Serena listened to his groveling in total silence, her lips curved into a cryptic, unforgiving smirk.
The weight of her stare was suffocating. Kaelen's shirt was plastered to his back, drenched in cold sweat.
"Ms. Panacea..."
He gulped air, grasping for anything to fill the void.
Serena still didn't utter a word. She simply lifted her hand and rubbed her thumb against her index and middle fingers in a slow, universal gesture.
The implication was crystal clear.
Kaelen blinked, then relief washed over him in a dizzying rush.
"Compensation! Of course, compensation!"
He eagerly seized the lifeline. "The Med-Tech Quarantine takes full responsibility for this horrific disruption. We nearly ruined your work, and we are absolutely obligated to make it right."
He braced himself. "As a gesture of goodwill, we will immediately transfer a $1 Million Indemnity to your account."
"Would that be acceptable?"
Serena arched a brow. It wasn't a fortune, but it was certainly enough to make the Director bleed his departmental budget.
She wasn't about to waste more time playing with her food. "Fine."
Kaelen exhaled a long, shaky breath.
He studied her brooding features, noticing the venomous edge finally softening.
Was that all this was about? The terrifying silence had just been a shakedown for cash?
Whatever.
He had survived the encounter. That was all that mattered.
A million dollars was a small price to pay.
Problems solved by money were rarely problems at all.
"You are far too generous," Kaelen flattered her, his plastic smile firmly back in place. "Thank you for your grace. Once again, you have my deepest apologies."
With the hush money secured, her mood noticeably improved.
The groveling was irrelevant to her.
She thrust The Argent Catalyst toward his chest. "Save the apologies. Just don't get in the way of my payday."
She threw him a dismissive look. "Didn't you say the Midnight Auction was wrapping up? Get this into the authentication pipeline."
Before any item could grace the stage on Project Zero-Transit, it had to endure a rigorous, multi layered chemical analysis to prove its authenticity.
Only a verified, high-grade product would make it to the floor.
Kaelen took the vial with both hands, handling it like a live grenade.
He clutched it with a reverence normally reserved for absolute salvation.
Because in a way, it was.
This single dose held more market value than his entire jurisdiction combined.
"Rest assured, I will personally
oversee the authentication process," he vowed, nodding fervently. If
be fast-tracked immediately.
"The second it clears, I'll activate the Priority Auction Fast-Track and slide it into the roster right before the finale."
Serena gave a curt nod of approval.
She pivoted and strode down the hall, making her way toward the auction house.
Behind her, Kaelen and his lackeys were still tossing pleasantries at her back. "Have a wonderful evening!"
"Please forget this unfortunate misunderstanding!"
"We will report the lab results the moment they are finalized!"
Serena didn't bother to look back. Her sleek silhouette rounded the corner, disappearing into the shadows.
But just before she slipped out of view, she caught a glimpse of their reflection in the polished walls.
Kaelen was leaning into his tech's ear, whispering an urgent command.
Toby nodded grimly in response.
A second later, the Director led his inner circle straight into her workspace.
Paranoia still had them by the throat. They were going to tear the lab apart, desperate for proof that
she had genuinely been there the entire time.