I Told You To Run But You Didn't (Georgia) novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Georgia’s POV

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I looked away from his piercing gaze, my mind a chaoti mess. The moment was shattered by a discreet knock before the office door swung open. Harvey entered, followed by a man in a slick, tailored suit holding a tablet and a woman with sharp, intelligent eyes wearing a pristine lab coat over a dress.

“Mr. Salvatore,” Harvey announced. “Your ten o’clock from R&D is here.”.

Estevan nodded, his demeanor shifting back to the ruthless CEO. “Marcus. Dr. Aris. Report.”

I stood awkwardly by the window, a silent, invisible fixture in the room. Hello? I thought. Bodyguard standing right here. It was clear I was meant to be furniture.

The marketing head, Marcus, stepped forward, his smil polished. “Sir, the final simulations for the Neuro- Dominion System are exceeding all expectations. The potential applications in the mental wellness sector are unprecedented. We can effectively cure refractory depression, PTSD, addiction…”

Dr. Aris, the chemist, cut in, her voice clinical and detached. “The wellness applications are a cover for the system’s true potential. As the data shows,” she said, tapping the tablet to bring up a complex 3D model of a human brain, “the BCI implant creates a closed-loop system. It doesn’t just deliver a drug; it reads the brain’s neural output in real-time and delivers a counter stimulus-chemical or electrical-to modulate behavior, impulse, and physiological responses.”

My blood ran cold. This wasn’t a pharmaceutical. It was a remote control for the human soul.

Estevan waved a dismissive hand, clearly bored by the sales pitch. “Forget curing addiction, Doctor. Let’s talk about enforcement. Can the system suppress defiance? Can it compel honesty during an interrogation? Can it ensure… unwavering loyalty?”

Dr. Aris didn’t even blink. “The system can override a subject’s innate sense of self-preservation, yes. With the correct programming, creating a state of absolute compliance is entirely feasible. Fear, aggression, devotion-they are all just chemical reactions. We can control the chemicals.”

A chilling silence fell over the room as Estevan absorbed the information, a slow, predatory smile across his face. The casual discussion of stripping a human being of their free will was making m turn. I couldn’t stay silent. My voice, when it came, was quiet but cut through the tension like a k

“Isn’t it dangerous to put something like that in a person’s brain?”

Dr. Aris turned, her expression a mixture of annoyance and disdain as she looked me up and down. “A who is this, Mr. Salvatore?” she asked, clearly dismissing me as an irrelevant interruption.

Estevan didn’t even glance at her. His dark eyes were fixed on me, a touch of genuine, dangerous interest in their depths. He completely ignored his lead scientist and spoke directly to me. “Go on, Ms. Sinclair. You were suggesting?”

I took a breath, refusing to be intimidated by the two experts staring at me. “I’m suggesting that a microchip. designed to override human emotion isn’t just a security measure. It’s the perfect weapon.” I held Estevan’s gaze, “You’re building the ultimate tool to ensure loyalty but what happens when your enemy gets their hands on it? How can you ever trust your most loyal ma, when his devotion could be rewritten with a single command and you’d be the last to know?”

A heavy, dead silence fell over the room. Marcus, the marketing head, looked confused, unable to follow the strategic leap. But Dr. Aris’s clinical expression faltered; t was a vulnerability she hadn’t considered.

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11:42 Sat, Mar 7 AM

Chapter 31

84%

Finished

Estevan’s face was an unreadable mask, but his eyes were blazing. He had just been shown a fatal flaw in his masterpiece by the one person in the room who truly understood the nature of warfare.

He slowly turned his head to his two stunned employees. His voice was dangerously quiet, a silken command that was more threatening than any shout.

“Everyone, out. Now. It seems Ms. Sinclair and I have some new security protocols to discuss.”

The door clicked shut, leaving us in a heavy silence. Estevan turned to me, a slow, predatory smirk on his face.

“That was a very clever question back there,” he said. “To clever. Explain it.”

I crossed my arms, refusing to be intimidated. “Don’t ply dumb. You know exactly what I meant. That chip isn’t a cure for anything. It’s a leash for the human brain”

He let out a short, sharp laugh, genuinely amused. “I knew I liked you. Most people see the medicine. You see the weapon.” He walked back to his desk and sat on the edge, looking down at me. “So you figured it out. Congratulations. And now that you know my most profilable secret, it’s a good thing you signed that contract, isn’t it? One word to the wrong people, and our deal is off.”

“I don’t care about your secrets or your evil plans, Estevan,” I shot back. “I’m here for my brother. Period.”

“But you’re already helping with the evil plans,” he said, his smirk widening.

“What are you talking about?”

“Your question. It got me thinking,” he said, tapping his temple. “You’re right. Loyalty can be faked. It’s a weakness in the system.” He looked me up and down, a chilling idea dawning in his eyes. “But what if I don’t need loyalty? What if I could just… take the driver’s seat myself? Turn anyone into my own personal puppet?”

He chuckled, shaking his head as if delighted by the new, terrifying possibility.

“Damn, Georgia,” he said with a grin. “You’re already making my work more efficient. I’m going to enjoy having you around.”

I breathed in slowly, grinding my teeth together. This man is insufferable!

He grabbed his phone and keys from the desk, gesturing for me to precede him out of the on walked toward the elevator, he glanced at the tailored suit I was wearing.

“A word of advice, Ms. Sinclair,” he said, his tone casual. You’re a woman, not one of my male asso skirt would be more appropriate for your position.”

I rolled my eyes so hard it’s a wonder they stayed in my head. Did he really just say that?

The elevator doors slid shut, encasing us in a small, silent box of polished steel. He turned to me, his expression unreadable,

“On second thought,” he said, his voice lower now, “that was a foolish suggestion. Impractical for your duties.” He paused, his gaze intense. “Wear whatever allows you to move. Your comfort is your business, your effectiveness is mine. Understood?”

He always, always has to have the last word. I gave a cur nod. “Okay”

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