- Why did Ledesma ask that question? - Esteban whispered beside her, while scientists and executives crowded around the coffee machine after the presentation.
Lucrecia looked at him and managed to suppress the emotions threatening to drown her. She lifted her chin and straightened up, in a deliberate attempt to retreat into that shell of hers that kept others from perceiving what she did not want them to perceive.
Someone had played her.
She didn't know who, or why. But she knew they had played her.
- I don't know.
She turned toward the machine and took a disposable cup. Her brain was craving caffeine with an urgency that felt almost physical… she had slept very few hours over the last three days.
A man at her side complained, and only then did she notice there was someone else waiting to pour himself a drink.
- Excuse me. - she murmured.
Even so, she did not step aside. She poured her coffee and only then took a step toward Esteban, but before that, she drank the entire espresso in a single swallow and set the cup down on the table.
- It's not far-fetched… - she added, more to herself than to Esteban. - It's logical to ask about beta-sheet folding. It was one of my first doubts when I identified the cofactor. Ledesma is brilliant. I'm not surprised she came to the same conclusion.
- Yes, but her question was loaded. You know what it means to have beta-sheet folding.
Yes, she knew. That was precisely why the question worried her.
- Dr. Alonso. - The voice that addressed her was not one she recognized easily, but the accent was.
Lucrecia shot the American an angry look, but when she saw him approach with a cup of coffee and offer it to her as a conciliatory gesture, she could do nothing but accept. Her brain was thirsty.
- Thank you. My head is splitting apart. - she murmured, accepting the truce.
Once again, she drank it down in a single swallow.
The American watched her in silence, and only after she had set that cup down on the table as well did he greet Esteban and introduce himself as an agent from the United States who had come to take a look at the facilities. He said nothing about an investigation, nor did he mention her. For a second, the two men looked at each other, and that glance made it clear they were both measuring the ground beneath their feet. Her stomach tightened. Someone had played her… this man's presence was irrefutable proof of it. She clenched her teeth, told herself firmly that she had to remain calm, and looked away.
‹‹Damn American››
Then she took hold of her wavering resolve and accepted reality: she was not prepared for a confrontation with the Kennedy heir.
- Agent Kennedy… - she turned toward him and spoke in an unexpectedly soft voice, almost angelic. She rested the palm of her hand on his shoulder and smiled warmly.
- It will be a pleasure to resume our conversation when circumstances allow it, but right now I need to communicate some developments to our CEO. - She withdrew her hand naturally. - In the meantime, the best company I can offer you is Esteban's. He will be happy to answer any questions you consider pertinent.
The heir did not reply. He kept watching her, trying to read her thoughts. He was not going to succeed. What he did not know was that her thoughts were an intricate web of constant contradictions.
- Esteban, whatever Agent Kennedy asks… answer him.
- Of course. There's nothing to hide... - said the American dryly.
- Exactly that - she replied, with a sharp smile. - I couldn't have said it better myself.
They held each other's gaze a second longer than necessary, and he smiled at her with irony. Lucrecia felt tempted to kick him, but restrained herself. Then she pointed in Carpentier's direction.
- That's where I'll be, Agent. I'll return as soon as I'm free.
Lucrecia walked decisively in the direction she had indicated. She did not turn to confirm he was studying her; she was certain he was. She merely passed close to the CNI agent, pretended to brush against him by mistake, and when she had his attention on her, apologized with perfectly rehearsed discomfort.
- Oh… CNI! - she let out, in a tone low enough that the heir would not hear her. - Your partner is looking for you.
The agent turned toward the American.
- Thank you, Doctor. But Leon doesn't seem to need me right now.
She turned just enough to confirm that he was already speaking with Esteban, who was laughing with his teeth showing and, no doubt, making clever jokes to gauge the agent's reactions.
Lucrecia shrugged as if she did not care in the least and headed toward Carpentier. Once there, she pretended to blend into the group of executives, but in truth she focused on the reflection in the room's large windows. She watched the agents. The CNI man went to get himself a bite to eat, the American had his back turned.
‹‹Now or never››
She turned sharply and headed for the door, first under control… then faster. Her heart pounded so hard she felt it throughout her entire body, as if each beat were tearing something inside her. She knew that if they discovered her, her behavior would be impossible to justify. But she also knew that she was already in this. And she was not going to stand still.
She left the room, opened the stairwell door, and began descending quickly. Her stomach twisted again under the intense need to escape this moment, this day, and this situation. With every step she took and every strike of her heels, she could almost feel her muscles moving beneath her skin. She had to remain calm and master the situation.
She stopped short, drew in a deep breath, and took off her shoes.
And then, yes, she launched into a hurried descent down the three floors separating her from her office. As she did, she thought of nothing but those documents and of taking as little time as possible so as not to draw the attention of her executioners.
When she reached the seventh floor, she jumped the last steps and shoved the door open. The hallway greeted her clean; there were no longer any traces of yerba or water. She ran to her office, pressed her access card against the reader, waited for the beep that seemed to take forever, stepped inside, and went straight to the desk. She grabbed the relevant documents and stuffed them into her handbag.
‹‹Done. Good girl››
Now all that remained was to go back and act as though nothing had happened.
☠️
Leon had never been particularly good at playing babysitter.
When the senior researcher Alonso had introduced to him proved unpromising, Leon looked for Diego and found him drinking coffee. He scanned the room and the one person he did not find was her.
‹‹Wonderful››
Leon rested his hands on his belt and reached for the small tactical radio he used as a satellite communication system with Ingrid Hunnigan, communications operator for the Anti-Bioterrorism Strategic Command, and called.
- Leon…
- I need your help. - he said without preamble, as he moved to the corner of the room and leaned against the wall, making sure he had a perfect side view of the entrance door, the elevator, and the stairwell door. He knew that, sooner or later, the doctor would appear there… she had not left without a reason.
- Tell me.
- I need you to look into cellular prion proteins and their forms… - He wasn't quite sure how to explain it any better, and what he had heard had been confusing, not only because of the language, but because he was not a scientist. - Alpha and beta…
- Could you be more specific?
- Not much more. You'll have to start there.
- All right.
The line cut off.
That was how he liked to operate: concise and efficient.
Suddenly, the stairwell door opened and Dr. Alonso appeared, strands of hair escaping from her tightly wound bun. She looked agitated and was holding a cell phone in one hand. He saw her look around, surely searching for him or Diego… he was not stupid, he had already realized she thought he was deceiving her… and when she did not spot them, she smoothed her dress, still free of wrinkles, cleared her throat, cracked the joints in her neck, regained control of her body, and stepped back into the room. Leon turned away at once, pretending not to have seen her. He gave it a reasonable amount of time, enough to allow her to finally approach Carpentier, as she had said she would. Only then did he head over to Diego, feigning complete innocence.
- Diego… - he positioned himself at his side. - Regarding Alcántara Pharma's financial irregularities - the Spaniard looked at him - could you bring those reports tomorrow morning? I'd like to read them.
Diego seemed to hesitate for a moment. Leon saw him tighten his jaw, loosen his tie, and finally allow himself a deep breath.
- Of course.
He had been cordial, but he was not pleased, and that did not escape Leon. He wondered why. Diego then shifted his gaze toward the doctor, who was now laughing with ease, champagne glass in hand, fully integrated among the executives making toasts. Well then, class privilege extended far enough to discriminate even among scientists… but not her.
Alonso lifted her gaze and, while holding her smile, searched for him among the crowd. When she found him, their eyes met for a second and she seemed surprised to discover that he was already watching her. Her smile faltered before she could sustain it, she tensed slightly and, in an unnecessary motion, raised her glass in his direction in an attempt to recover and appear friendly. She forced herself to smile at him; he answered with a slight incline of the head. Immediately, she looked away.
It was interesting that Diego did not produce that effect on her. With him, she moved with ease, without visible fractures, which made it clear that, somehow, she already had him on her side. Leon considered the possibilities without dwelling too long on them… it could be simple attraction, it was obvious she had enough presence for that, though he did not rule out something less clean. Even so, up to that point Diego had been precise, had shared useful information, and had cooperated without objection; it was only after meeting the doctor that Leon had begun to notice that different nuance, a sustained attentiveness that went beyond the professional.
- Who is the woman who asked about beta-sheet folding? - Leon leaned toward Diego in a whisper, without taking his eyes off Alonso.
- To be honest? No idea.
Well… it was obvious that something had broken there, and if she was so concerned with controlling his every movement… it would be far more profitable to make dangerous moves.
- I'll go find out.
He did not wait for any response from his colleague. He simply moved with deliberate slowness, giving Alonso enough time to notice the direction he had taken.
The scientist in question was at the other end of the room. She was chatting easily with another woman close to her in age. It would not hurt to listen a little before interrupting. When he was close enough, he stopped, pulled out his cell phone, and pretended to read messages.
- Yes. - the other woman was saying. - I had to scold him because I found him with video games at three in the morning.
- Speaking of chronic insomnia... - joked the one who had asked the question.
The women laughed.
‹‹Nothing interesting››
- Good afternoon, excuse the interruption. - Leon positioned himself in front of the scientist and extended his hand after greeting them in Spanish. The woman looked at him in surprise, somewhat disconcerted, and accepted the gesture hesitantly.
- I'm Agent Kennedy, and I'm taking a look around the facilities.
- The pleasure is mine. I'm Dr. Ledesma.
They released hands, he forced himself to smile warmly, and added:
- Dr. Alonso certainly seems to know what she's doing, doesn't she?
- Yes, she is very rigorous in her work. - the other woman interjected, extending her hand for him to shake. - Dr. Vergara.
- A pleasure.
- We can speak in English, Agent, if you wish. - Ledesma let him know.
- That won't be necessary, but I appreciate the thought.
- And what is an American agent doing here? - Vergara asked. - Have you come to protect Alonso from corporate theft?
He shook his head once and added nothing more.
- The idea of corporate theft seems to be hanging in the air at Alcántara Pharma. - he tested the ground.
- In fact, Alonso's drug has already been patented. - Ledesma clarified. - That idea is only a ghost born from exhaustion and work-related stress.
‹‹Finally, something interesting››
- And why is that?
- Because pharmaceutical companies usually obtain the patent for a new drug before beginning clinical trials, because it's difficult to maintain secrecy after the first two phases.
- I see. Carpentier already has the gold mine secured.
Ledesma looked at him with a certain wariness. He had pushed too hard.
- It's reassuring to hear about the drug's harmlessness. - he straightened slightly, changing the subject completely. - Listening to her talk about such promising results, and being one of those insomniac Americans she mentioned as part of the statistics, I can hardly wait to try it.
Again, in Ledesma's gaze, he caught distrust… she did not agree.
- I suppose so... - she limited herself to saying.
- It's an unequivocal yes! - Vergara cut in. - We are all very proud of Lucrecia.
And they all knew how to keep their mouths shut.
- As well they should. - he added.
In any case, he was not going to ask Ledesma directly about beta-sheet folding, not until he understood what it meant. There was no point in acquiring information he would not be able to process and would therefore forget easily. His objective had already been met. All he had wanted was for Alonso to see him there, and although she now had her back turned to him, he had no doubt she had. That was enough. He only had to let time do its part. The bomb had already been planted… now all that remained was to wait for the right moment to make it explode.