Kismet Encounter Ch. 01

Looking down at his Rolex, the time showed a quarter past seven. His first appointment for the day was in less than fifteen minutes, prompting him to down the tumbler of alcohol before pouring another and subsequently draining that one as well. A light flashed on his intercom connected to his receptionist, Martha Jameson. He crossed the room to this desk and pressed the flashing button.

"Yes?"

"Good morning, Mr. Costello. Your first appointment is here a bit early. May I let her in?" Martha Jameson questioned politely. He looked down at his watch once more, frowned, and pressed the button.

"Yes, let her in."

The sound of heels clicking across the marble flooring reverberated through the hall adjoining his office and the reception area, only halting when the door was gently knocked upon.

"Come in." He called, his voice resounded through the spacious office. The door opened, a petite woman entering, wearing a long pencil skirt and a cowl necked blouse, her heels muffled on the thick carpets covering the office floor. She smiled when she caught Joseph's eye, fine lines appearing in the corners around her eyes and corners of her mouth, a white lab coat folded over her arm.

"Ah, Miranda, please come in." He said pleasantly, motioning to the empty leather chair in front of his desk. She placed the folded white lab on the arm of the chair before grasping his hand in a firm shake. She sat down opposite him, her smile warm and friendly.

"Good morning, Joseph. Thank you for offering me such an early appointment. I truly hope it hasn't been an inconvenience on you in any way." She said, her voice honeyed.

"Not at all. It's been quite a while. Now, what can I do for you?"

"I wanted to inquire about the documentation acquired during the testing administered on your daughters," she stated simply. A silence filled the large office, the faint ticking of the clock audible.

"My daughters?" Joseph finally asked with a frown. He folded his hands together, watching Miranda, his expression disconcerted.

"Yes. We're verging on a breakthrough with our genetic profiling serum, and our knowledge of the mitochondrial link responsible for aberrant behavior. If I were able to compare our current research with the data collected from your daughters, the results would be groundbreaking." Her proposal was strong, her tone steady and pressing. He sat back in his chair, observing Miranda, his gaze cold.

"Absolutely not."

The muscles in his jaw tightened with agitation. Miranda sat forward, her determination renewed by the rejection.

"You don't understand the implications, Joseph. We are looking at the possibility of changing all of humanity. Our team is not only answering to BioMIE; Lunvec Industries has signed on to the project as well. With the kind of funding we are receiving, you would be compensated handsomely," she implored.

Joseph erupted in boisterous laughter.

"Be that as it may, money is not an issue and will not sway my decision. One mistake was enough, Miranda. Regardless of the implications, the documents in question are completely unethical," he said, his tone haughty and his eyes ice.

He sighed, his tone softening when he continued, "I refuse to allow anyone access to the research that caused my children such endless pain."

She sighed, leaning forward even further with mock sincerity painted heavily on her features.

"I sincerely apologize for their trauma. There is no way any one of us could undo the pain inflicted but, the damage is done. You should consider yourself lucky they weren't among the casualties in the study. The research we've obtained since then is limited. There's no sense in allowing their suffering to be in vain. If we could use the documents you possess, it would be the scientific breakthrough of the millennia," Miranda emphasized.

"No." The word came down upon the room like a gavel, dripping with finality.

"You may feel as if you placate the pain they endured by letting them live their lives without responsibility, but I'm sure it's still there. Holding back such irreplaceable information does not change that fact," Miranda challenged, not dropping her gaze even when his eyes narrowed with hostility.

"I believe this meeting is over. I hope your research proves fruitful," he said, turning his chair toward the far right of his desk where a tall computer monitor sat.

"Thank you for your time," she replied facetiously as she stood from the leather chair, turning to leave. The door shut loudly behind her and she walked past the receptionist without a glance in her direction as she kept toward the bank of elevators. She pressed the button, simmering in the angry aftermath of the meeting with Joseph Costello.

A devilish grin curled on her lips as the elevator opened and she stepped in. She'd foreseen his renouncement and contrition of the testing he allowed his children to undergo as well as his contempt at her request. It was no surprise she was leaving his office without the documents.

She did, however, leave with the information she needed to further her alternative: it was evident that he still possessed the documents. The execution of her plan was already underway, and she would have what she needed in her hand soon enough, regardless of his refusal.