Chapter 5 - The Public Hearing
On Thursday morning, the Ohio State Senate Committee on Energy and Technology held a mandatory public hearing regarding the proposed regulation of private biotech facilities—the very bill Brandon had championed to destroy Meridian.
The hearing room in the State Capitol was packed wall-to-wall.
Local news crews, lobbyist groups, state representatives, and public citizens crowded into the wooden pews. Brandon Whitfield sat at the main committee dais, elevated above the floor, wearing his dark suit, looking like a ruler presiding over his kingdom.
He tapped his microphone, smiling down at the crowd.
"We will now hear testimony regarding Senate Bill 104," Brandon announced smoothly, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Our goal today is transparency. The people of Ohio deserve to know who owns their scientific future, and whether mega-corporations are operating above the law."
He looked toward the witness table at the center of the room, expecting to see a team of nervous mid-level corporate lawyers from Meridian.
Instead, the double doors at the back of the chamber swung open.
I walked down the central aisle alone.
I wore a tailored emerald-green suit, black pumps, my hair pulled back into a sleek, professional low bun. In my hand, I carried a single leather binder.
Behind me, taking seats quietly in the reserved public gallery, were Daniel, dressed in a sharp dark coat, holding little Lucas’s hand, flanked by four senior partners from the largest law firm in the Midwest.
The media cameras immediately swung toward me. Flashbulbs went off in a chaotic rhythm.
Brandon’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second, but he quickly recovered, leaning into his microphone.
"Ah," Brandon sneered slightly, trying to maintain his condescending upper hand. "Dr. Olivia Chen. Chief Executive of Meridian Biotech. We are honored you decided to grace us with your personal appearance today."
I took my seat at the witness table, adjusted the microphone, and looked straight up at him on the elevated dais.
"Thank you, Senator Whitfield," I said, my voice clear, steady, and amplified throughout the entire room. "I am always happy to speak on the topic of transparency."
Brandon leaned back, folding his hands. "Then let us begin. Dr. Chen, can you confirm to this committee that Meridian Biotech receives state subsidies while being majority-owned by out-of-state holding companies linked to Reeves Global?"
"I can confirm that Meridian Biotech has brought $400 million in private capital into Ohio over the last five years," I replied instantly. "I can also confirm that our facilities employ eight hundred local scientists, technicians, and construction workers."
"That wasn't my question," Brandon pressed, his voice sharpening. "We are talking about accountability. Where is the money going?"
"I'm so glad you asked about where the money is going, Senator," I said smoothly.
I opened my leather binder.
"Because while Meridian Biotech's financial disclosures are fully audited and published online," I continued, "the public infrastructure funds allocated to District 14 seem to have encountered a severe bottleneck."
Brandon’s face went stiff. "Dr. Chen, this hearing is about Senate Bill 104, not municipal budgeting—"
"I am referring specifically to the $3.2 million federal clean-water grant issued to District 14 last year," I interrupted, my voice dropping into a tone of absolute command that cut through his objection like a knife. "A grant that was meant to remove lead pipes from primary schools in your district."
The news reporters in the front row suddenly perked up, their pens flying across their notebooks. Camera operators shifted their focus directly onto Brandon’s face.
"This is completely out of order!" Brandon barked, slamming his gavel down. "You will confine your remarks to the legislation!"
"I am confining my remarks to public safety, Senator," I said, tapping the documents in front of me. "According to state tax records, $3.2 million was paid directly from your district's account to an entity called Midwest Environmental Solutions LLC."
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Brandon stood up from his chair, his face turning an unsightly blotchy red. "Guards! Clear the witness table! The witness is violating committee decorum!"
"Midwest Environmental Solutions," I read loudly into the microphone, ignoring his gavel, "has no employees, no testing gear, and lists a mail slot in Delaware as its primary headquarters. And its sole banking signatory is Brandon Whitfield."
