He took a deep breath. "An additional one million dollars for your consultant fee.
Please proceed immediately, Your Excellency."
Serena smiled.
She stretched lazily and got to her feet. "Now we're talking."
Director Kaelen was speechless.
He was honestly getting used to this.
Whenever The Panacea threw a tantrum, explanations were useless. Just wire the money.
Serena took her time walking to the door and pulled it open.
Director Kaelen stood outside flanked by two crew members, respectfully holding out the new temporary pass and consultant card.
The card was a sleek, dark silver.
It was a tier higher than her previous black medical consultant card.
A crew member bowed their head. "Your Excellency, this clearance card grants you access to a designated route. Mr. Fenris will be accompanying you shortly."
Serena arched a brow. "Fenris? Him again?"
The crew member kept his head down, offering no comment.
Serena casually clipped the clearance card to her chest, grabbed her medical kit, and stepped out.
Sure enough, Fenris was waiting in the corridor.
The man leaned against the wall in his tactical black gear, his icy, grayish-blue eyes tracking her movements.
Serena smirked. "Has Mr. Fenris become my personal bodyguard now?"
Jerrick Lancaster replied coldly, "Orders from the ship."
Serena laughed softly. "And here I thought you just couldn't bear to be apart from me."
Director Kaelen nearly choked on his own spit.
Was The Panacea actually flirting with... Fenris?
No, wait!
The vibe was way too dangerous to be a simple flirtation!
Jerrick didn't look the least bit flustered by her teasing. He simply stated with a blank expression, "I only follow orders."
Serena chuckled, stepping right up to Jerrick. She tilted her head back, meeting those piercing grayish-blue eyes.
A wicked grin touched her lips. "But doesn't this just prove that fate keeps bringing us together?"
Her tone grew even more playful.
Anyone with eyes could see she was deliberately teasing the mercenary.
But in that fleeting moment, as she leaned in close under the guise of flirting...
She dropped her voice to a whisper only he could hear. "Your little gadget should be producing results soon, right?"
Jerrick's grayish-blue eyes instantly darkened.
Before he could react, Serena
smoothly pulled away with a soft et
laugh, turning on her heel and strutting down the corridor as if. nothing bad happened
Jerrick stared at her retreating back, his gaze turning somber.
She really had seen what he did.
This Panacea was unbelievably sharp!
And she was warning him.
Or rather... she was telling him that she was waiting for those results, too.
...
The Observation Theater was located on the deepest deck of the ship's midsection.
It was a massive, brilliantly illuminated exhibition hall.
Layer upon layer of security checkpoints guarded the entrance.
Serena followed Director Kaelen through the labyrinth.
Right before the final security door leading into the exhibition area, Kaelen turned to the mercenary. "Mr. Fenris, per the protocol for top tier VIP buyers, you and your squad must remain outside."
Jerrick's expression remained stony. "Understood."
He had expected this.
The inner sanctum required the highest clearance; the ship would never allow external mercenaries inside.
Being stationed at the door was already the maximum leeway the ship could grant him based on his security detail.
However...
Jerrick's gaze shifted back to Serena.
Those grayish-blue eyes betrayed no emotion, yet they silently warned her: 'It might not be safer inside.'
Serena shot him a sidelong glance, a faint smirk playing on her lips.
A silent reassurance: 'Don't worry.'
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.
Swinging
fla cancer medical kit, Serena a malicious grin. "So, youret
me my guard dog has t
Stay
on the porch?