"Ciara is safe."
Athena was relieved tremendously by Ewan’s text. She kept her phone on the table, exhaled shakily, and watched the reactions happening in the beaker on the table a few feet away.
It was worse than she could ever imagine; would have been worst if Ciara hadn’t obtained the virus for them.
The one she had taken from the lab, which she had thought was the final product or at least close to it, was just the preliminary.
Her eyes darted to her phone when it started ringing. Herbert. Good that he called, she thought, picking the phone quickly. She had some questions for him.
"Athena, good afternoon, how are you doing?"
"I’m fine, Herbert, thank you. And how are you? You have been scarce lately..."
Herbert’s sigh echoed over the line. "I’m fine, just a bit occupied with some work... had to leave the state for an emergency. Is there a problem? Did anyone look for me?"
"Not really. The government parastatals were up with questions though. Wanted to know how you were unaware of the secret room below the hospital."
"I never said I was unaware, Athena."
Athena raised a brow, lips parting slightly. Oh.
"I just never thought the secrets would be discovered by those twins. The space was like an escape route in case of emergencies..."
Just like Ewan had noted, Athena mused, licking her lower lip.
"And about the exit door, where does it lead to? Do you know the location?" she pressed, tone careful.
A pause on the other end, long enough to tell Athena the man was thinking.
"I’m not sure I can remember. It’s been years since I had perused the plan of the building. The contractor, I remember, told me though that it had been incomplete... I had directed the funds elsewhere."
Another pause, heavy. "I think it should open out someplace close though, or maybe... It has been shut down by rocks and sand with the rise of buildings everywhere... what do you think?"
Athena bit her lip, remembering her grandfather’s words. No one apart from the people in the room should know their plans, should know what they know.
"I don’t know what to think really, Herbert. I’m just trying to cross all the dots. We need to know what was being grown in that lab..."
"So you weren’t able to get anything from there, apart from the tools that the police had confiscated?"
"No. We are running on blinds here."
An audible sigh of weariness came over the line, and Athena felt sad for the older colleague. This was depressing for everyone.
"Just stay safe, Herbert, and always wear your nose mask. Seeing as you have been infected with the Grey Virus twice, you might be more susceptible to the new variant than the others..."
"I will, thank you Athena. And please do your best."

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