CHAPTER 403: HOSPITAL MOLE IV

And they would really do it. Athena knew this—knew the threat hadn’t just been an empty one. The Demon Vipers were anything but a gang that dealt in empty threats.

"So, in what way did they need your cooperation?" she asked, her gaze steady as she watched Ewan hand Ciara a handkerchief.

Did he carry handkerchiefs everywhere he went? How many had he given away since this gentlemanly charade started? She didn’t remember him with any during their cold marriage.

"They want information on the hospital, schedule and all that. Mostly yours, and your patients. And the tests you run in your private lab in the hospital. Basically, all about you."

Athena nodded slowly, uncrossing and crossing her legs again.

"And you have been doing that?"

Ciara nodded. "I knew they had someone else in the hospital... I didn’t know who, or the rank the person occupied, so I didn’t want to take chances."

"And how would you know that?" Ewan questioned, folding his arms across his chest.

Ciara shrugged. "The little girl, Cairo. She is Mary’s daughter. So, when my boss was looking for her and everyone kept denying seeing the girl, I knew that someone had taken her away—someone in the hospital. But the first pointer was the way the caller read out my information. It was exactly the same, in the same progression as the contents of my files, including things I wrote as a hobby. It was creepy then."

So, there was another mole. Athena mused, reclining into her seat, turning side to side, her mind racing. Moles, maybe. How many? How many of the nurses were being threatened? Were there any working with the gang willingly?

She glanced at Ewan furtively. They really needed to be careful.

"So, what do I do? Ma... my family..." Ciara stuttered, breaking the short silence.

"They will be protected," Athena promised. "We will find them, and we will keep them safe."

"What do I do, ma? I will do anything..." Ciara’s eyes were frantic, darting from her boss to Ewan, who seemed deep in thought.

"There was no deadline given for when you should infect a doctor, so you will go home. I’ll send someone to get you another phone, in case this one has been tapped. A delivery one, with pizza. Just collect the pizza box. Okay?"

Ciara nodded quickly to Ewan’s instruction.

"With that phone, we will be in communication. We will be getting your family before nightfall."

Athena shot Ewan a sharp glance, but his entire focus was on the nodding Ciara. Why would this man go about making promises like that? What if he failed to deliver? What if the family was in another gang hideout? How would they infiltrate it without Spider’s help?

"Thank you, sir." Ciara was more than grateful.

"We’ll be taking this with us, but just move like you are still with it... careful, measured paces in case you’re being watched. If possible, we might get you out of the country, should that be necessary..."

And Athena wondered if they would do that for everyone threatened by the gang.

She sighed. The gang and whoever sponsored them, the doctors included, needed to be stopped once and for all. That was the only way any of them would have peace.

Her eyes dropped to the little vial. It was similar to the one she had in her lab, only looking more finished. It was an answered prayer, really. She thought, taking the gratitude route. This would make her work easier, hopefully.

She was dragged from her thoughts by Ciara rising from her chair, ready to leave.

"Thank you..." the secretary murmured, wringing her hands. "I hope you can forgive me... I should have come to you with it sooner but..."

Athena waved her off. "It’s okay. Be careful."

And she watched as Ciara walked out of the room—steady, careful, measured. She had really taken Ewan’s words to heart.

Athena swirled her chair once before stopping, turning to speak with him.

"Do you think her family is still alive?"

Ewan sighed, unfolding his arms from across his chest. "I don’t know. But she needed hope, and I gave it to her. I’ll just have to make sure every one of our men are up for the mission. I’ll communicate these details to Aiden and the others. We need all hands on deck."

Athena nodded, pushing herself up from the seat and heading toward the door, the vial heavy in her pocket. "And what about the hideout? We need to raid it tonight too."

Ewan nodded. "That’s right. Let’s head home first and recoup. We will need your grandfather’s help."

–

"Where is Ewan?"

Sandro looked up to see Victoria strut into his personal space like she owned it. He hated it. And he hated that his friend tolerated this nonsense.

"He went out for a meeting. Is there a problem?"

Victoria sighed dramatically. "Not really... I’m just missing him a little, his bossy voice and—"

Sandro put up his hand, cutting her off. "I’m not sure what gave you the idea, the notion that you can rant to me, but I’m not interested. Never will be. Now get out of here, and get to work. You’re not paid to miss your boss’s voice."

Victoria scoffed. "Why do you always look like something has crawled up your ass? You never smile—well, not at me. Have I offended you in any way?"

Sandro only raised a brow. "You must think so highly of yourself to believe you have a shred, a piece of my attention. Get out of here. The next time I say the words, it will be out of this company."

"You are not the owner of this company. You are not Ewan."

"Do you want to test the theory?"

Victoria bit her lip hard, glaring at Sandro’s blank, bored-out-of-his-mind expression, before storming out of the office.

Sandro sighed, shaking his head. First it was Fiona, and now this bimbo. He didn’t know which was worse.

But his thoughts fled immediately when his phone dinged with a message.

We have found them.