“And did I say all the things you wanted me to say? I understand that you were forcing Dr. Waldridge to make me dance on your strings.”
“Not true, Kendra,” Charles said. “They were my strings, and I was careful to make sure that nothing you said would be against your principles. Dyle merely wanted Night Watch to become a household name, and I could go along with that.” He met Dyle’s eyes. “As long as he realized that I had full control of any project in which I was involved.”
“The man who pays the bills makes the rules,” Dyle said. “Stubborn. Incredibly stubborn. Eventually, you’ll come to realize that.” He turned back to Kendra. “Did you enjoy your time with Waldridge? I wanted to give you a little time to become reacquainted. By the way you were tearing around L.A. and San Diego trying to find him, I gather you wanted that desperately.”
“You’re fully aware how grateful I was to Waldridge. You were there from the beginning.”
“Really before the beginning of your association. I was there with the money when he was developing that stem-cell operation. I thought it had great promise. Not wonderful monetary potential, but I could see what Waldridge was working on down the road and that you were only the beginning.” He inclined his head. “Quite a splendid beginning. I was very upset when Waldridge let you run out on us.”
“You mean and actually have a life?”
“Debts must be paid. I’ve been trying to demonstrate that to my friend, Waldridge, during our time together, but he’s not being reasonable.” He smiled broadly as his gaze shifted from her to Waldridge, then Biers. “The band is back together. Or at least two of the three. Regrettable that Dr. Shaw couldn’t join us.”
“Enjoying this, Dyle?” Waldridge took a step toward him, but one of the armed guards motioned him back with his gun. “Yes, I think you are. You want to grandstand in front of a new audience instead of our usual more intimate sessions? I’ll play along. You wanted to point out that you’d killed Shaw, a brilliant man who wanted only to make his work mean something? We get it.”
A flash of anger crossed Dyle’s face. “Perhaps if the three of you hadn’t left with my intellectual property, it wouldn’t have been necessary.”
“It was never supposed to be just a vehicle for your pharmaceutical-sales division.”
“I have a right to earn back my investment.”
“You already would have done that thousands of times over,” Biers muttered.
“Thousands of times versus millions of times,” Dyle said. “What sounds like a more prudent business plan to you? Especially if the second questionable option requires even more research and development.”
“I told you we could do it,” Waldridge said. “No side effects, no lifetime dependence on our medication.”
Dial shook his head. “I made a financial decision. Sorry you didn’t agree. My only regret is that I let you squirrel away our project’s formulas.”
“You didn’t let me do anything. The project is virtually mine anyway. I had to protect it. I could see where this was headed.”
“You’re holding the process hostage. We could be helping people right now.”
“And then hold them hostage. How many times have we gone over this? You’re not getting it until it’s finished,” Waldridge said. “My way.”
“You son of a bitch.” Kendra could see that Dyle’s sleek mask had vanished, and he was practically trembling with rage as he stepped closer to Waldridge. “Always have to be the great man, don’t you?” He was glaring at him. “You’ve always been so quick to take the credit for Dr. Michaels’s miracle of sight. But too often, you’ve happily ignored the fact that none of it would be possible without funding.” Dyle turned toward Kendra, and she took an instinctive step back as she saw the sheer malevolence in his expression. “I paid for those eyes of yours, Dr. Michaels. If your idol here doesn’t see fit to give me what’s mine…” Dyle turned back toward Waldridge, and spat out, “I must insist on taking them back.”
Kendra recoiled in shock. She couldn’t breathe. She could only stare at Dyle.
Nightmare. Her worst nightmare …
She was barely aware that Waldridge had gone still beside her. “What are you saying?”
Dyle smiled. “Do I really need to say it? I believe I’ve made myself clear.”
“Yes,” Kendra said unsteadily. “Say it.”
“I’m certain you’ve already researched me enough to know who I am, Dr. Michaels. I’m a man who gets what he wants. And if I don’t get what I want from Dr. Waldridge, I’m going to take your eyes.” His voice was soft, full of venom. “First your right eye, then your left eye. Is that clear enough for you?”
“You’re a monster,” Biers said. “We were right about you. That’s why we left.”