More upcoming car tiers shifted Natalia's thoughts away and she turned around to see more people sprawling out of the car. Amongst them were. Dr. Greener. Natalia with a broad smile approached him and embraced him. Dr. Greener returned back her hug. "How have you been Natalia?", He asked her. "I've had better days", Natalia replied back with a sigh, as she glared at Mr. Yahontov who was now busy speaking with an unknown man at a distance. Following his gaze, Dr. Greener fixed his gaze at Mr. Yahontov too. "I never thought. I would be put in this situation", Natalia told him, absentmindedly.
"Life is full of mysteries Natalia. Unexpected things keep happening. You are still young to understand the way life leads you sometimes", Dr. Greener told her. Natalia gave him a smile, a smile which soon faltered as she saw Chris walking in towards her.
"Hello, Dr. Greener. You look even older", he said, shaking hands with Dr. Greener. "And you still look stupid", Dr. Greener replied back with a smile.
"Dr. Jennings", Chris acknowledged Natalia with a slight nod. Natalia too gave him a slight nod. Dr. Doppler and Dr. Kevin soon joined in. They had the most problem with being present there. Dr. Kevin kept complaining to everyone of how he had other important appointments and Dr. Doppler gave a not so compelling reason for how his mother-in-law was severely ill, and he had to be present there.
"Why are they opening an investigation after three years?", Dr. Kevin kept asking everyone who had come on his way.
"His question makes sense", Chris, said softly after he made sure that Dr. Doppler and Dr. Kevin were not in their earshot. "Why now?", He asked exchanging looks between Natalia and Dr. Greener.
"That man", Dr. Greener said gesturing at Mr. Yahontov "he reckons they didn't get permission for it, this long", he said. "Strange, isn't it?", Chris asked. "Everything that happened that night was so strange. I still don't know whether to believe it or not", he added thoughtlessly.
Natalia excused herself from them and started walking aimlessly around the small garden area that the compound had. She let herself to be seated on a small wooden bench, ignoring its condition. She breathed rapidly as she thought of how her day has turned into, and this was just the start she knew.
"Ms. Jennings", someone called her, Natalia shifted her gaze, an unknown man started walking towards her. "Mr. Yahontov requests for your presence", he said. Natalia gave him a small nod and started following him. They had walked all around the perimeter of the main building towards the small cabin at the one end of the compound. This cabin was used by the guards who patrolled the compound.
"The cabin was cleaned just before your arrival", the man said, as they approached it. Natalia not being interested in it, just gave a nod. She saw Dr. Greener, Dr. Doppler, Dr. Kevin, and Chris already seated there inside. Natalia walked forward and took a seat beside Dr. Greener silently. Mr. Yahontov gave a man standing beside him a slight nod and he went out, only to return back with five cups. "Coffee", Mr. Yahontov said. Natalia immediately refused, and so did everyone, except for Chris. "Thank you Mr. Yahontov", he said with a bright smile.
"Okay. Now I know that ten of you were here, including Mrs. Glenn...", he started but was stopped by Chris soon. "Nine", he corrected him. "Nine?", Mr. Yahontov asked again, unsure. "Yes", Chris replied back, calmly sipping through his hot coffee. "Dr. Clinton dropped soon", he said.
*Flashback*
Six months had passed. Natalia and her team haven't started with the main experimental part yet. They were still studying and expanding their knowledge extensively. Past few months Natalia had studied rigorously, without taking a break. She was always trying to show others, that she deserved to be working there, with the others. The six-month end medical check-up day arrived soon, and so they were taken outside for medical check-ups. Though it was the first time they left their laboratory in six months. It didn't serve them any happiness as they were taken straight to some hospital, where the tests were taken and then immediately they were driven back into the laboratory.
After a week, the results had come and something unexpected was the results of some. Mr. Dashkov himself had arrived to give them their medical results. "Dr. Clinton, I demand some explanation here", he had said on his arrival. Dr. Clinton went pale, but somehow he looked like he knew what was coming ahead. "Why did you hide the conditions you had from us?", Mr. Dashkov asked him fiercely. "I wanted to be a part of this project", Dr. Clinton replied back calmly. "You cannot continue but", Mr. Dashkov said boldly. He sounded like authority for the first time. "What is it?", Mr. Greener asked him, curiously.
"He has prostate cancer", Mr. Dashkov said. The room was filled with shock. No one spoke anything for the next few moments. "Has it metastasized?", Natalia had asked, filled with compassion. "No", Dr. Clinton replied.
"We are extremely sorry for your condition, Dr. Clinton. But you are not fit to continue", Mr. Dashkov told him, showing few signs of sympathy on his face. "I am fit", Dr. Clinton had defended back. "I can do my work very well...", Dr. Clinton was very distressed about the situation, he kept pleading them to keep him in the project. Natalia had felt extremely bad for him, but there was nothing anyone could do. The room was left still after he left, no one had dared to speak a word. It was Mr. Dashkov who spoke again.
"Dr. Dashwood. I request you to take your diabetic medicines on time", he had said, before turning on his heels and leaving the room.
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YOU ARE READING
The Vanished
Mystery / Thriller"Three vanished and one suicide on the same night, it cannot be a coincidence"- Mr. Yahontov. As Natalia a brilliant young scientist gets selected for a secretive project, she takes on the opportunity with big dreams and aspirations. Little does she...
