Cassidy Arthur NovelFrom Satellite Expert to Cellmate

I was escorting classified research data back to our national headquarters with my husband.

As we were about to board the plane, he suddenly claimed he'd left important documents at the hotel and urged me to fly back ahead of him.

I smiled, watching him get into the car, then immediately opened my phone's shared location.

He didn't go back to the hotel. Instead, his route changed, leading him to a secluded villa in the suburbs.

I hailed a cab and followed. When I arrived, I saw a woman holding a child standing at the villa's entrance.

"Arthur, you're finally back! Our daughter and I have missed you so much."

Arthur took the child, then pressed a deep kiss onto the woman's lips.

"Chloe, I've missed you two to death. Home is wherever you are."

Just then, my phone rang. It was the National Security Agency, asking why I hadn't boarded on time.

I looked at the couple embracing not far away, my voice cold and steady.

"Because Arthur Evans, Deputy Director of Satellite Technology Research, is conspiring with a foreign agent to sell classified national data."

"I request military assistance for his apprehension."

1

Not long after I hung up, Arthur's phone started ringing.

I don't know what the person on the other end said, but the smile instantly vanished from his face, replaced by a flicker of panic in his eyes.

He quickly handed the child back to Chloe and rushed to leave.

Chloe, unaware of what was happening, clutched his hand, looking tearful and vulnerable.

"Arthur, where are you going? Didn't you say you'd spend the evening with me and our daughter?"

Arthur was in no mood to explain. He shook off her hand and got into his car.

He headed back to the airport.

When he realized I hadn't taken the flight home either, he started calling me frantically.

I ignored him, my gaze fixed on the two National Security agents in front of me.

Captain Miller, one of the agents, looked at me with a serious expression.

"Cassidy Sterling, your accusation is extremely grave. If you're fabricating this, you'll be held legally liable."

I nodded solemnly, speaking each word with precision.

"I will take full responsibility for every word I've said."

"Arthur and I had one sole mission: to transport core technology back to the nation."

"One night, I forgot to shut down my laptop. The webcam happened to record him putting sleeping pills in my milk, then secretly leaving the hotel room after I'd fallen asleep."

"That's when I realized he'd been sneaking out to the suburbs every night, not returning until almost dawn."

"This USB drive contains that surveillance video and Arthur's movements after leaving the hotel each night."

I placed a USB drive on the table.

Captain Miller and his colleague exchanged a look, then immediately asked,

"Is the institute's core technology currently in Arthur Evans's possession?"

I nodded, then shook my head.

"To prevent any leakage of the core technology, Arthur and I each held half of the data."

"I can guarantee that no one apart from me knows the data I'm responsible for, but I can't say the same for Arthur."

Captain Miller's breath hitched. He grabbed the USB drive from the table and immediately stood up.

"We need to verify the information and evidence you've provided. For now, you can't leave this conference room. I hope you understand."

I nodded calmly.

Back at the airport, Arthur, unable to reach me, was in a complete panic.

He decided to return to the hotel to find me.

But as soon as he stepped out of the airport, he was surrounded by a dozen fully armed SWAT officers.

Ten machine gun barrels were uniformly aimed at his head.

His face instantly drained of color from fright, and he nearly collapsed.

"You're Arthur Evans, right? Please come with us!"

Before he could speak, two officers had already cuffed his hands behind his back and escorted him into a vehicle.