"Mr. Andre, you have a guest waiting for you in the reception area," Rachel, his secretary," said over the intercom.
Andre looked up from the report he was reading, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to recall if he had any meetings scheduled. "Who is it?" he asked.
"It's one Miss Edward Rina, she has an appointment with you sir.
"Send her in please."
Few minutes later, there was a knock on his door and knob turned.
"Good morning Mr Andre." Rina said smiling.
"Good morning, please have your sit."
She looked different from the other times he had seen her, more professional and official.
"Dr Edwards, I will like to get right into business, i have other appointments after this and I'd like for us to make significant progress today."
"Three of my team members will be joining us in this meeting as to decide whether or not a collaboration will be happening between us, hope you're good with that."
"Yes of course, thats not an issue" she replied smiling.
He picked his phone and made a call, "you all can come in now."
Two gentle men and a lady walked into the office.
"Good morning Dr Edwards" They said stretching forth their hands to shake her while introducing themselves.
Andre was the first to speak.
"So miss Edwards i have explained your stance on memory manipulation to my team here but they'd like to hear it from the horse's mouth, they'd like to hear it directly from you, besides for this collaboration to go through we would both have to make certain compromise considering your stance on memory manipulation which slightly conflicts with ours.
"So, Dr. Edward," Rita the lady in their midst was the next to speak after Andre, leaning towards her direction, she spoke softly.
"You think every single memory is worth keeping, even the really bad ones? irrespective of the fact that they are doing more harm than good to us?
Is the goal of science not to make life better and improve the standard of living.
I understand your goal also improves human living, but why do it half way when you can completely improve it.
Isn't your stance not just being sentimental, instead of scientific?"
Lyra took a sharp breath, tightening her fist.
"Memories make us who we are, If we start erasing them, who decides which ones stay? The past isn't just something anyone should be able to change." She replied.
"Well there goes the sentiment I just mentioned, that's not a character of a good scientist." Rita replied.
Well since you want to play it this way, how about those drowning in this traumas, those who can't let go, those in pain they can never escape because they are shackled to these memories, why should they suffer indefinitely?
With the right tools, we can selectively remove those memories and give them a second chance at happiness."
Rina's jaw tightened. "A second chance at what? At a life built on a lie?
You're talking about rewriting someone's history, their very being. Trauma is terrible, yes, but it's also a part of what shapes us, do we also get to erase the memories of everyone around us at to share the happiness."
"Well left for me, our interest do not align but I'd leave it to my boss to decide" Rita said looking at her dismissively.
"Gentlemen, I'd like to have the room now with Miss Edwards now, thank you so much for you contribution."
Now that we have the room, You do realize we're on the same side.
You want to cure memory loss. I want to cure memory overload. What if we worked together?"
Lyra blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I'm proposing a research partnership," he said, I need your expertise and my company will provide full funding. "Everything you need will be made available. "
Deep down in him, he's pushing this far, maybe she could get a solution to his mental state, he wouldn't tell her about that of course.
"In as much as I want this collaboration I wouldn't to be part of something that could become a tool for manipulation."
" respect the ethics of my work and I'd not be caught involving myself in anything that threatens the human life sir."
Your work focuses on diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. Mine delves into enhancing cognition, filtering traumatic memories, and optimizing brain function.
Imagine what we could accomplish if we merged these approaches."
Rina hesitated. "Enhancing cognition and optimizing brain function are noble goals, but filtering traumatic memories?
"I would not want to be part of something that could become a tool for manipulation. Mr. Andre."
Andre leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "You are right, but come to think of it this way—if we could refine our methods, strike a balance, we could revolutionize mental health treatment.
Patients suffering from PTSD, survivors of violent incidents, people trapped in cycles of pain—wouldn't you want to offer them relief?"
'Of course you don't intend on offering them relief, you are only interested in your pockets' She thought to herself angrily.
Despite her reservations, 'it's not like I have much of a choice,' if I don't get a sponsor soon I would be forced to stop my research research, not now that mom's memories were slipping away faster than expected.'
"If at any point you suspect we are into anything illegal, you can pull out of the work and even report to the authorities."
My secretary will prepare the agreement and send you a copy so you can go through it. take your time to go through it thoroughly.
Don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have. I want to ensure we're both on the same page. I look forward to a fruitful and, I trust, mutually beneficial partnership, Dr. Edwards."
Thank you very much sir, I'm grateful.
She said leaving the office with mixed feelings.
She was sure going to get funding for her mom, but what of the duty she owed to humanity, she dosen't trust all this companies and their promises, one thing she had learned from working at Genesis.