Chapter 17 - THE MERGER VOTE
Victor's arrest did not save Maren Biomedical.
Not immediately.
The merger vote was now twenty-four hours away.
The stock remained unstable.
Rumors spread that Trial 47 had caused a child's death.
Competitors demanded regulatory investigation.
Employees received threatening emails.
Two board members resigned.
The merger partner considered withdrawing.
Maya understood Victor's final advantage.
Even exposed, he had poisoned confidence.
Her father's company might collapse under the truth required to prosecute him.
The board called Maya into an emergency session.
She attended by secure link.
Some directors wanted to postpone the merger.
Others wanted to terminate Trial 47 immediately.
One director wanted Maya to remain silent publicly until the stock stabilized.
Maya listened for twenty minutes.
Then she interrupted.
"No."
The chairman frowned.
"No to which point?"
"To hiding."
Silence.
Maya continued.
"A child died because adults treated secrecy as an asset."
Her voice did not shake.
"I will not protect this company by repeating the same behavior."
A director leaned toward his camera.
"Maya, no one is suggesting criminal concealment."
"You are suggesting we speak around the truth because the stock might fall."
"We have twelve thousand employees."
"I know."
"Then you understand our duty."
Maya looked at the faces on screen.
"My father used to say reputation is what people think happened and integrity is what actually happened."
The room quieted.
"Publish the facts we are legally allowed to publish. State clearly that investigational material appears to have been stolen and misused outside any authorized study. Invite regulators in. Suspend Trial 47 voluntarily until independent review is complete."
The CFO blanched.
"The market will punish us."
"Maybe."
"The merger may fail."
"Maybe."
"And Hawthorne's short position benefits."
Maya leaned forward.
"Then let them make money while their chairman sits in a cell. We are not going to become criminals to beat criminals."
The board voted.
Eight to three.
Full disclosure.
Independent review.
Temporary suspension of Trial 47.
The market opened violently the next morning.
Maren stock fell another eighteen percent in the first hour.
Then something unexpected happened.
The merger partner issued a statement supporting the transparency measures.
Regulators confirmed there was no evidence the authorized Trial 47 study had dosed any child.
Two major institutional investors announced they would maintain their positions.
By noon, the stock recovered half the decline.
By closing, it was down only four percent.
Hawthorne's short trade made money.
But not enough to cover the losses caused by frozen accounts and criminal forfeiture exposure.
Victor had tried to turn truth into a weapon.
Maya had removed the handle.
The merger vote proceeded.
Because Maya's disputed shares remained frozen, she could not decide the result.
That had once terrified her.
Now she saw the strange justice in it.
No single family should determine the future of thousands of employees in secret.
Other shareholders voted.
The merger passed by 2.3 percent.
Maren Biomedical survived.
After the result, Maya went alone into Lily's room at the secure house.
It was not Lily's real room.
Only boxes.
She opened one marked SCHOOL.
Inside was a drawing.
Three stick figures held hands under a yellow sun.
MOMMY.
LILY.
DADDY.
David's figure wore a blue tie.
Maya sat on the floor and cried quietly.
She did not tear the picture.
She did not erase him.
Lily had loved her father.
That truth belonged to Lily.
David's crimes did not get to rewrite her childhood after death.
Marcus called that evening.
"The grand jury returned superseding indictments."
Maya wiped her face.
"Charges?"
"For David: financial conspiracy, fraud, obstruction, unlawful administration of substances to a minor, child endangerment, and a homicide count based on reckless and knowing conduct."
Maya closed her eyes.
"Victor?"
"Conspiracy, fraud, witness intimidation, theft of research material, obstruction, and homicide-related conspiracy."
"Claire?"
"Cooperating. Still charged."
"Julianne?"
"Same."
"Nathan?"
"Same."
Maya looked at Lily's drawing.
"When is trial?"
"Months away."
She nodded.
"There is one more thing."
Maya almost laughed.
"Marcus."
"I know."
"What?"
"David wants to see you."
Maya's face became still.
"No."
"He says he has information he will only give you directly."
"Then he can keep it."
"He says it concerns Lily's last night."
May you like
Maya stopped breathing.
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