Chapter 1751


    Philip stood there, a mix of silence and a growing sense of excitement bubbling within him.


    The car pulled up at the farthest building on the street, and had it not been for what Philip was


    witnessing with his own two eyes, he would never have doubted Bernard.


    Bernard was a friend of Holden, and back in the day, Ian had taken a shine to him in the military,


    giving him a leg up. Could it be his true colors were darker than they''d seemed?


    Philip chuckled and pushed open the door before him, stepping inside.


    The room was empty, and through another door, a man who bore a striking resemnce to Ian


    knocked lightly.


    "Sir, he''s here."


    A voice from within responded, "No need to see me. If he''s of value, keep him."


    The implication was clear: If he wasn''t of value, let him die.


    The man opened the door and entered to find Bernard hunched over a stack of documents.


    These were sensitive files smuggled out of a research facility. Although the facility''s top brass could


    get their hands on the drugs produced inside, there was a mutual distrust, and no one was allowed


    to just take these secret documents. Otherwise, it would lead to one faction overpowering the


    others.


    A bnce of power was necessary for the survival of the research facility, and now that it had


    copsed, all the documents had ended up with Bernard, making him the biggest winner of all.


    Bernard adjusted his sses, stood up, and moved to a discreet alcove.


    He pushed open a hidden door, revealing a room with two cryogenic chambers. One held his son;


    the other, his wife.


    Bernard was getting on in years. His wife had passed away a while ago, followed by his son.


    He had told Ian that his son died at the research facility, along with several other talents from


    Windhelm, but the truth was his son had not died there.


    The person he had sent to the facility was just a body double; his actual son had died suddenly at


    home, copsing during an argument and never reviving.


    Bernard had never gotten over it. At that time, he had already been in contact with the facility,


    initially hoping to resurrect his wife. But after his son''s death, his ns grew more radical.


    He wanted to bring back not just his wife, but also his son.


    Parts of his wife''s memories had already been stored, as had his son''s. Now that he had the


    documents, all that was left was to capture the sessful test subjects, identify the reason for their


    sess, and begin his experiments.


    Bernard had already found the perfect vessel for his wife''s revival: Maja. And for his son, it would be


    Fitch.


    He had tried to discreetly take Maja away and hide her, but it hadn''t worked out.


    Moreover, since he had vouched for Ian when Patric was taken away, he''d been watched too


    closely to make any rash moves.


    But with the research facility destroyed and Ian hailed as a hero, no one was watching Bernard


    anymore. He could finally focus onpleting his lifelong obsession.


    "Sir, Dr. Sarah has been taking care of Augus Sanders at the Sanders family estate and recently


    came to Greenfield. If needed, we can snatch her at any time."


    "Let''s not rush. First, we find Patric. We don''t want to spook anyone prematurely."


    "Understood. Also, Philip and Phil exist to take the fall for you. They''ve already had a public spat


    with Ian. As soon as we make our move, we''ll throw them under the bus. Ian will sh with them,


    giving us more opportunity, and you won''t be exposed."


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    That was the value Philip brought to the table, so he needed to stay alive, letting Ian believe the real


    viin was still Philip.


    "Lingery, you truly understand me. I don''t regret mentoring you."


    Lingery''s lips curled into a slight smile. "This face was a gift from you, Sir. I''ll make sure to use it to


    its fullest potential."


    Bernard''s fingers caressed the surface of the cryogenic chambers, his mind filled with memories of


    his wife. He was filled with a sense of longing and regret.


    But the silver lining was that soon, they would be brought back to life.


    It would be Maja''s honor to contribute to this cause.


    As soon as Patric was found, they had to act fast.