Dr Anderson's POV
I made my way into the restaurant, as directed by Mr Crawford. It had taken me longer than I expected to decide on doing this - bringing Dr Sofia down.
The other alternative to run away had boiled down to one big question - And then what?
For an hour or more, I brainstormed through every possible outcome, and one thing was certain, I would be starting all over, and I couldn't risk that. I have come too far to give it all away.
I pulled over at a space in front of the restaurant. A glance at my wristwatch showed that it was only a few minutes to 08:00 PM. I stepped out of my car and strolled into the restaurant to grab a table since I was sure Mr Crawford wouldn't arrive earlier than I would.
But I was wrong because once I stepped into the low-profile restaurant, I was beckoned on by no other than Mr Crawford himself. With the way he was dressed, and seated, he could be easily passed for a peasant.
At once I regretted my decision to overdress, and sincerely hoped my dressing wouldn't come back to hurt me.
"Mr Anderson, " Mr Crawford called fondly, once I arrived at the table where he sat. It seemed like he was playing a script, and he was playing it so well.
"Please, have a seat." Dr Crawford offered, pointing to the only vacant chair at the table, aside from his.
"You wanted to tell me more about my misconduct with a patient," I said once I sat down. I was having a bad feeling about this place, and I wanted to be out of there, at any moment.
"Not your misconduct, Anderson. You were under the influence of a sex-enhancing drug." Mr Crawford explained while Anderson's face went pink in shock as the whole message registered in his head.
"I can't believe this," I said rising from my seat. Even though Dr Sofia is a conniving bitch, she isn't heartless enough to attempt to ruin my medical career.
But then, she had ordered the kill of William and his innocent wife, I found myself wondering.
"Sit down, Anderson. Your innocence is fast becoming naivety. Mr Crawford declared, staring straight at me.
"The mission started a long time ago, long before you were employed in St Louis Central Hospital. You were the perfect man for the job. You've always been." Mr. Crawford paused, sipping from his glass.
" But we had a problem. Sofia believed you could not be talked into performing any unethical experiment, and so she suggested a blackmail. Everything that happened that day was entirely our doing, and a huge part of the mission. " Mr Crawford explained, while I stared wide-eyed at him in disbelief.
He noticed my shocked expression and smiled.
"Everything that happened since your employment in St Louis is in preparation for this mission." Mr Crawford added.
He called the attention of a waitress and ordered a simple meal. Turning to me he asked,
"What do you care for?"
At first, I scoffed at the offer. The information I have just received is more than enough to make me lose my appetite, plus Mr Crawford himself was a part of the plan.
For years, I have beaten myself up for the misconduct, doubted and even loathed myself, only to find out it was not my fault, and that the one person who had given me words of advice, and protected me from losing my license, and going to prison is the perpetrator of the whole misconduct.
When I felt two pairs of eyes boring into my skin, I snapped out of my thoughts and made an order.
"Water will do. " I replied, as images from two years ago flooded my memory.
I was six months into my employment at St Louis, and for reasons I couldn't tell, the senior doctor had taken a special likeness for me. In my ignorance, I was happy while some of my colleagues became envious of me...
"Anderson, is everything alright?" Mr Crawford asked, interrupting my stream of thoughts.
"I am fine," I replied, grimly.
The waiter soon arrived with our orders - Two plates of pasta.
"I ordered just water," I started to say but Mr Crawford cut in immediately.
"I ordered for you. You don't expect me to be okay with your choice. "
"Oh!" I replied, not knowing what to say.
While Mr Crawford ate, I picked on my food, grateful for the rule that condemns talking at the table. So I went through memory lane instead.
Dr Sofia had assigned me a female patient, two years back after relieving me of another patient. The instructions were simple,
"look after her morning and night, and report to me immediately." These were the exact words of Dr. Sophia two years ago.
It was an easy assignment, or so I thought. For two days I did as instructed, reporting the improvement of her health or otherwise to Dr Sofia. But on the night of the third day, something really out of place happened.
I had gone to Dr Sofia's office as usual, to report the patient's health, and instead of leaving her office immediately like I always do, I was carried away by the series of conversations I shared with Dr Sofia. At some point, she had offered me a drink which I had accepted, and even gulped down at once.
After some time I began to feel some level of hormonal imbalance, and Dr Sofia probably noticing my discomfort, told me to take the night off, after charging me to check on the patient once more.
I had stepped into the ward where the patient lay, only to see her fully awake, and stark naked.
My efforts to clad her only drew me closer to her and made her seduction easier.
Under normal conditions, her seductions would not have meant shit, but it wasn't a normal condition. I was turned on even in Dr Sofia's office.
As much as I tried to ward her off me, each contact sent a sweet sensation down my spine until...
Fuck! How much I hate to think about that day.
"Oh my God!" Dr Sofia had screamed, on opening the door. Hastily, and yet embarrassingly, I had jumped off her. I stared at the patient, and only then did I notice the exhausted look on her face, she was not as lively as she had been moments ago. Realizing the mess I had made, I turned to Dr Sofia who looked rather disappointed.
"Go to my office now. " Dr Sofia had ordered me angrily, and I had left for her office immediately.
When she joined me in her office, moments later, I was trembling, as I feared the worst.
"She will be fine. " Dr Sofia had assured me, bidding me home.
Now as I thought about it, it all began to make sense.
"Mr. Crawford," I called from across the table.
"The patient, was she a part of the plan?" I asked. I wasn't quite clear on this part.
"She was drugged also. She died out of excess of the drug, and not as a result of your weight as you were made to believe." Mr Crawford explained, and I immediately felt my head begin to spin.
For two years now, I have borne the guilt of her death. For two years, I have totally refused to enter the ward where I had caused the death of a patient, and for two years, I have acted as a sex toy to Dr. Sofia just so she would continue to keep my secret, and now I am being told I had nothing to do with her death.
I honestly don't know how to feel right now. I stared distantly at Mr Crawford, and all I could think of was revenge.
"What is your plan to bring Dr Sofia down?" I asked, meaning every word.
Even though Mr Crawford is a part of the plan, I needed to take my revenge on Dr Sofia now, Mr Crawford's will come later.