Another silence stretched between us, filled with the faint crackle of static.

“Where are you?” Sterling asked.

“My old studio,” I said. “The one near the botanical gardens.”

“Do not stay there,” he said. “Arthur’s security people have been asking the department staff about your off-campus addresses.”

My skin went cold.

“How do they know about this place?” I asked.

“Barbara,” Sterling said. “She hired a private investigator last week to track your vehicle.”

I looked out the window of the dark studio, down at the empty street below.

A black sedan was idling near the corner, its headlights cut to parking lamps.

The exhaust curled up in the cold air like white smoke.

My hands began to shake.

“They are already here,” I whispered.

“Get out,” Sterling said. “Go to the federal building on Constitution Avenue.”

“Why the federal building?” I asked.

“I received a subpoena two hours ago,” Sterling said. “The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Hayes Industries for insider trading and patent fraud.”

“The SEC?” I asked.

“They are not alone,” Sterling said. “The Department of Commerce is looking into foreign corporate espionage regarding the cell lines.”