Page 91 of The Tomorrows After You
The Riot Asher Story
A Golden Boy’s Fall from Grace
Black spots appeared at the side of my vision and began to close in. I screamed at myself to move. To do something. I shook my head. It couldn’t be what I thought it was. Nicolette swore she would never tell anyone.
When had this binder come for her?
I studied the torn envelope he’d handed to me underneath it. The post date was over three weeks ago. Before she’d even uncovered the truth about my mother’s death.
I made every excuse for her in my head. I convinced myself, my breath growing shallow, that there had to be some kind of explanation.
She was under duress. The studio kidnapped her parents and threatened to kill them unless she came here to finish the story. Ormaybe she’d been injected with a lethal poison. The only way they’d give her the antidote was to get me to talk.
But I knew that was ridiculous. And when I read the handwritten sticky note on the inside cover, my heart crumbled to a thousand pieces.
Nicolette - Hereisthe official treatment for thefeaturedepisode. Therearethree possible narratives we can end with. Youletme know what you thinkwillmake the most sense with Riot’s version of events.
If anyone can crack him, it’s you, Bloodhound!
Go get him! -Melody
Ibeganto flip through the binder, the unfiltered truthslappingme in the face with each page turn.
35
Nicolette
Back in my car, I drove a few streets up before pulling over to retrieve the phone from my back. For grins, I hit the power button but the cracked screen remained black. I searched for the power port and another wave of excitement lit me up inside. It was a standard USB Micro-B port. I needed to get this phone plugged into my laptop. I already had recovery software, and I was hoping the memory on the phone wasn’t destroyed.
Ispedto the library,knowingI couldn’t go through this stuff at Riot’s house yet. Isentall the photosI’dtakento my email so I could go through them on a larger screen.
When I entered the library, my phone rang. I answered after seeing that it was Dr. Moore.
“Dr. Moore, thank you for calling me back.”
“What can I do for you, kiddo?” He sounded like he was in the car.
“The cancer drug trial thatthey’rerunning at the hospital. It’s with Echidna Pharmaceuticals, right?”
“Yes, I believe that’s the one.”
“How far along is it?”
“It’s already in the FDA’s hands for approval.I’mheadingto a conference now wherethey’regoingtogo over the results. I hear the latest trialswerequite a success.”
“And what happens if the drug getspassed?”
“Then it goes into mass production.”
“And Echidna Pharmaceuticals’ stock?”
He paused, taken back by my change in direction.
“Well, I would imagine that stock wouldbecomeextremely valuable.”
“And its shareholders?”
“Would stand to make a heck of a lot of money.”
