AFTER THAT INTERMINABLY excruciating dinner, Hope was roughly returned to her quarters and the door locked soundly, leaving her to fret and stew in her own anxiety.
The easy path would be to dismiss Anso’s words as nonsense spewed by a madman, but there was a glimmer of truth to his assessment.
Had there been a moment when she’d paused to think of the ramifications of the viral research and how it could be perverted if put into the wrong hands?
Yes.
A long moment.
She’d even broached the subject with Tanya, but her fears had been effectively shelved by Tanya’s levelheaded approach to science.
“If we feared every potential misuse of technology or scientific advance, we’d still be crouched in caves wearing animal pelts. We have to move forward—it’s in our biology to crave progress, to never remain satisfied with the status quo, and thank God for that. Imagine if Edward Jenner had been content to watch smallpox rip through communities. Because of his need to create a vaccine, we no longer fear one of the greatest childhood killers and I think that’s pretty damn great.”
Hard to argue with that logic. “True. But what we’re trying to create? Sometimes it worries me that in the wrong hands...it could be devastating.”
Tanya gently steadied Hope and said in all seriousness, “You have a good heart. We are so close to a breakthrough—it’s normal to fear success and invent scary theories that could self-sabotage your own mind, but you are too brilliant to let something as silly as self-doubt ruin the single most important discovery in the twenty-first century. This is bigger than the internet, honey. I’m talking big.”
Hope laughed. “Bigger than the internet?”
“Much.”
Risking a smile, Hope said, “Well, I am excited about this new test batch. I think we’re on the verge of breaking through.”
“Just imagine that big fat bonus that’s waiting for you when the first viable batch passes all protocols. Have you thought of what you’re going to buy?”
Hope paused, realizing she hadn’t given the bonus much thought, being too preoccupied with the project to consider the hefty bonus being offered for a successful trial. “Not really. I think I’ll just put it in savings or a CD for retirement.”
Tanya scoffed playfully. “That’s no fun. You earned it. You need to whoop it up, go to Vegas, take a trip, buy something outrageously expensive and designer that looks ridiculous and that you can never wear anywhere but the streets of Paris or Milan. Something exciting!”
She laughed at the very idea. “No, thank you. I’m much more excited about the idea of not trying to exist solely on Social Security when I’m too old to work. How about you? As the supervisor, you get a bonus, too.”
Tanya winked. “Oh, girl, that money is already spent. I have plans for that cash.”
“Such as?”
She sighed happily. “I’m going to Mackinac Island in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to spend the summer. I’m going to rent a beautiful beachside villa and spend the day reading and drinking iced tea with tiny finger sandwiches.”
“You’ve got it all planned out, I see,” Hope teased. “But why Michigan? Why not somewhere tropical?”
“I’ve always dreamed of going there. It’s a beautiful place that’s only occupied during the summer months and there are no cars allowed. It’s relaxed and quaint and as far from stress as I can imagine. I can’t wait.”
Tanya’s revelation was telling. She was a top-level researcher and supervisor for Tessara Pharm, and the stress level must’ve been atomic.
Hope roused herself from her memory, wiping at the stray tear that snaked down her cheek.
Tanya never got the opportunity to see Mackinac.
“Robbery gone wrong, my ass,” she said bitterly. Anso had admitted that he was responsible for Tanya’s death and he wasn’t the least bit remorseful. But then, when you had the kind of money and power that Anso DeLeon had, remorse wasn’t something that you had to feel.
Hope removed her ridiculous dress and tossed it to the floor with more force than necessary.
She went to the armoire and found more clothes hanging, all in her size. The fact that Anso had selected these outfits with her in mind made her skin crawl. She wasn’t his scientist Barbie to dress up as he pleased. Eschewing the fine clothing, she climbed into the bed naked, preferring to be nude than to be dressed as Anso desired.
The small defiance was all she could muster at this point.
Exhausted, brokenhearted and defeated, she succumbed to a deep sleep gratefully.
At least in sleep, she could escape her reality for a brief moment.