Chapter 42 - The Smear Campaign
Marcus grabbed the remote and turned on the wall-mounted television.
The screen flashed with breaking news banners from every major global network: *CATASTROPHIC CONTAMINATION AT LIN FOUNDATION GENEVA FACILITY.*
A slick, grim-faced anchor stood before footage of emergency vehicles surrounding the smoldering remains of our Swiss research wing.
*"Authorities in Geneva are investigating an alleged hazardous bio-material leak following an explosion at the Lin Medical Research Foundation's primary European laboratory,"* the reporter announced. *"Sources within the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health allege that Dr. Sarah Lin’s foundation was conducting unauthorized genetic testing outside international bio-safety protocols, leading to the catastrophic containment failure."*
The screen cut to a recorded press briefing. Standing at the podium was Dr. Henrik Voss, Chief Medical Officer of Helios Biologics and a prominent member of the World Health Regulatory Council.
*"This is a dark day for medical science,"* Voss said smoothly, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses with an expression of profound sorrow. *"For months, our team warned international oversight bodies that the Lin Foundation’s pediatric trials were rushed, volatile, and dangerously unstable. Today, our worst fears were realized. We call upon the FDA, the European Medicines Agency, and the United Nations to immediately suspend Dr. Lin’s scientific license and freeze all assets associated with her foundation pending an international criminal inquiry."*
"They blew up our facility and framed us for criminal negligence," Clara gasped, covering her mouth in horror. "They're turning the world against you before you can even present the truth!"
"It’s standard corporate warfare," Marcus said coldly, switching off the television. "Control the narrative within the first four hours, force the regulatory bodies into emergency suspensions, and freeze our bank accounts so we can’t afford the legal fees or security infrastructure to fight back."
"Except they made one fatal calculation," I said, standing up from the table.
Both Marcus and Clara looked at me.
"They assume my research exists only in Geneva's servers and New York's archives," I continued, my mind sharp, cold, and calculating. "They don't realize that before I ever published a single clinical trial, I created a decentralized, immutable verification ledger backed by independent academic hospitals in Tokyo, London, and Seoul."
"The consortium nodes," Marcus murmured, a slow, predatory smile touching the corners of his mouth.
"Yes," I said. "Every single batch of our gene vectors is digitally signed and timestamped at the quantum level across twelve university servers outside Helios’s jurisdiction. But to activate the override and expose Voss’s fabricated reports, I need physical access to the root terminal at our Manhattan headquarters."
"Manhattan is swarming with federal marshals and Helios surveillance," Clara warned. "They’ll arrest you the moment you step foot near the building."
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"Then we don't use the front doors," I said. "And we don't go in alone."
***
