Athena's gaze narrowed. "An anomaly?"
The doctor nodded. "Yes, Young Madam. It's as if his body has completely reset itself. We'll continue monitoring him, of course, but for now, he appears to be in peak condition."
Mors listened silently, his expression unreadable. Athena, however, wasn't convinced.
"Doctor," she said, her tone cutting, "are you certain there's nothing unusual in the results? A recovery this rapid doesn't happen without a reason."
The doctor hesitated, glancing between her and Mors. "We ran every test available, young madam. His body shows no abnormalities."
Athena crossed her arms, her mind racing. Something isn't right. She didn't trust the results, but pressing further now wouldn't yield anything useful.
After the doctor left, silence settled between her and Mors. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, testing his balance as he stood.
"Impressive," Athena said, her voice dry. "Back from the brink of death, and now you're walking around like nothing happened."
Mors's eyes flicked to hers, sharp and calculating. "I've been through worse," he said curtly.
Athena raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? And how many of those times were because you decided to poison yourself for the greater good?"
His jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
She sighed, stepping closer.
"Look, I don't know what kind of hero complex you have, but whatever you've been doing to yourself, it's reckless."
"You're not just risking your own life, you're affecting everyone who cares about you. Including me."
For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes, surprise, maybe even guilt. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
"I appreciate your concern," he said, his tone clipped, "but I can take care of myself."
Athena smirked, crossing her arms. "Clearly, you're doing a stellar job of that."
His lips thinned, and the tension in the room grew. Finally, he said, "I need time to process... everything."
"Take all the time you need, Major General," Athena replied, her voice laced with sarcasm. "But don't think for a second that I'm going to let you continue down this path unchecked."
As he turned and walked toward the window, his movements graceful yet distant, Athena couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration.
He was a man surrounded by walls, and she wasn't sure if she could ever break through.
But one thing was certain, she wasn't going to give up without a fight.
We're already tied and divorce is impossible. The life in this era is long enough to last hundreds of years.
I won't let you die so soon!
-
In the evening, Athena leaned back in her chair, her optical brain projecting the conversation into the air before her.
Her agent's voice was laced with excitement, but Athena remained skeptical.
"Ms. Demerin," the agent repeated, "Ms. Louisa Jericho is personally overseeing your projects. This is a huge opportunity for you."
Athena frowned slightly. "Louisa Jericho? Any relation to the Major General?"
The agent hesitated.
"She's his cousin. Louisa has a reputation for turning talent into gold. It's no surprise the company assigned her to you after your recent... changes."
Athena suppressed a groan. Another Jericho, just great!
"Fine," she said with a sigh. "Send me a list of the projects she's lined up for me."
Within seconds, the list appeared on her optical brain interface. Athena scanned it, her eyes narrowing at one title in particular, "Wild Survival Chronicles: Galactic Frontier Edition."
"Survival in the wild?" Athena's tone was sharp. "Does Louisa Jericho know that the 'wild' in the interstellar community is teeming with creatures that could kill someone in seconds?"
"Yes, Ms. Demerin," the agent replied, sounding nervous.
"But this show has top-tier security measures and has been cleared by the Interstellar Broadcasting Council."
"It's an excellent opportunity to boost your public image. People love survival shows, especially when they feature someone from a high-profile background like yours."
Athena rolled her eyes. "So, basically, the audience wants to watch me struggle in the wilderness while they sit comfortably on their plush couches."
"It's not as bad as it sounds!" the agent added hastily.
"The show pairs participants with survival experts, and the locations are pre-scouted. Plus, with Ms. Jericho's involvement, the production team will likely go the extra mile to ensure your safety."
Athena remained unconvinced.
"Safety isn't my concern. It's the unpredictability of interstellar environments. Does the company expect me to fend off a mutated apex predator with a wooden stick for ratings?"
The agent chuckled nervously, unsure if she was joking. "I'm sure the experts will handle any dangerous situations, Ms. Demerin. Your job is just to adapt and entertain."
Athena huffed, scrolling further down the list. A few other projects seemed relatively harmless, endorsements, a cooking show, and a documentary.
But the survival show stood out, not only for its risk but for its potential to catapult her fame if done right.
She tapped on the title, pulling up more details.
The location was listed as Planet Halcyon: Sector X27, a jungle-like terrain notorious for its volatile weather and diverse, often hostile, fauna.
"Agent Ridge, why was this location chosen? Surely there are safer planets to film a survival show."
"Planet Halcyon is known for its breathtaking scenery," the agent explained. "The network thinks it'll draw a massive audience. Plus, the unpredictability makes for great television."
Athena let out a slow breath. She was no stranger to danger, her assassin skills from her past life had taught her how to survive under dire circumstances.
But she wasn't sure how much of that she wanted to reveal to the public.
"Fine," she said, at last, her voice calm but firm. "I'll do the survival show. But I have a condition."
"What is it, Ms. Demerin?"
"I want a guarantee that the team will remain vigilant, and I need to review the crew's safety protocols myself."
The agent paused, then replied, "I'll pass your request to Ms. Jericho. I'm sure she'll accommodate it. Thank you for agreeing, Ms. Demerin. This is going to be a hit!"
As the call ended, Athena leaned back in her chair, her mind racing.
A survival show on a dangerous planet wasn't just a challenge, it was a test. If Louisa Jericho thinks this will break me, she has no idea who she's dealing with.
Her optical brain pinged with a new message, a confirmation of the show's start date, and a list of participants.
Athena's eyes scanned the names, stopping abruptly when she saw one that sent a jolt through her system.
Mors Jericho.