Page 149 of Desecrated Saints
Sitting next to him, agents Barlow and Jonas look solemn. Their resignations were quickly halted when news of our stories spread like wildfire. They were the ones who raised the alert and went above the blanket decision made by their director. Now, they’re lauded as heroes.
Bancroft knew exactly where to place his own stooge.
Turns out, the director was an old family friend.
One of many in positions of extreme power.
“As the work to dismantle Incendia and the six institutes continues, my team will dedicate all of our resources to seeking justice for the victims.” Hunter casts us all a look. “I am requesting privacy for my clients to rest and recuperate. That is all.”
Phoenix is squeezing my other hand ferociously tight. We’re all connected, needing the reassurance of each other’s touch. Enzo stands off to the side, his beefy arms crossed and scowl firmly in place. Nobody would dare go through him to get to us.
We’re led from the conference room, blinded by flashing cameras. I rip the microphone off my t-shirt as soon as we’re out of sight behind the scenes. This was our final round of questions with the press. The SCU have cancelled all future requests as they officially take over from Sabre.
It will take time, but Incendia is on fire.
The legacy of sorrow is no more.
Each day reveals new levels of corruption—politicians, police officers, members of parliament, the secret service and other turncoats within the SCU. Like dominoes, once one fell, the rest quickly followed. The footage of many public figures and investors watching Bancroft’s failed execution was a strong condemnation.
“Head for Theo’s office,” Enzo instructs.
We gather upstairs in the messy, disorganised space. Theo’s sat at his desk, slurping a cup of ramen and watching the live stream far from prying eyes. As we enter, he startles and nearly knocks a cup of coffee over.
“Too slow.” Hudson catches the cup easily.
Theo takes it from him with a wince. “It’s been a long week. Our public appeal for information has been inundated with ex-patients and detainees coming forward to assist with the investigation.”
“From Blackwood?” Brooklyn leans against his desk.
“Harrowdean Manor, Compton Hall, and Priory Lane so far.” He frowns at his piece of paper. “More will follow. Incendia’s been abusing their privilege for thirty years. Now that the truth is out, people aren’t afraid to speak up.”
Phoenix snorts. “Snowball effect.”
“Not to mention three other facilities decommissioned during the late nineties. Incendia tightened the purse strings, but that didn’t erase the evidence. We have hundreds of witnesses ready to go on record.”
Hunter strolls in with the two proud agents at his back, finally escaping the reporters. There’s something very weird going on with his mouth. I think it’s an attempted smile. I had no idea he could do that. The grief that’s stained his entire being for so long is absent today.
Agent Barlow deposits her briefcase on one of Theo’s cluttered tables. We all gather around as she pulls out thick stacks of paperwork and several ring-bound packets. Each one is placed down in front of us with a meaningful look. I count six legal packets in total.
“Andy, can you take these to Lucia and Patient Two for their signatures?”
Accepting the papers, Agent Jonas offers us all a final smile. The unshakeable government bot has become one of our strongest supporters in the absolute chaos of the last few weeks. All that time spent spilling our guts has earned us something—loyalty and respect. All it took was telling the truth.
Once he’s gone to visit the girls in their apartment, Agent Barlow returns her attention to us all. “Are we ready?”
“Everyone’s here,” Hunter confirms.
One by one, we’re each handed a packet of paperwork and a pen. Kade glances between us, a smile tugging at his lips. We’ve all got one, even Seven. He’s frowning at the pen like it’s a snake ready to bite his hand off.
“The SCU has been authorised by the prime minister himself to issue a full and unreserved public apology.” Agent Barlow meets our eyes. “You have all lost years of your life and suffered irreparable damage. For that, the government takes full responsibility.”
Hudson gasps as he scans his packet. “You’re dropping all charges?”
“Every single one. No prosecutions will be pursued against you. Any and all crimes committed in Incendia’s custody and in recent weeks are being classified as under duress. Nobody is going to prison.”
Kade and his brother immediately throw their arms around each other. I’m swept off my feet by Phoenix, his squeal of relief breaking through the shock. We did it. This nightmare is over. Our lives have been given back to us. I’ve never felt hope like this.
But two of us aren’t celebrating.
