Chapter 7 - WHY ME
I confronted Marvin in rehab courtyard. “Why did Emily choose me?” He went still. “I don’t know.” “Voss says you do.” “That doesn’t make it true.” Fair. Then I showed message. Marvin sat. Titan lay at his feet. Then: “Emily knew your father.” I froze. My father, Michael Bennett, died when I was sixteen. Construction accident. “What?” He had worked maintenance at Northbridge’s first warehouse. Not as employee. Contractor. Then one incident. A patient-aid shipment went missing. My father reported it. Northbridge blamed him. Contract company fired him. He fought. No charges. Then years later, he died unrelated. I had never known. Mom told me he lost job because company downsized. Then Emily had reviewed old internal files and saw Michael Bennett. Then my name in patient grant queue. Connection. She chose to watch my case because she feared Northbridge might exploit another Bennett. Not because of disability alone.
Then Marvin said: “She thought your father was one of the first people hurt by the scheme.” How? The missing shipment likely part of early diversion. He took blame. Then my mother? She was alive? We haven't mentioned. Could bring her. Maybe Chloe estranged? Let's keep mother died later? Need not. Then I asked: “Why didn’t you tell me?” “I found out after robbery.” “Still.” He nodded. “I thought you had enough.” There. Same mistake. Protection through omission. I laughed bitterly. “Congratulations. You’re officially part of the pattern.” He accepted. “I’m sorry.” Then: “Specific.” He smiled slightly. “For deciding when you were ready to know something about your father.” Good. Then he gave me file. My father’s complaint. Handwritten. He reported boxes relabeled. Charity shipments diverted to resale distributor. Northbridge ignored. Then company paid contractor settlement quietly. My father refused confidentiality? Maybe contract company accepted. He got fired anyway.
Then one note: Bennett is persistent. Keep him away from warehouse. That hurt. Then Emily wrote years later: Same family. Do not let history repeat. That was why me. Then Voss. He had worked security at that warehouse eighteen years ago. He knew my father. There. Then federal case expanded to historical diversion. Statutes? Some old acts too old. But pattern. Then Voss arrested at rural property. No shootout. No Titan attack. Federal agents did their job. Good. Then his devices. Messages. He had ordered “field recovery.” He had intimidated employees. No evidence he caused Emily’s crash. Then Elliot Crane. He knew financial manipulation. Denied violence. Emails showed he told Voss: Fix the exposure. I don’t want details. That phrase was enough for conspiracy debate. Did “fix exposure” mean lawful correction or illegal recovery? Context mattered. Then board records. He repeatedly rewarded reduced “grant leakage.”
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Likely knew aggressive methods? Maybe not robberies. Prosecutors charged financial fraud/conspiracy, not violent robbery initially. Voss/Derek/Kyle/Victor faced robbery and intimidation-related charges. Victor cooperated. Then my rehab. I stood without hands for four seconds. Then six. Then ten. Not walking. But possibility. Then I asked Dr. Wells: “Did Northbridge choose me because my father?” “No evidence.” Good. Emily noticed after grant. Maybe coincidence became opportunity. Then one more twist. My surgery had been recommended before Northbridge money. Independent. So medical truth survived financial corruption. That mattered. Then I realized the most dangerous thing schemes do is contaminate trust in everything around them. Doctor. Hospital. Charity. Helper. Even rescue. I had to rebuild trust item by item. Not globally. Then Marvin asked: “Do you trust me?” I thought. “With Titan.”
He laughed. “Fair.” Then: “With me?” “Some.” He nodded. That was enough.
