Chapter 12 - THE CHILDREN ON THE RED LISTLaura examined the files throughout the night.
The database contained rent payments, medical debts, school absences, immigration records, and even private counseling notes. Families were assigned scores based on how likely they were to afford a lawyer or attract public attention.
Children were marked separately.
Those with wealthy relatives were labeled “protected.”
Those living in shelters were labeled “low resistance.”
Sophie’s file included photographs taken outside her school and soccer field.
Vincent stared at the screen.
“We shut Halcyon down.”
Laura shook her head.
“You shut down a company. The people who bought its information survived.”
The new owner was Liberty Urban Renewal, a firm celebrated for transforming “neglected neighborhoods.” Its chairman, Grant Mercer, had never attended Caldwell’s dinner.
He had, however, purchased Halcyon’s data division days before federal agents seized the remaining assets.
Laura called the district attorney.
By morning, Liberty’s attorneys had already obtained an order preventing her from sharing the files.
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Then Sophie’s school called.
Her enrollment had been suspended because her presence allegedly created a security threat.
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