3 ■


    ? 49%


    Julian’s POV


    As the press conference was set to start, I followed Head Healer Eric out of the office and to the front of the building. By now, a podium had been arranged, with several different news organization’s microphones attached to it.


    Everything about this still felt wrong to me. I had wanted to dy the conference until I could speak with Amber, but Head Healer


    Eric had been adamant that there was no time to dy.


    “This potion could save lives,” he had said. “We need to deliver it to the people right away.”


    Against my better judgement, still wanting to believe in him, I had epted his words. Though the unease still sat with me, and


    likely would remain until I could actually speak with Amber.


    For now, I followed Head Healer Eric out to the front of the building.


    The crowd had already been warmed up by an administrator from the hospital office, who introduced Head Healer Eric. As Eric


    approached the microphone, I stayed nearer the hospital doors, watching.


    “Thank you all foring here on such short notice,” Head Healer Eric said to the crowd. “This news couldn’t wait. Because, you


    see, I have personally developed a cure that will stop the rampaging illness that has been terrorizing the most vulnerable of our


    poption.”


    A collective gasp sounded among the crowd, followed quickly by pping.


    I frowned, noticing that Head Healer Eric did not give any credit to Amber or Noah, for the parts they yed in this cure, despite


    Eric himself having earlier told me that he took over the project from them. It would have been the most urate to give credit to


    the entire team rather than taking all of it for himself.


    It made me even more suspicious.


    “Jon. If you coulde forward,” Head Healer Eric said.


    A thin, pale man stepped out from the crowd and started walking up the stairs. At the same time, some of Eric’s assistants


    prepared a chair and set the potion on a nearby makeshift table.


    “Jon is suffering from the illness and has been for some time,” Head Healer Eric told the crowd. “We have prepared a dosage of


    the cure for him. He will be the first, but not thest, to receive it.”


    When he reached the chair, Jon sat down. He was panting, out of breath.


    Head Healer Eric moved away from the microphones and started pouring a smaller bit of the potion into a short drinking ss.


    That didn’t seem particrly scientific. Surely the amount should be measured with instruments. But Head Healer Eric had been


    at this job a long time. Perhaps he was capable of designating liquid amounts just from sight.


    12:39 PM Tue 26 Aug


    49%


    With the potion in the ss, Head Healer Eric started to hand it over to the cager hands of Jon.


    Just then, the front door of the hospital opened and Amber came running out.


    “Stop!” she cried out.


    My heart leapt up into my throat.


    Though I hadn’t truly been ready to believe it, I could see it now – even more clearly in person than in the picture. Amber was standing there in ab coat, with her credentials pinned to the breast pocket.


    There could be no mistake, no denying it. My treacherous thoughts couldn’t twist their way around this anymore.


    Amber was absolutely, one hundred percent confirmed Healer Amanda.


    “You can’t do this, Head Healer,” she said. “The potion isn’t ready.”


    “Nonsense,” Eric said, and shoved the potion more fully into Jon’s hands.


    Amber rushed forward then, and smacked the ss away from Jon. It smashed onto the concrete stairs, shattering, the cure now


    just a stter on the ground.


    Amber’s POV


    “You are out of line!” Head Healer Eric said.


    “You almost poisoned this man!” I shouted, my fury overwhelming me. Inside of me, Eve was growling fiercely.


    12:39 PM Tue 26 Aug