Page 3 of Rupture

She edged past the woman and her bodyguards.

The woman watched her go, an amused tilt to hermouth before turning her attention back to Rose with an assessing sweep. Rose straightened, pulling herself up to her full five-one, briefly wishing for proper clothes and shoes instead of a rolled-down wetsuit and bare feet.

Even so.This is my home ground.

“Dr. Wyndham?” The woman extended one leather gloved hand, her scarlet painted lips curling in an approximation of a smile that dodged her eyes.

Rose ignored the proffered hand. “I’m sorry, but you can’t just barge in here like this. There are proper procedures. I have a meeting with investors in five minutes and I’m not even dressed yet.”

The woman made a dismissive wave. “I have all the clearances and your investors can wait.” With purposeful strides, she strode between Rose and Gina, showing a flash of red soles.

Gina pivoted. “Hey, you can’t just?—”

One of the two men grabbed Gina by the arm. She shrieked and the plate of sandwiches tipped. They slid to the tiled floor with a wet slap.

What the hell?

“Get your hands off her.” Rose stepped forward, facing the thug who’d grabbed Gina. Dark hair sprouted from his too large nostrils, but Rose held his blank faced stare, her palms damp. “I said. Let. Her. Go.”

Seconds stretched and Rose was sure he must hear the hammer of her heart.

The woman gave a curt nod, and the heavy released Gina. She stumbled away from him, rubbing her upper arm.

“Did you come here just to abuse my staff or is there a reason for this visit?” Rose tore her gaze from the man, pinned it back on the woman, trying not to acknowledgewhat she’d noticed. The men’s suit jackets were bulky, pulled snug over shoulder holsters.They were armed.

“Dr. Rose Wyndham. Do you mind if I call you Rose? Wyndham is quite a mouthful, is it not?”

Rose’s lips parted. She forced her hands flat against her thighs. “Only people I consider my friends call me Rose?—”

“Excellent. Friends we are then.” The woman showed her small, perfect teeth. “You can call me Margaret.”

2

“Margaret who?”Rose asked.

The woman appeared not to have heard her. “Your presentation was impressive.” She cast a glance around the tiled changing rooms as if surprised to find herself there.

“Glad you enjoyed it.” Rose’s teeth met under pressure. The chlorine from the pool was making her skin itch. She wanted a shower, to get dressed and have a hot drink and eat something. “Perhaps.” She inhaled a slow breath. “You might be kind enough to tell me what all this is about?”

Margaret swept one gloved hand over the wooden bench before sitting down and folding her hands in her lap. Her ankles peeped out from under the hem of her immaculately tailored trousers.

Gina made eye contact from the other side of the room, her eyes wide.What the hell?

“I’ve read your most recent paper on sub-sea recovery using nano tech.Extremelyinteresting.” Margaret’s scarlet painted lips tugged into a smile. “Your work, Rose, has the potential to revolutionize sub-sea exploration.”

Cut to the chase. Rose arched a brow, not trusting herselfto speak, Margaret’s bodyguards burning the edges of her vision with their meaty bodies andguns.

“Especially in the current climate where we are monitoring the spread of the Ceto bacteria throughout our oceans. You know of the incident in the Ceto habitat?”

Rose folded her arms. “You can’t work in marine biology and not know of it.”

Or the damage it’s wrecked on the ocean biome and the human lives it’s taken.

“Good.” Margaret plucked an invisible speck of nothing from the razor sharp crease of her pant leg. “An important…event, one that needs resolution, has arisen in the last twenty-four hours and your name was on the top of our list. Director Haverham recommended you.” She tilted her head, ready to assess Rose’s reaction.

Rose fought to keep her expression neutral.Haverham. She should have known. The man would do anything to get her off site so he could muscle in and claim MARV as his own.

“I’m flattered, but you’re wasting your time here.” Rose unfolded her arms, locked her hands on her hips.“I’m extremely busy with MARV. We are at a crucial point in development.” Rose spread her hands wide in emphasis.She wanted this woman and her threatening guards to leave right now.“I barely have time to eat and sleep. I certainly don’t have time for extra work.”

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