Salute To The General



Two military vehicles escorting a medical transport van appeared at the gate of the White House at the first light of the following day. Immediately afterward, a dozen armed soldiers exited the two trucks and fell into position.

Several medical staff in protective gear got out of the van. One of them, a middle-aged man, was carrying a briefcase in his hand.

In addition to the combination lock on the briefcase, an additional layer of security was insured by its handle handcuffed to the man's wrist.

As was his custom, Jannus Cross was there to deliver the President's medicine.Content is property of NôvelDrama.Org.

Escorted by the soldiers, Jannus and his colleagues entered the White House through the main entrance, with representatives of the White House leading the way.

Soon, the party arrived at the Royal Medical Department.

Seamus, the head of the royal physicians, brought several of his staff to greet Jannus.

"Good morning, Professor Cross."

"Hello, Dr. Yaleman," Jannus greeted back politely. "The President is reacting to the drug better than we had expected. I'm excited to announce that he is ready to be put into the second stage of treatment. I have personally escorted the delivery of the drug into your safe hands only."

During this period, Jannus had made frequent visits, often thrice a week, to hand-deliver the medication made by Cross Group to the White House and was by that point well-acquainted with Seamus.

Seamus smiled. "Thank you for your hard work, Professor Cross. The President has you and Cross Group to thank for helping him beat this illness!" "It's a group effort," Jannus replied modestly. "We could not possibly take all the credit."

"Dr. Valeman," he added with an extra edge of formality in his voice, "I have to remind you again that despite Cross Group's heavy involvement in developing cancer treatment drugs, only some drugs and vaccines for liver cancer that are currently on the market have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This particular concoction, being of a different type, is still in the research and development stage. Although we have obtained the President's consent to administer the unapproved drug owing to the severity of his condition, the use of these drugs should not be publicized lest the people think that Cross Group is deliberately depriving society of its inventions."

Seamus smiled reassuringly. "I understand, Professor Cross. These are troubled times, indeed."

He took the briefcase from Jannus and handed it over to one of his men, who brought it into a secure facility.

After several more exchanges of pleasantries, Jannus bid the royal physician farewell.

Upon seeingjannus to the door, Seamus returned to the Royal Medical Department. Entering the sterile room where the medication was stored, he dismissed his men with a wave of his hand to examine the contents of the briefcase in solitude.

When the room was emptied, Seamus turned off the surveillance before taking out the vials from the briefcase and laying them out on the table.

Next, he pulled out a small vial from his pocket surreptitiously. Visibly nervous, he emptied the contents, his vial into the ones from Cross Group with his hands shaking before emerging from the room not dong after.

He had only managed to just in time. Almost instantly, two royal physicians approached and bowed respectfully. "It is time to administer the

President's jab, Dr. Valeman. Have the people from Cross Group delivered the drug today?"

"They just left," Seamus replied as calmly as he could. "Let's go, everybody. You know the drill. You two get the vials. The President is expecting us."

"Understood," the two royal physicians cried in unison.

Meanwhile, Nathan was visiting his teacher, Hansel, at the Windsor residence. He had just informed Hansel about Zion's fate.

"Poor Zion." Hansel sighed. "Be careful, Nathan. Let this be a lesson of how a moment of weakness can undo decades of work."

"I will bear that in mind, Mr. Windsor."

Nathan's phone rang at that moment.

After a hasty apology, he stepped away before answering the call. Within seconds, the color drained from his face. "What did you say? he cried hoarsely. "The President's condition took a turn for the worst? Which hospital? What? How critical?"

Hansel and the others next to him gasped at Nathan's exclamation.