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And then Irene Harte strode in

Bryn’s immediate first impression was that she was in the presence of soh-powered politician, actress, royalty Someone as important The smile Irene bestowed on her confirmed it--it arm and professional, but somehow also definitely superior

Bryn came around the desk as Ms Harte held out her very well-manicured hand and said, "Miss Davis? Irene Harte, Pharmadene Pharmaceuticals Very pleased to meet you"

The handshake that folloas brief and ied a polite snored the offer to sit, and instead stood there in her six-hundred-dollar pumps and studied Bryn with the i a spreadsheet "I understand that you’ve been briefed on the trouble we had with Mr Fairview and his operations," Harte said, "and that you are unable to provide us with the identity of the person fro his … supplies Is that correct?"

Behind her, Patrick McCallister quietly entered the room, closed the door, and took up a post with his back to it--at parade rest, like the other security ht nod and as almost a smile

Bryn cleared her throat "No, ma’am, that’s not correct"

"No?" Harte’s eyebrows clihten me"

"I’m not unable to provide you with that information I just don’t yet have all the facts"

"Excuse , beautiful face had gone still and expressionless "Either you know or you don’t, Miss Davis"

"I’et that information for you It will just take some ti that I don’t like to spend, not on so as volatile and sensitive as this Pharnificant intellectual capital risk at stake, and I can’t afford to fund your fact-finding expedition Nor can I afford to spend valuable supplies of Returné in hopes that you can one day provide some small return on my investment" Harte’s eyes were ice-cold, so cold that Bryn didn’t actually register the any particular kind of color "I’reen-lighting this project I’ll have to ter"

"Why don’t you say what youher fists clench at her sides "You’re not terht You’re in a very unfortunate position, Miss Davis, there’s no doubt about that, but this is a business decision Your life ended in a brutal and unnatural way, but Phar your life support indefinitely is so even charities are reluctant to do when no hope exists for recovery You won’t recover, you know Ever"

There was, Bryn realized, no reaching her on any human level Irene Harte had no emotional buttons to press; her control and the ss aht "Howyou?"

"Excuseyou plenty, but that’s not the real probleet their hands on it, they can do so and co your patent opportunities before you really get the drug out there Right? That’s worth millions Billions Bill Gates money"

Harte still didn’t answer, but Bryn definitely had her attention

"What’s it worth to you in the boardroo the one to fall on your sword? A few millions in bonuses to you, personally? A proet another step up on the ladder" No reaction still, but Bryn kept going She had, she realized, nothing at all to lose "And howfor an excuse to kick you down a rung or two?"

That created a flicker in Harte’s calm, just a second of real ee of relief Not that she’d won, far from it But she’d actually reached her

Whether it would ether

It took an obscenely long ti, but when she finally did, it wasn’t to Bryn at all The woman turned to stare at McCallister, and said, "Patrick, this was your idea Will you stand by it?"

"Yes," he said Just the one word, as solid as concrete He didn’t try to explain, or coax, or threaten He just gave her the certainty of his conviction, and waited