Mr Crawford's POV
The next few minutes saw me driving out of the gates of Medcorp. When I didn't see Anderson's car at his usual parking space, I did not worry a bit. I knew just how reliable Ryan is.
Locating Sofia's residence at the time of night was easy, but getting Sofia to open up her door wasn't. Identifying myself to her did not make it any easier, if anything, it made it worse.
Although coercion usually works, I knew better than to employ it at this point, as I kept knocking while promising her of absolute safety should she open up for me.
After what seemed like forever, persuasion finally worked as Sofia opened up for me. I couldn't agree more that coercion is far better.
"What do you want?" She asked once I stepped into her apartment. She had intended for her voice to sound brave but the quivering in her voice betrayed her.
"To talk to you ". I replied curtly, easing into one of her sofas, while she fixed her gaze on the floor. Other than a gloomy air, there was hardly any difference in the making of her living room from the way I remember it.
"I want you back on the mission." I added, when I got no response from her.
In a few seconds, Sofia looked away from the floor where she had her eyes fixed, and looked at me instead. Her stares were brief, but hard as though she was ascertaining the sincerity of my declaration.
"Why now?" She asked, her voice was low. Although she did not fix me a stare this time, she did look at me with an expression that is impossible to read.
"The mission needs you now." I replied, standing up. I decided at that moment to save the details for later.
"Is everything alright?" I heard Sofia ask from behind me. She too was on her feet.
I turned to face her, and then decided yet again to spill the beans right here and now.
"No Sofia, everything is not alright. Stuart's is currently out of control." I said resuming my seating position.
"How on earth did that happen?" Sofia asked, genuinely concerned.
"Honestly, I don't know." I replied with a shrug as I recalled the sight of Stuart and the other subject he had dismembered.
"What exactly is wrong with him?" I heard Sofia ask.
"He's gone rogue, dismembered a subject and utterly destroyed several empty tanks." I explained, while Sofia's eyes widened in shock.
"He keeps referring to you as his mommy, and threatens to do worse if you don't come for him." I added, and Sofia shot me a stare, disbelief written over her.
"That is extremely dangerous. I can't go in to see him, not while he is still out of control." Sofia said. I could tell she was getting scared with the quivering in her voice which had just resumed.
"I thought so too, until Anderson went in and came back out unhurt. In fact, the only problem he faced was not having you around." I informed her, but the disbelieving look lingered on.
"He remembers Anderson too?" Sofia asked.
"He refers to Anderson as his dad." I replied, while watching Sofia's reaction as realization hit her.
"No, no. No way." She objected, pushing herself up from her sitting position.
I watched her pace from one end of the room to the other for a few minutes, after which she resumed her sitting position.
"There is no way I'm doing that." She declared once again, and I smiled within myself.
"Anderson said the exact same word to me, and now I'm thinking it will be easier if one of you should convince the other. You will help convince Anderson to come around." I requested, but it was no request. It was an order.
"How am I supposed to do that, when I'm not convinced myself?" She asked.
"Don't worry about that. Just tell him you're carrying his child." I suggested, while Sofia's shock promptly registered on her face.
"Wh- what are you talking about? She asked. The quivering was back again.
"Come on Sofia, you of all people should know better than to underestimate me." I said looking pointedly at her while she looked down in embarrassment.
"I know of your affair with Anderson" I announced, and watched as Sofia's face went blank.
Dr Sofia's POV
"I know that you are having an affair with Anderson."Crawford announced, and I instantly wished the ground would open underneath my feet, and swallow me. What was I thinking opening the door for him? I should have known.
The thought that all my secret sex sessions with Anderson weren't secret at all embarrassed me. I instantly wished I had left Stuart alone, that I had not compromised him.
"I know of your affair with Anderson because I had your office bugged." Crawford said, cutting short my private moment of regret.
"I happened to watch the complete scene the last time you both had sex, and I saw him cum inside you." He continued, while I sat across him tongue-tied, and my face down.
He seemed to be enjoying my uneasiness, as a mischievous smile danced around the corner of his lips.
"I-I took care of it." I informed him, hoping it will change everything, but he is Crawford, nothing changes.
"Of course you did," Crawford began. "But Anderson doesn't know that." He added, with a witty smile.
Here I was, thinking that for once I have the upper hand, not knowing that Crawford is and will always be a bully. Bastard!
"I would prefer if you call him right now, and make things straight with him. I need you both to visit Stuart tomorrow." He added after some time, and I badly wanted him dead at that moment.
"You knew all this while, why did you not say anything?" I asked once I felt my tongue has released somewhat, and my voice restored.
"Ha! Sofia. That's a lesson for you to learn. Gather what information you can, and save it until just the right moment. Had this occasion to use you not arisen, you wouldn't have been any wiser. " Crawford said, the mischievous smile dancing in the corner of his mouth still.
Avoiding Crawford's intense gaze, I reminisced on the past few weeks, wondering where I went wrong. I hadn't meant to share parental responsibility with Anderson or anyone. All I wanted was to be back on the mission, and now I was not sure if that was a good idea.
"I would like you to put a call across to Anderson now." Crawford instructed, stretching out his hand which had my phone.
Reluctantly, I got up from the sofa and walked across the room to meet him.
"Isn't it too late to call him?" I asked in my humblest voice as I collected my phone from him. How I hate to feel completely helpless before Crawford, like I'm feeling right now.
"I don't think so. The earlier he comes on board, the better for Stuart, and the mission at large." Crawford assured.
"I don't have his contact anymore." I informed Crawford, after a few minutes of fruitless searching.
Without batting an eyelid, Crawford called out Anderson's mobile number from his phone while I typed it in mine. I dialed the number afterwards, and it went straight to voicemail.
With a signal from Crawford, I left Anderson a voice message, asking him to call me back.