to deploy
26:43i leaned back in my chair and let out a long breath
26:53miss simpson we actually did it his eyes met mine for a single bright moment and he looked away first
27:05i accepted the glass and nodded at daemon but deep down i couldn't shake the unease that clung to me
27:13like a second skin the security breach remained unsolved the celebration was brief i retreated
27:20to my office and pulled up every report related to the intrusion night fell the base settled into
27:27silence i rubbed my throbbing temples finally ready to call it a night i powered down my main system
27:33and was about to stand then the screen of my dedicated terminal the one used for top secret work
27:39physically air gapped from every other network flickered to life on its own no login interface
27:44no system prompt against the black background a single line of white text floated like something
27:51risen from the depths let's talk ali my blood turned to ice
28:00the words lingered for perhaps five seconds before vanishing the screen went back to sleep mode as if
28:08nothing had happened but i knew with absolute certainty that i hadn't imagined it my terminal had the highest
28:15possible security clearance theoretically external intrusion was impossible unless someone on the
28:20inside had cooperated or an unknown vulnerability had been exploited my mind flashed back to the
28:26malicious code from days ago everett he'd actually extended his reach this far rage ignited inside me
28:32burning hot enough to freeze my hands how dare he touch welkin shield this wasn't just personal anymore
28:37it was a direct threat to national security i hit the internal emergency communication button immediately
28:44vernon and the head of security arrived within minutes
28:49the tech experts conducted a thorough sweep of the terminal
28:55they found an extremely sophisticated deeply hidden access point its source untraceable
29:05implemented with a level of professionalism that only a handful of people in the world could achieve
29:14full sweep of every internal network and physical port now
29:20vernon's expression was darker than i'd ever seen it mrs simpson it's clear you're the target
29:27we need to know what he wants and how you plan to handle it i sat in silence for a
29:31moment thinking
29:33everett had gone to these lengths to find me he already knew about my involvement in welkin shield
29:40he might also have discovered my role in the leaks against current defense industries
29:58i'll talk to him my voice was calmer than i felt completely devoid of warmth vernon pondered for a moment
30:05then he exchanged a look with the security chief
30:09and finally nodded
30:12okay we'll set it up
30:15but miss simpson remember who you are now
30:23i'm at his gaze without flinching i know exactly who i am
30:26i'm the chief engineer of welkin shield the project lead that comes before everything else but it has to
30:32be in a completely controlled environment i need an isolated one-way communication channel fully
30:36transparent with no possibility of traceback or additional infiltration the entire conversation
30:41must be monitored and recorded they arranged the communication in a special isolation bay the room
30:49contained only the most basic audio equipment all signals were encrypted and filtered through multiple
30:55layers at the appointed time i sat down in the bay a microphone in front of me
31:03the communication went through no video just the faint static hum of electrons
31:12then that voice reached me through the speakers the voice i thought i'd long buried in the past
31:18it was deep rough around the edges carrying an exhaustion i couldn't quite place
31:23and something that almost sounded like urgency
31:26ali
31:33that single word pierced my ears i clenched my hands against my knees fingernails digging deep into flesh
31:42using the pain to anchor myself in absolute calm
31:48mr corin my voice came out steady and flat you've illegally breached a national level classified
31:54base communication system do you have any idea what that means several seconds of silence passed
32:03then an almost imperceptible sigh filtered through yes i know exactly what it means but
32:11i needed to see you or at least hear you for the sake of those shady deals you've been running
32:17or to make
32:17things right for your beloved madeline i let icy mockery seep into my tone
32:23the recording and those files did you enjoy them those his voice turned rough fractured
32:31i deserved every bit of that but that's not why i'm reaching out to you
32:40oh then what to catch up
32:47i'm sorry mr corin but there's nothing left between us to catch up on
32:53ally his voice rose carrying suppressed agony
32:57please don't be like this i know i was wrong i was ridiculously wrong i've spent every day of the
33:05past three years repenting i cut him off the absurdity of it almost making me laugh
33:13what good does that do can it bring kelly back can it undo the choice you made that day can
33:19it make
33:20up for the fact that beverly nearly killed me or whitewash those shady deals you built your empire on
33:25my garage of keston left him trapped in a long silence when he finally spoke again his voice was
33:31utterly wrecked about kelly i got to the bottom of it it was madly she loosened the screws on that
33:39old
33:39railing back then i thought it was just an accident i was afraid that if my family found out it
33:44was her
33:45they'd deal with her so i so you made me the scapegoat you let your mother and your entire family
33:52torture me like i was the one who killed my own daughter my voice trembled uncontrollably not from
33:59sorrow but from pure fury
34:05everett your devotion to talent your protective instincts how impressive
34:09i should probably applaud you do you have any idea what beverly did that day
34:13she nearly threw me down that ventilation shaft she said she'd make sure i experienced exactly how
34:18desperate kelly must have felt i i didn't know she'd go that far i warned her his words came out
34:23rushed desperate ali i'm sorry i'm so sorry i'll make it up to you with everything i have
34:31i'll give up current defense industries i'll do anything save it i cut him off sharply all the
34:37emotions i'd suppressed surged up cracking through my carefully constructed calm everett nothing you do
34:42means anything to me anymore not your compensation not curry defense industries not a single thing
34:48you have to offer from the moment you chose to save madeline and let kelly fall the only thing left
34:56between us was hatred listen to me carefully hatred tears welled up uncontrollably but i wiped them away
35:07instantly my voice turning even colder harder you risked everything to contact me today if this is
35:15what you wanted to hear congratulations you've heard it if you had some other agenda take my advice
35:23stop while you still can weldl shield is not something you can touch those little games you've been
35:30playing they've already caught the attention of people far above my pay grade keep going
35:37and business sanctions will be the least of your worries i drew a deep breath using the last ounce
35:43of my strength to form each word everett you and i were finished a long time ago we were done
35:51the
35:51moment i left that company town and uploaded that recording no that's not right
36:04we were done even before that we were done for good the moment kelly died the moment you chose to
36:11protect her killer don't come looking for me again
36:19don't ever show up in my world again if you have even the slightest trace of conscience left stay
36:26away from me and my project otherwise i won't hesitate to put you exactly where you belong
36:33i cut the connection without waiting for his response my finger trembled slightly as i pressed the disconnect button
36:44the isolation bay door opened vernon and the security chief stepped in
36:50their expressions complicated they'd clearly hurt everything
36:59what's this is
37:02vernon hesitated
37:07i looked up
37:11the tears on my face had already dried leaving only exhaustion and absolute calm in their wake
37:19commander lynch i'll submit a detailed report on this incident
37:23i recommend we report this immediately and conduct a full assessment of the base's security system
37:30you
37:32the security chief looked at me are you all right i'm fine
37:38the orbital calibration data for welkin shield still needs review i'm heading back to mission control
37:46i turned and walked out my foot stemped steady not a tremor only i knew that somewhere deep inside
37:52in that corner of my heart where i'd stored the last fragile fragments of my past something had finally
37:56died along with that conversation after that exchange the base entered an unprecedented state
38:03of heightened alert security systems underwent complete upgrades everett hadn't tried anything else
38:10no further communication attempts no new signs of malicious activity
38:15it almost felt as if my resolute declaration had actually worked but no one dared relax the collapse of current
38:22defense industries accelerated faster than anyone predicted the once mighty empire had crumbled to
38:28fragments i threw myself back into welcome shield work became the sole purpose of my existence the most
38:35a solid barrier i could build between myself and the past
38:41damon grew quieter and also more devoted to the work in those days he was no longer just my deputy
38:49he developed into someone with remarkable talent we developed a shorthand that didn't require words
38:56sometimes a single glance was enough to communicate exactly what needed to be done
39:03still i kept my distance the emotional wounds of the past still haunted me
39:15any intimacy beyond professional collaboration made me instinctively pull back until the night the storm
39:32came
39:33a rare violent tempest swept across the desert
39:38damon and i worked late into the night in the lab
39:41trying to dedock a critical energy relay algorithm lightning tore through the sky as thunder crashed and
39:48rolled wind howled as it hurled sand and gravel against the reinforced glass
40:03suddenly the emergency lights kicked on backup power kicked in immediately
40:10but some non-essential systems were still affected including the lab's door locks
40:20we were trapped inside
40:24a voice crackled through the communicator from the duty room
40:42lightning had struck the external power lines
40:52repairs would take time we had to wait where we were
41:01the lab existed now in near darkness illuminated by your darkness illuminated only by the emergency
41:08lights dim glow and the occasional flash of lightning
41:12damon and i sat side by side on the edge of a lab table for a long moment neither of
41:18us spoke
41:21this is mr simpson his voice emerged softly almost swallowed by the dim space and the thunder have you ever
41:28thought about what you'll do after well and shield is completely finished
41:33the question caught me off guard no i admitted honestly doing my job well right now that's enough for me
41:41i fell silent for a moment and turned to look at me
41:51sometimes i think maybe when this is all over i'll go see the ocean
42:00the real one
42:04i want to know what it feels like to be surrounded by seawater
42:13is it really true what they say that it can wash away your troubles
42:21um
42:25it will
42:27i said homely dake everett you should go after the project succeeds
42:34will you come with me his question came suddenly his tone careful i froze unsure how to answer
42:42a brilliant flash of lightning illuminated the entire lab
42:47in that stark momentary light i saw it clearly the affection and anticipation in his eyes there for
42:54me to read before he could conceal it
43:00i stood abruptly and walked to the large observation window in the distance pale streaks of dawn pushing
43:08through the darkness darkness that had held us all night i gazed eastward as the sky brightened
43:13darkness would soon be gone
43:16above me the stars in the sky the ones i had sworn to guard were embracing a new dawn
43:24i didn't turn around but my fingers which had been clenched tight at my sides slowly uncurled
43:36and just barely they brushed against the hand damon had rested on the windowsill beside me
43:42i wasn't ready
43:45but for the first time in three years
43:53i thought maybe someday i could be
43:58i was
43:58so
43:58so
43:59so
44:00i
44:00i
44:00i
44:00i
44:00i
44:01i
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