"Must we listen in on them?" Dougal asked.
Angus sighed. "I know it isna normal procedure, but I'm worried about how Dr. Chin will take the news."
"This is a colleague of mine." Abby motioned to Laszlo as he rushed forward. "Laszlo Veszto. He's the most brilliant chemist I've ever met."
Laszlo blushed and extended a hand toward Abby. "I'm delighted to meet you." When she placed her hand in his, he pumped her arm. "We're very excited to have you here. I've been busy all evening getting the lab ready."
"Really?" Leah eased her hand from his grip.
"Yes!" Laszlo's hand gravitated straight to his lab coat, where he grabbed onto a button. "We have some interesting case studies to show you."
"Sounds good." Leah glanced around the lab. "This is very nice."
"Yes." Laszlo smiled at her while he fiddled with his buttons.
Leah's eyes narrowed as she spotted the camera in the corner. Dougal poured more Blissky into his paper cup and downed it.
Abby strode toward the long stainless steel table that was topped with several microscopes and stacks of paper. "Everything is ready?"
"Yes," Laszlo answered, still smiling at Leah.
"Ha!" Gregori pointed at the monitor. "Look at that silly grin on Laszlo's face. He's in love!"
Dougal's fist snapped shut, crushing the paper cup in his hand. What the hell? Before anyone could see the mangled cup, he tossed it into the litterbin. Or attempted to. His fist refused to open. Release, he ordered his hand. It remained locked around the crushed paper cup.
Angus shook his head. "Smitten, perhaps. I'll have a talk with Laszlo. We canna let anyone's personal feelings jeopardize our plans."
Release, dammit! Open! Finally Dougal's fist relaxed, and the cup fell into the litterbin.
Meanwhile, Leah had moved to the table and was peering into the first microscope. "Interesting," she murmured, then picked up the stack of papers beside it.
"Let's hope she takes the bait," Angus said.
Dougal moved closer to the monitors.
Leah scanned the first page, then the second. Abby watched, chewing on her lip. Laszlo twisted a button on his lab coat.
"Definite mutations in the DNA sequencing." Leah moved on to the third page. "Some rather drastic changes. Is this man still alive?"
Abby hesitated. "At the moment, yes."
Gregori snorted.
Leah set the papers down. "I've never seen anything like this. Some of these mutations might possibly strengthen a person, but others . . ." She shook her head. "I'm not sure a human can survive this. Is he exhibiting any bizarre symptoms?"
Abby's mouth twitched. "Other than a strange desire to disco dance, no."
Gregori stiffened. "What's so strange about that?"
Angus hushed him.
Leah shook her head, confused. "Where is the patient? Can I see him?"
"You've already seen him," Abby replied. "It's Gregori."
Leah gasped. "What?" She thumbed through the papers once more. "I don't understand. Your husband seems so healthy."
"He is," Abby agreed. "When he's . . . awake."