Chapter 7 : Adrians' Influence

*Amelia*

I was so caught up in the details of my personal injury case that I almost missed my lunch meeting with Gregory. I glanced at the clock and realized it was nearly time. I hurried to make sure I wasn't late. A few muttered curses later, I shoved off my desk and packed my bag as hastily as I could.

We had plans to meet at a diner around the corner, and if I hurried, I'd make it in time. As I walked, I couldn't help but reflect on how we first met. It was at a conference for private investigators that I had attended out of pure curiosity. During a break between presentations, we'd struck up a conversation about the food, and it resulted in me feeling uncharacteristically comfortable with him.

Little did I know, that conversation would be the first of many. I took his number that day and ended up calling him for advice on tracking down a witness in a case I was working on at the time. We became fast friends after that. In little more than a year, we had developed an unbreakable bond.

I appreciated him more than he knew for his willingness to help me with my work. He had a knack for finding information and uncovering secrets no one else could. I never hesitated to call him when I stumbled upon an especially difficult case, and he never failed to come through for me.

When it came to the MID case, in particular, Gregory was invaluable. Not only did he quickly identify sources, but also provided quick avenues to get crucial evidence that allowed me to build the mountain of evidence I had today. I was thankful to have Gregory as an ally in this world of uncertainty and cruelty. His unwavering helpfulness reminded me that there are still people out there willing to lend a hand when it matters most - and never hesitate to get involved with what was right.

As I arrived, I felt the comfort of entering a safe place. The red vinyl seats and checkered floor evoked memories of old diners from my childhood. My mother and I used to visit one just like this, and I always got the Mickey Mouse pancakes with extra strawberries. I smiled fondly as I spotted Gregory sitting in a corner to my right.

A lamp shone on Gregory's blond hair as he sat in his customary corner booth. He was tracing a circle with his finger on the table and looked up when I approached him. His brown eyes had the look of an animal about to bolt. He always had an anxious energy about him, and I thought it was because he was aware of how dangerous the world could be.

"Hey there," I said, sliding into the seat across from him.

"Hey, Amelia," he replied with a warm smile. "I'm glad you could make it. Did you have any trouble sneaking away from your boss?"

I laughed because, for some reason, Gregory had never liked Michael. He said he was a tyrant because he didn't like me to do lunch meetings outside of the office.

"No trouble at all," I said with a wink. "Michael's out of town on business, so I have a little more freedom than usual."

Gregory chuckled. "Good, good. I have some interesting news to share with you," he said, his energy suddenly shifting from anxious to melancholy.

I leaned forward, intrigued, "What is it?"

He furrowed his brow, "I'm still piecing together the exact details, but it looks like that medication you've been investigating may have caused more deaths than we originally thought."

My heart sank, and I felt a pit develop in the pit of my stomach. Gregory continued, "I found three other families whose loved ones died as a result of increasing tumor growth. They accepted bribes to keep things quiet because they came from backgrounds of extreme poverty."

I sat back in my seat, taking in the news, trying to keep my emotions in check. This was a huge breakthrough in the case, but it also meant that there were more victims out there who had suffered needlessly. I tried to hold it together, but tears escaped from my eyes and made tracks down my cheeks. I wiped them away, I hated showing vulnerability in a public place.

Gregory saw my tears, and he placed a gentle hand on mine, "I know it's tough, but this is all the more reason to keep pushing forward. We need to make sure those responsible are held accountable for their actions."

I nodded, grateful for his support, "You're right. We can't let this go on any longer. Where are the families located now?"

He reached under the table and pulled out a piece of paper that had three addresses written on it.

"Two of them are in Jersey and one family moved to the West Coast," Gregory said, "I can go with you to talk to the two in Jersey, and then maybe I can convince the ones from the West Coast to speak to us virtually."

I pondered how we'd convince them to talk to us after this much time had passed. "We may have a difficult time convincing the families to talk since they're likely frightened and stressed. We'll have to approach them with compassion and understanding, emphasizing that we will do everything in our power to seek justice for their loved ones. We'll also assure them that their identities and personal information will be kept confidential during the course of our investigation," I told Gregory.

Gregory nodded in agreement. "I can handle the West Coast family. They don't have to worry about revealing their identity, we can do a virtual interview. As for the families in Jersey, we'll approach them as sensitively as possible. We'll have to stress that we understand that they have already gone through so much, and we don't want to add any more stress or hardship to their lives."

I smiled, appreciating Gregory's professionalism and concern for the families. "Thank you. We'll need to start preparing for these interviews immediately. And I'm prepared to share my mother's story so they understand that I was affected, too. People usually open up a bit more when they know that I'm not just someone looking to make a quick buck from their pain."

Gregory nodded, "I'll start making arrangements for the virtual interview, and I'll book us a flight to Jersey. Are you ready to take on this next step?"

I took a deep breath, composed myself, and looked at Gregory, "Yes. Let's do this."

***

The work day was long, and when I entered my apartment I was thankful Nina had dinner waiting for me.

"Ah, dinner," I said with a smile as I sat down at the kitchen table.

"I was worried about you. How did it go?" Nina asked.

I filled her in on all the details of my meeting with Gregory and the information we had obtained. She listened intently to every word, not saying anything until I finished.

"That's horrible," she said solemnly, "Those poor families and their loved ones have already been through so much pain and suffering."

I nodded, feeling the familiar ache in my chest, "It's true, and MID has just gotten away with it."

Nina reached across the table and held my hand tightly, "How about your meeting with Adrian? Was it better or worse than you thought it'd be?"

I sighed, my mind still reeling from the intensity of the day. "It was... unexpected."

Nina raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "What do you mean?"

"Well," I began, "He was cold and distant at first. That didn't surprise me. But he seemed to be forthcoming with his files."

Nina smiled, "That's great!"

I shrugged my shoulders before breaking the bad news, "Yes. But I'm not acting as a lawyer. I'll be the lead complainant."

Nina gasped, her eyes wide with shock, "What? That's huge! You'll be the face of the case?"

I nodded grimly, "It seems so."

Nina's expression turned serious, "That could be extremely dangerous. Are you sure you want to do this?"

I thought for a moment before responding, "Yes. I can't let these families suffer any longer while MID gets away with it."

Nina nodded understandingly, but I could see the anxiousness in her eyes, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

I weighed my options and decided to say fuck it, "Actually, I think you could be a huge help. MID relies heavily on its computer systems to store and protect data. If we can find a way to get access to those systems, that could provide us with some valuable information."

Nina's eyes lit up with excitement as she realized what I was saying. "You want me to hack into their systems?"

I laughed softly at the look of enthusiasm on her face, "Yes. I know it won't be easy, but if anyone can do it, it's you. Even if we can't use any of it in court, it may lead us to people who can answer our questions."

Nina nodded thoughtfully, "I'll get started tonight. Give me a few days and I'll have something for you."

For a moment, I thought about my words. Was I really asking Nina to do something illegal? Hacking for the greater good shouldn’t be a concern, what do the laws say about hacking? I’m starting to believe that Adrian’s influence is corrupting me, but to be honest, he hadn’t done anything illegal nor mentioned or suggested anything illegal at all. This was just me.

I looked at Nina and smiled gratefully, feeling more motivated than ever. I glanced at the clock and realized dinner had gotten cold while we talked.

"Well," I said as I stood up from the table, "Let's eat. We can discuss the details later."

Nina agreed and we dug into our meals with enthusiasm. As we ate, she shared stories about her day and I laughed along with her - grateful to be able to take a moment and relax after such an overwhelming day.

After dinner, I took a long hot shower to wash away the stress of the day. I dried off and put on my favorite pajamas before heading to bed. As I settled in, I closed my eyes and thought about everything I had sacrificed so far during my journey pursuing justice for my mom.

My social life was almost non-existent, and I hadn't had sex in months. Usually, this didn't bother me, but tonight the loneliness felt heavy. I thought about how nice it would be to have someone to destress with, to use our bodies to forget about the weight of the world for just a little while.

Soon, images of Adrian's body began floating around in my head. I could feel the strength of his presence in the room, and I shivered with desire at the thought of running my hands across his taut chest. His dark eyes were deep and mysterious, they seemed to draw me in and make me want more.

My cheeks flushed with heat and I felt my arousal grow for the first time in a long time. The feelings were exacerbated by how wrong it was to lust after someone like Adrian. I tried to push the thoughts away, but it was too late. I had already begun to touch my breasts as I imagined his hands were in place of mine.

My nipples pebbled from the attention, so I pinched them. I moaned quietly, and I could feel the wetness between my legs grow. I slid a hand down my body to the awaiting moisture and dipped a finger inside, teasing my entrance. I gasped as I felt the ghost of Adrian's hands on me.

My breathing quickened as I massaged the area around my swollen, needy clitoris. My eyes closed, a wave of pleasure coursed through me, and I pressed harder with each rotation, feeling an electrifying sensation spread throughout my body.

My breaths became shorter and faster as I felt the pleasure building within me. My whole body trembled with anticipation until I finally reached a peak, and an intense wave of pleasure engulfed me. I stayed still for several moments, letting the delightful aftershocks ripple through me before succumbing to a deep sleep filled with visions of Adrian's caresses.