Chapter 87
I knocked the door and Gill said, “Come on in”
But when I did he didn’t take his eyes of the screen, and kept typing at his computer. I was standing at the door, stupidly waiting, and got very close to walking away. Who do you think you are, Mr. Big Shot? I had come here ready for manipulations and psychological tricks, and I was hostile even before I felt the disrespect. I was tired too and my patience was ice-thin.
“Should I come back at a later time?”, I asked coolly
“Please, have a seat”, Gill said raising his eyes, as if realizing for the first time I was standing there, then looking quickly at the screen again before giving up his task
Finally he looked at me with undivided attention and smiled.
“Thanks for passing by”, he told me
“Not a problem”, I said, a bit softer than a moment earlier, but keeping my guard high
“I called you to discuss how we can proceed with the next stage of your project”, Gill begun
I nodded, clueless about where all this was going
“I am aware that there are issues with the polymer you synthesized”, Gill continued and then paused, giving me a long stare
He was expecting me to say something, but I didn’t. I had no intention of exposing myself without knowing the aim of his moves.
“I know you’ve been talking to some people about it”, he went on, then stopped again.
I waited for him to continue but this time he didn’t. He just looked at me, and there was a long silence between us.
“Once a new product is engineered it is good practice to have it tested with respect to a number of…aspects”, I said at last, trying to be defensively vague
Gill nodded.
“Of course, I am aware of the fact that you are a good scientist”, he said
There was another pause
“So what do you have in mind for me?”, I asked bluntly, unnerved by the tense slowness of the conversation
“I want you to modify the polymer so that it does the same job as he one you produced, while ensuring that the product is safe for humans”, he said
Is this what he really wants or is he just pondering my reaction?, I wondered
“But maybe the one I synthesized is safe for humans, we just need to test it further to make sure”, I replied, playing dumb
“Ehm…”, he hummed unconvinced
So Gill knew the polymer wasn’t safe, but how? Had they tracked down my activities in Italy and found out about our discoveries? Or did he just know about the police investigation?
Gill looked hard at me for what seemed like eternity, then he smiled and said, “Team work works only when the communication between team members is transparent”
Sure, I thought, so why don’t we start by you telling me what you know?
“We’ve seen the polymer acts strangely on cells, but we don’t understand what is happening. We really don’t”, I said, and this was true
“Well, we want something that doesn’t act on the cells at all. We just want it to act on the food”, Gill replied
“I understand”, I said
“You and I will be working very closely”, Gill continued
Very closely?, I wondered
“I think you work well, I value you”, he added
“I appreciate that”, I said
But why was Gill lying off Alice and Brad and keeping me? I didn’t want to stay here, but I would take time.
Don’t be impulsive Iris, play along till you think over what to do.
But then I couldn’t help asking. “Who else will I be working with?”
“It will be you and I, working closely”, Gill iterated
“So far Brad, Alice and I have been a team. The polymer is the result of a joint effort”, I objected
“You could have done it alone. You have done it alone”, he said, and smiled again
“Why are you getting rid of my colleagues?”, I burst out before I could stop myself
“Because this project will be strictly confidential. It will be you and I. I will pay you a lot, 35% more of your current stipend, and you will come up with the product of the century”, Gill said calmly, the smile unfading on his lips
Gill looked at me intensely, pondering my reaction. I kept my face blank.
“But”, he continued, leaning forward lightly and raising a finger, “But you have to understand that we want the project to be confidential. We have to be loyal to each other”
At this I smiled too, a thin skeptical smile glossed with bitterness
“I will be happy to work on the project”, I replied, and got up, giving my hand to Gill for him to shake it.
He looked at me, surprised by my reaction, and shook my hand.
“So we have a deal”, he said
“We have a deal”, I said
I knew that what Gill thought he was buying was my silence, a chance for his brother perhaps, or maybe FoodTech Lab’s safety, or his own.
I smiled again, and walked out of the office thinking I would have something to tell Avery tonight.
That’s awesome, Gill bastard, pay me as many filthy dollars as you please. I’ll use your big bucks to spend on the best gun to blow up you, your damn brother and this whole fucking corporation. You bet I will.