Chapter 2

Ava’s POV

“Grrrrr…. Grrrrr…”

I woke up to something vibrating hard against my wooden shelf. 

“That’s odd. My alarm clock doesn’t sound like that.” 

I mumbled incoherently as I turned to the other side of my bed. I just needed to sleep for five more minutes and I would be good. I wrapped myself tightly with my blanket and smiled happily when the vibration stopped.

“Yes, that is!”

I sighed as I ventured deeper into my dreamland, but I was soon brought back when the annoying vibration began again.

“It’s still dark. Did I set an early alarm?”

I thought as I sleepily tried to locate my alarm clock on the shelf with my left hand. By the time my hand located it, the sound stopped again. 

“Five more minutes!”

I sighed as I covered myself up with my blanket again. But it was just like the sound didn’t want me to have any more sleep because the moment I was beginning to enjoy my sleep again, the vibration began again.

“Okay, what is going on?”

I rose up frustratingly from my bed to see if Jasmine was playing pranks on me. Yeah, she could do that! I was getting pissed off as I tried to locate where my best friend was until something in my brain clicked. I looked over to the shelf and that was when I saw where the sound was coming from.

“Shit!”

I screamed when I saw the Caller ID. At that moment, I knew I was done for. I was never going to hear the end of it from her. 

“Good morning, ma’am.”

I said energetically into my phone’s mouthpiece as I picked up the call.

“Good morning to you too, Miss Cole. You are just waking up, right? Is that why you screened my call for a long time?” 

Miss Simpson said with a screeching sound that almost deafened me. Yeah, you guessed it right! She was my boss.

“I dare not, ma’am. I just woke up so I didn’t see the call earlier.” 

I told her apologetically, although I didn’t understand why I had to be sorry when she was the one calling me outside of working hours.

“Sleeping? At this hour? This is 5 am, Miss Cole. A true scientist should be up by now and start planning for her day. And you pose yourself as a hardworking person. Is this how you sleep all night?”

Miss Simpson said with a high-pitched sound which got me dumbfounded. I was confused as to how she got to have a say on the time I should sleep and wake up. I didn’t know how to reply to her accusation so I had no choice but to stammer.

“Uhm… Uhm…”

“Whatever, I need you to meet me in my office as early as 7 am. I have a special job for you. As much as I am not content with the way you act, you are still the best scientist I have. So do not disappoint me with lateness. Also, dress properly for God’s sake!”

Miss Simpson ended the call the moment she finished saying the reason why she called me. She didn’t even give me the chance to reply to her.

“She is one of a kind!”

I sighed as I sat back on my bed that was inviting me for another five minutes of sleep, but I knew I shouldn’t if I didn’t want to be lectured by my boss again. So I got up and began to prepare for my day.

I thought about what the special job she mentioned was about, but I couldn’t guess it. One thing I do know was that whenever Miss Simpson compliments a job, it would definitely be worthwhile.

To be honest, she was actually one of my role models. That was the reason why I applied to work in her private research company. She was one of the youngest and most recognized neuroscientists in the world. She was only 30 and she had already been recognized for her contributions to the study of brain chemistry.

My mind was brought back to the present situation as I rushed up to the elevator. It was already 6:53 am and if there was another thing Miss Simpson was known for, that would be her intolerance for lateness.

“Thank goodness!”

I sighed thankfully the moment the Elevator’s doors opened. I finally relaxed as I used the moment to access what I was wearing. I decided to go in my wine-colored suit and its pant trousers. I completely my dress with a pair of 5 inches heels. Although I wasn’t a fan of heels, I had no choice but to present myself decently before my boss.

By the time I got to the front of her office door, it was already 6:58 am as I knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Her voice said inside.

“Good morning, ma’am.” I greeted her again the moment I entered.

“You are on time. Good! Have your seat!” She replied as she pointed to the chair before her while I did as I was told.

“I’m gonna go straight to the point. I have a job offer for you. And trust me, it is one of a kind. I assure you that you will be paid handsomely for it and you will also get to acquire more knowledge about what our job entails. But if you decide not to do it, I will not force it upon you.”

Miss Simpson began and this already hooked my interest. I knew I was definitely going to agree to the work she wanted to give me, there was nothing for me to decline about such an offer. 

“What is the job about, ma’am?” I asked curiously.

“It is about an unknown kind of brain cancer. I just got a report from one of my friends that this kind of cancer has been the cause of many deaths in his vicinity, and we don’t know anything about it yet. I have never seen anything like it before when studied the sample of the affected brain cell that was sent to me. I need a trusted and hardworking individual like you to work with me on this project. Can you do that?”

Miss Simpson asked and everything she said truly got me intrigued about the project. I had never heard of a case like that before. I needed unique cases like that to broaden my knowledge.

“Yes, ma’am. I will love to help with the project. What do you need me to do, ma’am?” I replied.

“Good! I am happy you are on board. I will send the sample I got to your laboratory before the day ends. I need you to do your research on it before we meet with my friend. And mind you, he is a very important figure in society that shouldn’t be disappointed. So I need you to put your best into this project. It is a matter of life and death, and trust me, the client we will be working with will not tolerate any form of mistake from us.”

Miss Simpson said seriously to me and for a moment, I could sense a hint of fear in her voice as she talked on and on about how important the success of the project was. 

“Wait! Miss Simpson? Afraid? Those words can never be found together in a sentence! What is she afraid of? I thought the person employing us on the project is her friend?”

I thought skeptically as I tried to understand what was going on. I didn’t understand what could get Miss Simpson so afraid to the extent that it was being noticeable in her voice.

My boss was never the type to be shaken by small threats. She always faced all challenges aimed at her courageously, which was another reason why I loved her. So for her to be so scared about some project or someone she called her friend, I couldn't help but be scared a little bit.

“If Miss Simpson can be this shaken up, how bad can this person I will be working for be? Should I just decline the offer before it is too late?”

“Are you with me, Miss Cole?” I was brought out of my fearful daze by my boss’s high-pitched voice.

“Yes, ma’am. I understand what you are talking about. I will put my best into the project, ma’am.” I replied smartly.

“Good! As soon as the sample is sent to your laboratory, research thoroughly on it and get a basic understanding of what the cause may be. At least, I should be able to present something tangible to the client that will be investing so much in my company.” Miss Simpson informed.

“Okay! I will do that, ma’am.” 

I replied as she dismissed me from her office. I let out a sigh of relief the moment I left her presence, she was really intimidating.

I finally relaxed as I walked patiently to my laboratory while thinking about what just happened. I couldn’t deny the joy of achievement I was feeling as I thought about how the success of such a mysterious project will be. But that joy was short-lived when the image of Miss Simpson being afraid interrupted my thought. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of fear as I hoped that everything about the project would be alright.

“I really hope I am not setting myself up for failure!”