Complete Me

by Gray, Khardine

  "It's not just five percent. Its fifteen, and that could be the difference between achieving good results and phenomenal results. At the moment the results we're seeing is assistance in repairing damaged tissue, but maybe we could achieve full regeneration. It is my belief that ten percent would just kick start the significant changes we hope to see. It's great, but I don't think it would be enough for what we hope to achieve. If we get FDA approval now that would limit us and we wouldn't be able to trial an extra five percent in the human body. We'd have to take it back to lab stage and tissue samples. Our plans were to trial at the higher end of the dosage and then push for the extra five. I'm not guaranteeing full regeneration, but I think we could be close."

  "What if fifteen percent is too much? There must be a reason why the FDA have set it to an extra ten percent. Doesn't that suggest they might already think that's enough?" Sam asked, his eyes sharp and assessing.

  Simon looked as uncomfortable as she was beginning to feel. Lexie had never been questioned in this way before, not even when she was just starting out. She clenched her jaw. She'd always been given the space to formulate her own work. Her talents were always trusted. If anything, people were always intrigued to see what she'd come up with.

  "No." Tim offered, seeing that she was floundering. "We're all a bunch of theories at the end of the day. The approval dosage is only preliminary based on what has been universally deemed to be safe, and in conjunction with our findings."

  "Isn't that all the more reason to work with what we already have?"

  Tim sat up a little straighter and stared Sam down. "No." Came his simple reply.

  "Why's that?" Sam eyed him with curiosity.

  "I've worked with Dr. Ramone for ten years. If she thinks that a fifteen percent increase in dosage may make a significant difference, then I trust her to try and test that theory. That's the way we work here."

  Sam didn't seem to like that answer, but Lexie appreciated it. Tim gave her a curt nod when she looked at him.

  "Okay. Well, it's great that you work so well as a team, but this is what I'd like you to do," Sam focused his attention back on her. "Run your trials at the FDA maximum allowance of ten percent extra. We'll then review in ten weeks if there are any significant differences."

  Lexie narrowed her eyes at him. "Ten weeks?" That definitely wasn't enough time.

  "Your reports suggest that you see differences in a two to three-week span. Ten weeks should be plenty of time to make a judgment call."

  Zane shot him a sharp look as he said that, while Lexie felt as if a rug had been dragged from under her feet. She was too startled by his comment to offer any objection.

  She'd been caught off guard and blindsided by Sam with his magical green eyes, long lashes and stupidly great hair. When he said he was different at work, she didn't expect this at all.

  "What do you mean by judgment call?" She straightened up against her chair.

  "Lexie, why don't we see how the trials go and take it from there." Simon intervened. The withered look he gave her told her that he would have loved to say more but couldn't, he was powerless. They all were. Sam was in charge now and could basically do whatever he wanted.

  It was clear that judgment call meant he'd authorize the FDA approval with or without her agreement.

  "Okay." She pursed her lips tightly together and tried to remain calm. "What about the changes you spoke about earlier? Is there anything else that you'd like?"

  Sam raised his eyebrows slightly at her tone. "Why don't we focus on this project for the moment. I'm aware that your team didn't previously fall part of the company budget. It will now, but I'm certain we can be flexible depending on what you need." He said that like he was doing her a favor.

  "And staff? I'm down by eighteen." She was done talking but had to ask the question due to necessity.

  "Unfortunately we can't recruit anyone at the moment, but we can review that in ten weeks."

  Lexie widened her eyes. He couldn't be serious. "I can't operate at the level expected with that many people gone."

  "Well, you - "

  "We'll see what we can do." Zane interrupted, giving Sam that sharp look again. "I'm sure we can juggle people around from other departments till then."

  "Yes. We can do that." Sam agreed.

  All she did was stare at him. An awkward silence filled the space between them until Simon pretended to clear his throat.

  "Well, I guess that wraps it up." Simon did his best to sound positive. "We'd better move on to pharmaceuticals." He offered a soft smile.

  They stood to leave, and all Lexie could do was watch Sam as he left with the others. He didn't even look back as he went through the door.

  She'd started the day off so well, but now her brain just felt frazzled, and the shock of defeat held her immobile.

  Chapter 9

  "Hungry and tired." Sam declared flopping down into his chair. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, and it was nearly four.

  "Yes, monsters often are, after they suck people's dreams from their souls. Do you require actual food, or should I get Dr. Morrison in here so you can fire him? Shutting down his research was just the appetizer." Zane narrowed his eyes at him.

  Sam sighed with frustration. He didn't think he'd done anything wrong. Dr. Morrison had a live bee farm in the building. He claimed it was research, but they were clearly pets.

  "Zane, I didn't shut down his research. I just told him the funds needed to be directed elsewhere. Plus, this isn't a pet store. I'll arrange for the bees to be moved to a safe location."

  "They weren't pets. Don't you watch the news? Something's happening to bees, if we have a lab where we can do whatever it is they do in a lab, maybe we can help the problem. Sam, we need bees."

  Maybe so but he was still convinced they were Dr. Morrison's pets. The man had names for them.

  "Also you're a stupid idiot. What the hell was that with Lexie?" Zane snapped. Sam knew he was just waiting to get on to that subject because of the absolute mess that meeting had been.

  They had two more department heads to see, and he was certain that they'd be just as mad at him like all the others, Lexie included. She, of course, was the one that bothered him the most. It was never his intention to offend her at all, and while he definitely respected her opinion, he thought she was being difficult light of the circumstances.

  Zane grimaced and shook his head at Sam. "Thank God for my Italian roots. It overcame your brutish ways when we needed it. You," he pointed at him. "You're one of those men who are cold like fish."

  "I'm not cold," Sam defended. Zane was completely exaggerating.

  "Are you kidding me? Tell me you at least know you didn't handle that meeting well. Please."

  Sam sighed. Of course, he knew he didn't handle the meeting well, and Lexie looked like she hated him. He walked over to the wall to ceiling glass window that overlooked the lower levels. His office was on the eighth floor with Simon's, and the finance department. From here he could see the bioengineering department on the fifth floor. If he leaned a little to the right, he could just about see the inside of Lexie's office within the lab.

  Sam had promised himself that he wouldn't treat her any different to everyone else, but he had to agree that he'd been a little too harsh even by his standards. And, it should have been him that suggested the idea of juggling around staff so that she could have more help. Instead, he'd been the prime example of how not to do something, even if he thought she was being difficult.

  Last night he hadn't been able to stop himself from thinking about her, and that wasn't a good thing for him. To go against his fascination with her, he'd promised himself that he wouldn't get too involved. Maybe today nerves got in the way, and he just messed up. He guessed though that after this morning's meeting she probably wouldn't speak to him ever again.

  "Zane I couldn't treat her different to anyone else."

  "When I said tread softly, I thought you'd know what I meant, but you treated her worse than e
veryone else."

  "It wasn't that bad," Sam smirked, then took a moment to try to remember what he'd said.

  "Sam, you questioned her research management. You said specifically that you wanted to know what the holdup was. You actually said hold up. Then when she explained you glossed over the entire explanation and told her, yes told her how to work. Then you put an ultimatum on it. When last I checked you didn't have a Ph.D. in Bioengineering." Zane gave a sadistically sarcastic laugh. "My friend not only did you set this poor woman up to hate you, but you have no people skills. I thought that you'd at least take a common sense approach and remember that they've been doing their jobs for years, bringing in serious money under her management, if she was opposed to our suggestions then we, you should have found another way."

  Oh God. Zane was right.

  A wave of apprehension swept through him forming a knot of tension in his stomach. "If you felt that way, why didn't you say more?" Sam had clearly been a big ass and made a fool out of himself. "You don't have to follow my every command."

  "Yes, I kind of do. Especially when you give orders like you did today. If I said something, it would have undermined your authority. Sam, you know this. Where the hell is your head at?"

  He wished he knew. "I should go and apologize."

  Zane shrugged and smirked. "I would let the flames burn out first before approaching her again. Also, I wouldn't go unless you're willing to change your suggestion. She seemed pretty adamant that she wanted to do things her way."

  "I would like to see what they can achieve in ten weeks, and I seriously can't hire anyone until then." He couldn't, unless if it was out of his pocket, which he would do but that wasn't how business worked. He'd do it for her though if it came down to that.

  "Well, you'd better stick to your guns and work on looking at who you can shift around to give her more staff. I'm off."

  "Where are you going?" He thought they were going to eat lunch together.

  "The florist. I have to try and find a long stemmed English rose."

  Sam narrowed his eyes. "What on earth for?"

  "Dr. Gina Foley." Zane brightened.

  Sam looked at him quizzically. "Did I miss something?"

  "Don't you usually? While you were busy playing ogre, I couldn't take my eyes of the beautiful desert rose with the warm dark skin that reminded me of..." Zane thought for a moment with a dreamy expression. "A Mocha."

  Sam rolled his eyes. "Zane, we have to be professional. We're here to work."

  "Sam, I am professional. I need a break, and it's in my Italian blood to chase a beautiful woman, unlike you my cold fish friend. I can't say that I'll be joining you in a nursing home where you'll be alone with nothing but memories of the hot Latin woman you let get away from you. I will visit though with all my grandchildren."

  The imagery was sad, but Sam couldn't help but laugh. "Grandchildren?"

  "Don't laugh Sam. We don't know. Gina might be the mother of my four children. I can see it now, the girls will have her beauty, and the boys will have my charm and wit."

  "Okay, Zane. Sounds like you got things all figured out."

  Zane nodded. "I do, don't I? Now you should. Maybe try to tap into your British side. They say things like bless you, and call people love. They also like their tea. It's calming, maybe try some Earl Grey or chamomile. Bye." Zane waved over his shoulder, and he left.

  Sam was about to slouch even further into his chair and wallow in his sorrows, but Janine came in. The hair on the back of his neck immediately stood on end as he watched her. He could see that she'd reapplied her lipstick again, for the umpteenth time. When he met her this morning, he knew straight away that she'd had work done on her lips to make them fuller. Jessica had the same thing done, several times. Janine reminded him of Jessica in many ways. It was all the surgical enhancements on her whole body. Not that he looked purposely or tried to guess. She just had that in your face look that allowed you to see what you shouldn't be looking at.

  Like now, she'd loosened yet another button on her barely there beige top that was almost the same color as her skin, all an attempt to put more cleavage on show. Lexie was so different. She had so much class and a finesse about her that he liked. Earlier she'd managed to look like she was ready for business, but her beautiful hair flowed in long graceful, playful waves about her shoulders. She also had that pink gloss on her lips that made them sparkle.

  "I've organized all the reports. These are all the letters I need to be signed." Janine cooed pushing out her chest as she held out the foolscap folder towards him.

  She was one of Zane's ideas. Sam wanted Mags, but Zane insisted on Janine. He said she'd make things interesting. Sam didn't need interesting, and with the day he'd had he just wanted things as easy as possible.

  "Thanks." He took the folder from her.

  "If there's ... anything else you need, let me know." It was the look she gave him. Hot and sassy, and oozing sex appeal that outrightly told him she wasn't talking about work. He was used to women like her, who threw themselves at him because of who he was and what he had.

  "Thanks, but I think I'll be fine." He nodded politely, and she left, leaving behind a trail of expensive perfume. That too smelled like something Jessica would wear. Janine must have topped that up as well for it to smell so strong.

  Sam swiveled the chair around to face the glass wall. He returned his focus to Lexie's office again and thought he could see her. He felt bad about earlier and thought he'd look into getting her some staff the first chance he got. He just hoped she wasn't too mad at him, and that he still had some level of friendship with her.

  * * *

  "So if you're not saying no, are you saying yes?' Zane asked Gina.

  Lexie had just walked into the office and beheld the spectacle of Zane beside Gina's workstation on bended knees asking her out. Gina was looking back at him with utter surprise on her face.

  Tim was over in the corner by his desk eyeing Zane up dangerously. Tim's hair was red today. It was good to see him back to his old self. She thought he looked a little like The Joker. Knowing him, he was probably aiming to make a statement because what happened yesterday was nothing short of some outlandish joke from hell.

  Lexie walked over to Tim and handed him his cup of coffee. Since she was coming in later this morning, she offered to do a Starbucks run. She'd gotten her usual triple chocolate hot chocolate but with three shots of hazelnut syrup and extra cream. It was basically a walking heart attack.

  She figured if she did have a heart attack she could inject herself with nano bytes. Maybe she could have a little accident and inject herself with a hundred percent of the dose. Who knew, it might give her the superhuman abilities she'd need to get through the next ten weeks.

  "Thank you," Tim said and bit the inside of his lip as he continued to stare at Zane and Gina.

  "What's going on here?" Lexie asked him in a low voice.

  "This absolute moron has been here for the last half hour, taking up our precious time by trying to ask Gina out."

  When Lexie looked back over Gina caught her eye and widened hers slightly.

  "Do you think she'll say yes?" Lexie whispered. She couldn't see what reason Gina had to say no. Zane was gorgeous, GQ gorgeous, and Gina looked shocked because not many guys like him asked her out. It was because she was always stuck in this lab. Pretty much like Lexie. Unlike Lexie, however, Gina didn't have any excuse to be stuck here. She was beautiful and smart and should have a date every night of the week. Work didn't need to be Gina's life.

  "He's a spy," Tim hissed

  "What?"

  "Big cheese must have sent him down here to spy on us. The next thing we know we'll all be pitted against each other like in the war." Tim had the tendency to overreact.

  "I don't think he's a spy. I don't think..." What, that Sam would do that? The truth was she had no idea what Sam would do. Yesterday kind of boomed that out loud and clear. She didn't know him and shouldn't assume what he would, or w
ouldn't do.

  She'd had the worse night ever, as worry over Prometheus overwhelmed her. Not to mention that they'd all left here super late last night because they were brainstorming ideas and hadn't come up with anything. On her way out yesterday she'd heard a lot of disgruntled talk going around from the other departments. Sam had extended his firm hand to them too.

  "Did you hear that Dr. Morrison was told to get rid of his bees?"

  Lexie narrowed her eyes. "What? He's had those for five years."

  "Well, apparently Mr. St. John didn't like the look of them. Dr. Morrison handed in his resignation this morning, and he's taking his bees with him. He was trying to develop a new variation of honey with enhanced antibacterial properties. Somewhere else will have him now."

  Lexie's mouth dropped. Dr. Morrison had worked with Cervantes well before any of them. He'd been here close to thirty years. Sam must have well and truly upset him for him to resign. Lexie understood how he must have felt. If they weren't working on something so spectacular, Lexie would most likely leave too. Sam had questioned her methods and her plans. He'd had no regard for what she wanted, and she was totally unimpressed by that. It was like telling your doctor how he should treat you when he was the professional best placed to conduct the treatment.

  She knew he had a business to run, but she didn't appreciate the way he treated her. When she went home last night, she had to wonder if it was because of the past. Did he still see her as the desperate girl he'd met on the roadside who was badly in need of help?