The Double or more Life of the Fake Heiress (Mirabella)

Swanson felt the tension in the air as he said, "The department's records on the radiation source were wiped ages ago. Kevin must've gotten it wrong."

"Another mix-up? Swanson, do you think I'm clueless?" The Chief of Police gave a wry chuckle.

The Director tried to explain, "You've got it wrong, that's not what I meant..."

But the Chief of Police had already lost patience and cut him off with a raised hand, "No need for more explanations. I'm taking him today, whether it's for stealing documents or the radiation source. He's a suspect either way, and it's only right to bring him in."

Kevin, who was standing nearby, suddenly realized things were spiraling out of control. He didn't know anything about stolen documents and hesitated before blurting out, "I might've been mistaken..."

The Chief of Police shot Kevin a cold look, then ordered his deputies, "Take him too, and make sure to secure the evidence."

"Got it," one of the deputies nodded. Almost before Kevin could protest, they had him restrained and escorted out of the office.

Swanson and Andy exchanged worried looks, their expressions growing grim.noveldrama

*

Meanwhile, over in the lab, Adler stepped away from the high-powered

microscope and rubbed his temples. He walked over to a cluttered table, flipping through the stack of draft papers with a hint of frustration. Finally, he grabbed a handful, crumpled them up, and tossed them into the trash.

A colleague noticed and shook their head, setting aside their work to hand Adler a few tissues. "Isolating the strain isn't a walk in the park. Take it easy; you need to be patient."

Adler mumbled a thanks, wiping his forehead, "It's not about patience. This strain is tough as nails. As soon as we isolate its molecular structure, it just morphs into a new strain. I've never seen anything like it."

The colleague's expression turned serious, "You're right. If this isn't handled properly, it could spell disaster... Oh, didn't you mention asking Emmitt about it? What did he say?"

Adler coughed, "Emmitt's swamped these days. He said he'd check the data and get back to me later."

The colleague nodded, "Alright, we'll wait for Emmitt's..."

Before they could finish, the lab door swung open, cutting them off.

Both Adler and his colleague stopped mid-sentence, looking towards the door.

Adler frowned at the unfamiliar faces crowding the doorway. He glanced back at the strain in the containment unit before addressing the newcomers, "Who are you? This is a lab, and what we're working on is dangerous."

The lead officer flashed a badge, "Safety Bureau. Which one of you is Adler?" Safety Bureau?

Adler paused, then stepped forward, "That'd be me. What's going on?"

"Come with us, and you'll find out," the officer replied. Two officers immediately moved in, grabbing Adler by the arms.

Adler, more at home in his lab than in a tussle, didn't stand a chance against the Safety Bureau officers. Within moments, he was bundled into a black, nondescript

van.

They cuffed his wrists and didn't even give him time to change out of his protective gear.

The colleague, who'd just been chatting with Adler, rushed off to find the Director, only then discovering why Adler had been taken away.