"Please wait here, Doctor Athena. The president will call you in shortly."
"He’s in another eting?" Athena asked the beautiful middle-aged secretary, settling into one of the lush sofas, which she guessed was imported from Italy—the artistry was quite peculiar to the country; elegant, and simple at the sa ti.
"Yes, with the chief of staff and a few cabinet mbers..." The secretary replied with a soft smile, staring at Athena longer than necessary.
"Is there a problem, uhm..."
"Joan..." The secretary filled in, smiling more widely.
"Yeah, Joan. Is there a problem?" Athena asked, placing her crocodile leather black laptop bag on her thighs and resting her hands on it.
"Not at all, Doctor Athena. It’s just that I’m a huge fan of yours. I can’t believe I’m seeing you up close..."
Athena raised an eyebrow, not understanding the hype. She wasn’t a musical artist kept away from the people by an excessive amount of guards. If Joan wanted to see her, she only needed to stop by Whitman Hospital.
However, Athena nodded all the sa, smiling. It was good to have a fan; it could prove useful sotis...
"So, the eting—what’s it all about? Anything related to ?"
Joan pursed her lips, her smile disappearing as she contemplated divulging the president’s business to her role model.
Athena sighed. Maybe not useful... "It’s okay, I shouldn’t have even..."
But Joan shook her head. "It’s okay. It’s nothing much, since you’ll be going in soon. The eting is about you. The cabinet mbers in there weren’t entirely pleased that the president wants to et you personally. They are of the opinion that you should submit your research and laboratory location by force if you refuse to abide by the order willingly."
Athena’s brows shot up in surprise. Here she was, calculating her response if the president demanded her research; she didn’t know there were other influences.
But, to be honest, she had expected this; either from the president or whover.
Reading the international news early that morning, she had seen the waves her research was making. Only two hours ago, she had received more than fifty emails from different hospitals all over the globe seeking her guidance on how to tackle the Grey disease.
Athena had no problems sharing her research, but she needed to eliminate the people producing the Grey disease first. If not, whatever effort she made would be in vain. All the sa, she was working together with Old Mr. Thorne and Aiden to find a way to replicate her drugs so they could reach other countries without getting intercepted.
Athena rubbed her forehead tiredly. She should push that thought aside for now and focus on the eting with the president. She needed to prepare to face whatever awaited her there.
The president was a young man in his early forties. Was he easily influenced by those old-tirs, seeing as he was most likely placed there by soone else controlling the buttons? Or was he a man of his own?
She sighed and looked at Joan, who was still staring at her as if gauging her expression.
"Will you let him have it either way?" The latter asked.
Athena shook her head. "It’s too dangerous."
Joan nodded in agreent. "Thought as much. From the last news broadcast involving Mrs. ndoza, it was obvious. I think the president should just help out in any way you wish and not stand in your way... Maybe provide more security to track down Morgan Steeles since his picture is all over every news outlet in the country."
Athena smiled thinly. "Thanks for your help and trust, Joan. I hope too that the president will see reason and that Morgan Steeles will be apprehended as soon as possible."
Just then, her phone dinged with a text. "Excuse , Joan," she said, retrieving her phone from her bag. Joan nodded and returned to her work on the system.
anwhile, Athena’s heart raced as she saw that the ssage was from Susan.
Finally! She thought, yet her fingers hovered over the unopened text—she was scared of what she would find written within.
Images raced through her mind; maybe Heron sending a text through Susan’s phone or Susan sending a cry for help with a gun pressed against her forehead.
Athena shook her head and inhaled deeply. "Susan is fine," She muttered and tapped the ssage.
"Hi Athena, I’m in. And it’s like you suspected, the whole gang is in disarray, probably why they believed easily when I told them I was Heronica. eting Morgan was, to be honest, a bit scary. Even though he is as handso as depicted in the pictures, he is also as evil. He’s been breaking furniture and appliances since last night, cursing you out and threatening hail and brimstone. Lol.
Well, he asked a couple of questions, and I was able to answer. Dr. Alvarez really helped out with Heronica’s past and all! If not, I would have been fried jet black by Morgan!
Also, I think we should go ahead with Plan 2 as soon as possible. Seeing as they are in disarray, it will be a walk in the park for us to co in, take so of the gang mbers for questioning, and destroy all the drugs.
This morning, I heard him speaking over the phone with soone. I didn’t hear much, but I did catch a na: Mr. Whitman? Isn’t that Mr. Herbert? What do you think Morgan wants with him?
Are there any suspicious movents in the hospital? Well, I’ll be sending you updates. See you soon. And thank you for giving this opportunity!"
Athena scoffed softly, putting down the phone. Susan should stop thanking her for an opportunity that had a fifty percent chance of costing her life. Still... Herbert?
What could Morgan want with Herbert Whitman, Zane’s father? The last ti they spoke, Herbert ntioned that he was better health-wise. And when Finn checked, the virus had completely been cleared from the older man’s body. So, what now?
The only suspicious activity in the hospital is the presence of those devilish twins! Athena still couldn’t wrap her head around why they wanted to work with her, given that they hated her presence just as much as she hated theirs.
Could it be that they had been sent by the gang or whover was sponsoring them? But to what end? To spoil her drugs and her reputation?
Athena sighed and reclined deeper into the chair. All these questions without answers were giving her a headache.
To be on the safe side, though, she picked up her phone and forwarded Susan’s ssage to Aiden and Old Mr. Thorne. They would be moving ahead with the second phase of the plan tonight.
She also texted them to dig deeper into the presence of the devilish doctors. After doing that, she felt a semblance of peace within her. Everything would be fine.
Just then, the door to the president’s office opened, and a couple of people—Athena counted eight—strolled out of the room. They stopped in their tracks when they saw her.
"Doctor Athena! A pleasure to see you..." The one in front, most likely the head, Athena guessed, sauntered toward her.
Athena sat up straight and shook his outstretched hand. There was no need to stand up to greet soone in support of jeopardizing the safety of her work!
The minister, not pleased with the fact that Athena remained seated, frowned while staring down at her.
Athena, however, maintained the thin smile on her lips, while trying to smoothly disentangle her hands from his; it had lingered longer than necessary.
Noting this, the minister smiled again and released her hand. "We have heard about the huge strides you are making for the country in the dical field. Kudos to you!"
Athena bowed politely. "Thank you, Minister Lancelot." She subtly noted the other seven’s expressions—blank—and wondered which of them were sponsoring the gang.
"You are here to see the president, right?"
Athena nodded, biting back a sarcastic comnt. Of course, she was here to see the president—not to eat rat shit!
"Good then. Have a nice day. Maybe we can talk so other ti."
Athena wished him well too, not bothering to say anything to his last statent. She wasn’t eting anybody; she didn’t even know him, only that he was the minister in charge of tourism.
She watched as he and the other seven left the room—seven who hadn’t bothered to say hello—and wondered if their ploys for the president hadn’t worked out, given their long faces. She hoped so. She really wasn’t ready to be at loggerheads with the president.
As much as she was ready for that too, she didn’t want the stress. Not really.
"Doctor Athena..."
Athena swiveled her attention back to Joan.
"The president will see you now."
"Thank you, Joan," Athena said, getting to her feet and grabbing her bag confidently.
She was about to stride into the office when Joan called her back.
"Can I take a picture with you, Doctor... please?"
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