Malad sat in her cosy chair with its soft cushion and adjustable but cold steel handles. A long glass table with black plastic covering lay in front of her, surrounded by chairs. As many as could fit. She could see the trophies of the company all stacked boastfully on the cupboard made of naked glass. "Best Research Company of the Year" and many such atrocities gleamed in gold and silver. 'And they can't even afford to be on time', she scoffed, staring at the huge coo-coo clock which seemed to tick away slower than usual.
At last, she could see the sight of another soul entering the room. Its light footsteps mirroring her relaxed heartbeat.
"Hello," he said, "important business? How come you are so early?"
"I'm always early." she replied indifferently, "at least in comparison to those snails who start their meeting fifteen minutes later than they write on their cards."
"Woah, slow down there." he replied in an anxious tone, "for all you know I could be one of the members of the company..."
"I know you're not," she replied, "and even if you were, I wouldn't be afraid to say what is true."
Their dialogue was ended by the entrance of a company member, distinguishable by his badge - saying "CEO Ralph Trimmer" - on the left pocket of his blanched, white, speckless shirt buttoned to the collar and tightened further by a tie that nearly choked his double-chinned throat.
"Ah, I see you have met!" He exclaimed dramatically, though his enthusiasm was restrained to his voice only, "We are going to need a lot of your support, Miss Malad, the professor of medicine at St Albus University and Mr Amdo, our miracle researcher who brings our theories to life!" His voice became louder and louder by the entry of each participant of the meeting.
In a short span of time, all the seats were filled with men with fat bellies that hardly kept their way out of the tables and women who looked like they had just walked down the red carpet with their designer business suits complemented by heavy make-up. Malad felt positively out of place.
"I am glad you could all make it in time." Amdo began his presentation with a knowing smile to Malad.
Malad sat through the introduction with her eyes growing wider with each sentence. She could not believe her theories were going to be presented in life and soul in this very room in a matter of five minutes. Everything she had worked for. Everything she had strived for. The confused company members looked at her to find consolation that everything was going right. A university professor and scientist was giving such expressions. That has got to mean something.
Amdo ended with a clap on his bag. "And inside here, ladies and gentlemen, is the specimen of the certain pathogen I discovered in the tropical rainforest of Amazon." He opened the bag to reveal a cylinder filled with a blue preservative and a black sticky liquid floating in the centre. Very thin and fragile but supported by the womb of the thick cold liquid surrounding it. All eyes turned to it with little to no interest except for two brown eyes glistening with tears. These were the eyes of Malad. She ran over to Amdo and hugged him. "I can't believe this," she said, "I can't believe you found it. I have researched it for over five years!"
The table members all exchanged looks. Looks of confusion. Looks of bewilderment (at the behaviour of the 'silly girl') and looks of indifference. What was supposed to be a normal discussion of new news and a nerdy adventurer finding yet another 'fascinating' thing had suddenly turned to the happiest moment of Malad's life.
"I need these samples." she said, wiping her tears with the long sleeve of her plain white shirt. "I need them to prove that everything I've been working on had a meaning."
"Now slow down there, girl." said the CEO."You need to pass the clearance of the research company to get your hands on that sample."
A moved Amdo stepped up and said, "Well, that is if I hand over the samples to your company in the first place!" he commented, "not if I give it to DOCTOR Malad first." he said, stressing on Doctor in order to correct the CEO's previous mistake. Or mistakes.
"You'll do that?" said Dr Malad in a weak voice on the brink of a smile.
"Anytime, for the advance of science and and the betterment of humanity." he replied with a certain vigour in his demeanour. "And now if you will excuse me..." he said, grabbing the sample and carefully placing it back in his bag, "I would like to take your leave." He wrapped his arm around Malad's shoulder and took her along. Outside.