"Should I go talk to Miss Sutton?" Smith offered, thinking she might be more receptive to him.


    "No,"n said coolly. "Let her cool down."


    Smith surmised that Eleanor''s mother''s sample must have a purpose far more critical than he knew. Otherwise, with his own mother''s condition worsening and his sister already symptomatic,n would never withhold it. He immediatelyunched into a presentation of the previous night''s experiments on Vanessa''s blood sample.


    Eleanor was out on theb''s balcony, letting the cool breeze clear her head. She couldn''t understand any of it, and the unanswered questions felt like a suffocating weight on her chest. But she quickly regained herposure. For now, they would have to leave her mother''s sample as ast resort. Focusing the research on Vanessa''s blood was still the correct course of action.


    Dr. Smith was in the middle of a detailed exnation ton when the door opened. Eleanor walked in, a cup of coffee in her hand, her expression serene. She sat down, all traces of her earlier anger gone, herposure as calm as still water.


    Smith slid a copy of the data report toward her. "Miss Sutton, I was just updating Mr. Goodwin on our progress. Please, join us."


    "Go on, Doctor," she said, nodding.


    Smith picked up where he had left off.


    As Smith was exining one point, Eleanor interjected. "If my mother''s sample is a match with Vanessa''s, I suggest we include my blood in the gicparison sequence. Theoretically, I could also be a sessful match."


    Dr. Smith was stunned; he hadn''t considered that possibility. "Miss Sutton''s proposal is an excellent-"


    "No,"n cut him off sharply, his eyes locked on Eleanor, as if he had been anticipating this very suggestion.


    Eleanor met his gaze, her own eyes cool and emotionless. "It''s my body. I have the right to decide whether or not to participate in the screening."


    The reason sounded weak and contrived, but Smith could see the truth: Ian didn''t


    want Eleanor to be a donor. He seemed to be afraid of something.


    "Dr. Sutton, Mr. Goodwin has a point,"


    Shanith mediated. "Miss


    s sample shows verval


    stability and neutralization rates, Let''s focus on that for now.


    Eleanor nodded once. "Fine."


    Butn could see the stubbornness beneath her calm exterior. He knew she would go through with the test anyway.


    "This is no longer up for discussion," Ian said, rapping his fingers on the table in irritation. "The experimental n will proceed as scheduled."


    Eleanor stood up, took her coffee, and left. Smith looked awkwardly atn. "Well, I''ll head back to theb, then."


    "Doctor,"n said as he was about to leave, "if Eleanor insists on running theparison, send me a copy of the results He grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair and strode out of the room.