Chapter 105: Laboratory One (7)

Chapter 105: Laboratory One (7)

Kim Hyun-Taek felt fear as he saw Young-Joon raising his head reflexively. Young-Joon was staring in the direction of Lab Director Gil Hyung-Joons office.

Mr. Ryu, about Bacillus anthracis Who did you hear it from? Kim Hyun-Taek asked cautiously.

Why?

Our company has never studied Bacillus anthracis before. I would like to know for sure if my name is also involved. As you know, Im in a difficult position right now, and I have a lot of enemies as well. If someone who is holding a grudge against me is taking this chance to spread false rumors about me, shouldnt I be prepared?

Young-Joon just stared at Kim Hyun-Taek.

Director Kim, this is also a kind of whistleblowing; do you think I would reveal who did it? The one thing for sure is that an organism based on Bacillus anthracis that underwent directed mutagenesis and is now separated by their sex is at the company. One of them is in Mr. Yoons office, and the other one is in your possession, Director Kim.

What the hell? What is this bastard?

Kim Hyun-Taek was more than shocked; he was terrified.

He knows that its in Mr. Yoons office? And that the bacteria are separated by their sex?

Young-Joon said, And I know that you dont usually visit other labs, so you wouldnt go out of your way to come to Lab Six the day before you cleared your office and visit the Life Creation Department before meeting Director Gil, right? You probably already met him.

...

I think I have an idea of why you met with him.

Kim Hyun-Taek wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Fuck, is he the Devil or something?

At this point, the only people who knew that much information at the company were Yoon Dae-Sung, his son Yoon Bo-Hyun, Gil Hyung-Joon, Nicholas, and Ji Kwang-Man.

Wait, Ji Kwang-Man?

After having a conflict with Young-Joon, Ji Kwang-Man was arrested and imprisoned for hiring a hitman to kill Young-Joon. Although, there was a high chance that Yoon Dae-Sung would get him out however he could when the issue died down.

If Ji Kwang-Man leaked it?

It was a possibility as Ji Kwang-Man was a clever man. What if he tried to make a deal with Young-Joon by telling him this secret before getting arrested, but failed?

Wait.

This couldnt have been it. If this had happened, Young-Joon would have already turned A-Gen upside down a few months ago. Wouldnt he have shot everyone dead, whether it was Yoon Dae-Sung or someone else, with a machine gun and tried to build a new palace?

Nicholas!

Kim Hyun-Taeks mind blanked. Nicholas was recommending Kim Hyun-taek and Yoon Dae-Sung to turn themselves in. What if Nicholas saw that he was resigning from the Lab One Director position and told Young-Joon in advance since there was a possibility he would find out anyway?

What are you thinking so hard about? Young-Joon asked Kim Hyun-Taek.

Kim Hyun-Taek snapped out of his imaginary investigation. He wanted to ask Young-Joon if Nicholas told him about it, but he couldnt; he needed to give him as little information as possible.

Kim Hyun-Taek, who barely held back his words, held his breath and looked at Young-Joon.

What did you do with that bacteria? Young-Joon asked.

... I dont know what you are talking about. We dont have that kind of bacteria, Kim Hyun-Taek replied.

Do you regret the answer you gave me right now? I think the best way to minimize the damage that will come will be to tell me everything right now.

... I dont know who told you that, but dont believe them. Its all nonsense.

Alright. Ill see you again, Young-Joon said to Kim Hyun-Taek and turned away. He walked towards the elevator and pressed the button going up. Kim Hyun-Taek could also see Young-Joon waiting for the elevator through the labs glass door.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Is he going to Gil Hyung-Joon now?

Considering Gil Hyung-Joons reaction when he handed him the bacteria and the time it took for Young-Joon to get here, Gil Hyung-Joon wasnt the one who told him.

Kim Hyun-Taek quickly took out his phone and called Gil Hyung-Joon.

Director Gil, Ryu Young-Joon is going up there right now. If he asks you about anthracis, just say that you dont know anything and that you dont know what this is about, said Kim Hyun-Taek as fast as possible, then hung up.

Then, he called Nicholas.

Mr. CTO, I have something to ask you, he said.

What is it?

Ryu Young-Joon knows about the anthracis.

Pardon?

Werent you the one that told him?

What

What are you trying to do! Are you trying to destroy the company?

Wait, Director Kim. It wasnt me. I have never told anyone.

...

If Doctor Ryu knows, I feel like it leaked through Division Manager Ji Kwang-Man. Whats the situation right now?

...

Just tell me right now. Tell me what that bacteria is and where it was used.

Gil Hyung-Joon picked up his bottle of water to put his answer on hold. He needed some time to think. He drank his water slowly for quite a while. He felt like his thoughts were becoming more complicated with every gulp.

Crackle.

Gil Hyung-Joon set the water bottle on the table and glanced at Young-Joon.

... Mr. Ryu, I will tell you what I know, Gil Hyung-Joon said in a diminishing voice.

Please tell me.

That is a biological weapon. It was co-developed with the United States military. It was when A-Gen was very small.

Sigh Young-Joon let out a deep sigh. I thought so. Theres nothing to profit from creating an organism like that except for military purposes.

...

Its a violation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). This isnt just an internal problem at A-Gen; this could become a national problem as well. Does our government know?

As far as I know, they dont

This is frustrating. This was co-developed with the U.S. military?

Yes. It was created in secret and supplied to the U.S. military. We received a lot of money from it, and I believe that it became the funding for growth for A-Gen in the early days.

Has that weapon ever been used?

I do not know that.

Why is A-Gen holding onto that dangerous bacteria sample instead of disposing of it?

Because its evidence that it was co-developed with the U.S. military and that we supplied it to them.

Having the actual bacteria was the most powerful piece of evidence they could have; if a bioterror occurred somewhere, they could compare the DNA and prove whether the bacteria used was this one or not.

If we destroy all the samples and the United States argues that they know nothing about it, A-Gen would take sole responsibility for it. If were unlucky, other international pharma companies might attack us by swaying the media and saying that we might have sold it to terrorists or something.

So, its to take them with you if its ever revealed?

Yes. Then, if we reveal the bacteria sample, match the DNA, and release the co-development and supply documents, a significant amount of the responsibility goes to the United States military.

...

Even if a situation like that doesnt happen, this is also the U.S. federal governments weakness. Corporate executives dont dispose of these cards easily, no matter how dangerous they are.

Young-Joon put his hand on his forehead and thought hard.

What do you think?

They are idiots.

Rolsaine said.

But Mr. Ryu, from what I know, this bacteria was not developed as a weapon.

Then?

The development period was in the late twentieth century when extreme Muslim militarized powers were highly influential. I believe that it was made as research in concern about the risk of biological terrorism using anthrax.

...

Dont despise Director Kim so much. We did not commit any crimes with this, Gil Hyung-Joon said cautiously. Mr. Ryu, things are difficult for Director Kim right now, and its a difficult time for A-Gen as well. Please let it go just this once. If you reveal something like this and add illegal research charges on Director Kim, it will be difficult for him to ever come back. The bacteria are carefully kept through safety mechanisms like separating males and females, so

He is not lying.

Rosaline said.

I can tell that he is being sincere even without analyzing his cerebral blood flow.

However, it didnt mean it was right because it was sincere.

Developing a biological weapon is a violation of the Convention, and it is also a violation of research regulations because you worked on it in secret. You said that you didnt commit a crime with that or anything, but the research itself is a crime.

...

And the fact that a pathogen like that exists is far from safe. The fact that you are carefully keeping cannot be an excuse, Young-Joon said. Director Gil, biological weapons are of a different nature compared to other weapons of mass destruction. The range of damage can be calculated even for nuclear weapons, but the reason why biological weapons are dangerous is because there can be variables you cant calculate.

...

No one can predict what kind of mutation that bacteria, which has spread to nature, will gain and how it will spread. It will threaten the life of mankind as a whole.

That is right.

Give it to me. Young-Joon held out his hand. Gil Hyung-Joon thought hard with his eyes closed, then got up from his seat. There was no way for him to know if Young-Joon was going to execute Kim Hyun-Taek with this right now, but he didnt have the power to decline his request.

Click.

He opened the safe.