"I will Andrew. I will."
FIONA
I'd spent the better part of the next day trying to play catch up after the disaster with my experiment. I didn't have the time, not to mention the evidence, needed to prove someone other than myself was responsible for what happened.
And even if I did, it still wouldn't change the fact the work had to be finished. Even if I had to sleep at the lab and drag my grandmother's bed here, I would. If I worked non-stop, there was chance I could catch up and maybe, just maybe, still win. But no sooner had I figured out how I might be able to get back on track than I received an email from Gabe while sitting at my workstation.
Fiona,
We need to discuss an urgent matter regarding the competition and the Link Protocol. Please report to my office as soon as you receive this. If you're not here in thirty minutes, I'll send Holly to get you.
Gabe
I swallowed as I clicked the email message closed after I read it.
Glancing up from my computer screen, I looked around the lab at some of the others. Had anyone else gotten something similar from him? From the looks of things, the answer was ‘no'. In fact, no one seemed to be reacting or doing anything other than working.
If it was true, then why was I being singled out? Had he heard about what happened? Was he about to kick me out of the competition or worse, fire me?
A million scenarios crowded into my mind, creating a massive tangle of complications and possible outcomes. I glanced around the room once more. What was going on? What was I going to do?
I tugged my lab jacket sleeves, clutching them in my fingers.
For a moment, I considered asking if anyone else got an email from Gabe. But almost as soon as the idea occurred to me, I dismissed it. If Amanda or Melissa got wind of the fact Gabe wanted me in his office, well, the fallout would likely be more catty behavior.
I chewed the inside of my mouth as I searched for a solution when suddenly, an idea came to me. Realizing Gabe's half hour time constraint, I decided to wait and see if Holly collected anyone else when she came down. It would still raise suspicions, but at least I could find out if Gabe singled anyone else out without having to ask.
My plan was simple enough. I'd just tell Holly I'd been away from my computer when the email arrived, if she even asked. To complete the charade, I got up from my workstation and headed to the break room to wait. After making my way through the lab without anyone paying much attention, I entered the room, and as I did, a chill came over me.
Heading towards the coffee maker, I rubbed my upper arms with my hands as I fought to rid myself of the sudden rash of goosebumps. I reached for a Styrofoam cup and poured some of the two-hour-old dark liquid into it. After I finished, I wrapped my hands around the cup, lifting it to my lips in an effort to warm myself. I took several sips in succession, desperate to take the edge off my shiver. As I did, I slid into one of the hard plastic chairs that dotted the room, crossing my legs and arms in the process.
For the next twenty five minutes or so, I took sip after sip of the bitter, warm beverage until at last, the cold began to leave my body. I exhaled as a bit of tension escaped from between my lips. But no sooner did some of the stress leave me than the cause of it reappeared in the doorway.
Without warning, Amanda made her way around the corner and walked inside, strolling by me on her way to the refrigerator.
"Hey," she said, with a casual flick of her hair as she disappeared out of my peripheral vision. "How's it going?"
From behind, I heard the door to the fridge open, followed by the sound of her rummaging through some of its contents.
I lifted my coffee cup to my lips and before taking a sip, I replied, "Fine."
A swish of cool air hit me from behind as she closed the door. "Are you making good progress with your work?"
"Yes," I lied. "How about you?"
Just then, she reappeared as she walked around into my line of sight once again.
"Oh fine. Actually, I'm ahead of schedule right now."
"Oh," I nodded, as I struggled to remain polite. "Well, that's good. Congratulations."
But as I finished my thought, I looked up to see Melissa and Holly enter. Distracted by my discussion with Amanda, I hadn't heard them approach from down the hall.
"Here she is," Melissa said, as she gestured in my direction upon entering.
Holly pasted a professional smile on her lips as our eyes met. She stood in the doorway looking at me for a moment before speaking. "Are you ready, Fiona? Gabe is expecting you."
As she finished, I noticed Melissa and Amanda exchange glances. For a moment, it looked as if they might ask the meaning of Holly's visit. But instead, they remained silent and glared at me as I stood from my chair.
"Expecting me?" I asked, pretending not to be aware of it.
"Didn't you get his … oh, never mind. He'll explain."
"Do I need to bring anything? My lab results?"
Holly shook her head.
"Gabe didn't mention anything." She paused for a moment and glanced towards Amanda and Melissa. "If there is something, I'm sure one of you two could run it up. Right?"
I stifled a smile as they mumbled in reluctant agreement.
"Okay well, I'm ready." I said, as I pitched the remainder of my coffee into the trash.
Stealing another glance at my coworkers as I turned to follow Holly, I noticed their body language change. Crossed arms and icy glares locked on me as I walked out of sight.
GABE
I had no reason to doubt Andrew's report to me. The simple fact was Amanda and Melissa had made no secret about flirting with me over the years. But I had enough options in my life to not seek the approval of married women. From my perspective, there weren't any mixed messages being sent.
And further, if what he claimed was true, namely that they'd done something to set Fiona back in the competition on purpose, well, that would have to be dealt with. Should any evidence come to light proving it, it would be simple for me handle it. I could fire them on the spot. Without sufficient proof though, I couldn't do much of anything and neither could Fiona.
But even if I could, was that helping her? Putting my protective instinct, not to mention the needs of my dick, aside for a moment, my primary concern was being able to rely on Fiona in the new position. Someone in it had to be firm and at times, ruthless. What shenanigans might have happened in the lab would pale in comparison to staring down multi-billion dollar decisions about the future of the company. The time to shift Fiona's perspective was at hand, whether she was ready or not.
Just then, there was knock at the door.
"It's open … "
As the door cracked ajar, Holly poked her head inside. "Fiona's here. Are you ready to see her now?"
I nodded. "Yes, send her in, Holly. Thanks."
With that, she smiled and stepped to one side as Fiona passed by her. Wordless, I rose from seat and gestured for her to come sit down across from me. She walked towards me, and as she did, she reached up and pulled her hair behind her ears.
"Which one?" she said, as she pointed at the two chairs in front of my desk.
"Choose," I said with a shrug. Honest to God, I believe she was the first person who ever asked me that. I remained standing as she picked one of the chairs. Just as she began to sit, I spoke.
"Nope. Wrong one."
Fiona froze in place, bracing herself above the seat as she clutched the arms with her hands. With her butt suspended a good six inches above the seat, she looked up at me.
"Really?"
I shook my head back and forth as I looked at her for a moment or two.
"Yes," I said with a wink.
Fiona shook her head as she slid into her seat. When she did, a smile crept to the corner of her mouth. I countered with a smirk of my own as I sat down across from her. Fun and games aside, we had some serious issues to discuss. I wasted no time in getting right to it.
Fiona sat with her hands folded in her lap, half-covered beneath her sleeves as always. I drew my eyes up from them, meeting hers after a moment or two. I expected there was every chance she'd look away but she didn't. Instead, she held my gaze as I began to speak.
"Fiona, I suppose you know why I've asked you here?"
She nodded. "I have an idea, yes."
"You've disappointed me."
In that moment, she broke eye contact from me and looked towards her lap.
"I know," she said in a soft voice, not much above a whisper. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, Fiona. I … "
She interrupted me and added, "I do it all the time. Apologizing. It's a habit, I'm sorry."
"Yes, I know. You told me that already. Look, don't interrupt me," I said, as I cocked my head to one side. I thinned my lips at her. "Say you're sorry one more time."
She looked up at me. Frustration flashed to her face. Frankly, I was glad to see a bit of anger from her.