Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 95

(Dennis'

POV)

I sat across from Travis in the dining room, the glow from his tablet casting harsh shadows on his face. The air was heavy with tension, but I couldn't tell if it was from the topic we were about to discuss or the fact that we hadn't spoken this openly in years. He was scrolling through emails but his fingers were moving slower than usual and his eyes flickered with something I didn't recognize.

"We need to talk about Angel and Hendrix," I said, breaking the silence.

Travis glanced up and furrowed his brows. "What about them?"

"They're... liabilities," I said carefully, measuring my words. "The center has been keeping them for months, and we still don't have clear results from Hendrix's treatments. As for Angel, I" I stopped myself, my throat tightening. "I'm not sure why she's even still there."

Travis set the tablet down and folded his hands. "Angel's there because you sent her, Dennis. Don't act like this wasn't your call."

I bristled at his tone but didn't argue. He was right. It was my decision to send Angel with Hendrix. At the time, it had seemed logical-she could keep an eye on him, make sure he stayed on track. But now, I wasn't so sure. "They're planning another inspection," I said instead, steering the conversation back to safer territory. "Dr. Joe mentioned it in his last report. He thinks some patients need to be... handled."

Travis's face darkened. "Handled how?"

"You know how," I said. "Removed. Quietly."

He leaned back in his chair. I couldn't read his expression. "And you're okay with that?"

I hesitated. Was I okay with it? The thought of Angel being caught in the crossfire made me worried, but I couldn't let my emotions cloud my judgment. "It's not about being okay," I said finally. "It's about survival. If they can't deliver results, they're expendable."

the look in his eyes told me he was thinking the same thing I was: this wasn't just

I said and pulled out my planner. "We need to go over

"Fine.

off. "Nothing will happen to them. Not if we

He didn't look convinced.

...

(Dr. Joe's POV)

the screen. The scheduled Skype meeting blinked in bold letters across the top. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, but I couldn't

shoulders I didn't know if I was prepared to carry. Dennis and Travis were always pushing for results, always demanding more. They didn't understand the intricacies of what we were doing here, how we needed to

leaned back in

truth was, the center was at a critical juncture. The experiments were progressing, yes, but not without complications. Patients like their beloved Hendrix were becoming unpredictable. Their resistance was threatening to derail everything. And then

pulled me

expression

on the desk," I said and waved them in. They hurried to comply and set down a stack of folders

the top file, my eyes scanning the data. Bloodwork, behavioral reports, treatment logs. It was all there, neatly organized and utterly damning. If anyone outside the center got

wasn't going to happen. Not while I was in

shifted to a photo on the corner of my desk. It was the only personal item in the otherwise Godawefully-clean office. It was a picture of Dr. Aurora; her sharp features were softened by a rare smile hidden behind her signature mask and Bohemian-sized glasses. She had been my mentor, my guide, the one who had brought me into this world of cutting-edge science

Aurora always knows best," I murmured, almost

on keeping Dennis in the loop, on treating her like some kind of VIP, made no sense to me. Dennis

matter. Aurora's word was law, and questioning her was

and clicked on the Skype link. Dennis and Travis appeared on the screen, their faces as tense as I expected. "Let's

•

word was carefully chosen and each point was meticulously dissected. I presented the latest data, highlighting the successes while downplaying the failures. Dennis was stone-faced, and her questions cut