Chapter 17: The New Ally
Izzie and Sophia walked into Sophia's room, the tension between them palpable. Izzie knew she had to get things out in the open, but she wasn't sure where to start.
Just as they were about to sit down, there was a knock at the door. Sophia's eyes narrowed, and she got up to answer it.
"Ah, perfect timing," she said, opening the door to reveal a young woman with a bright smile and a clipboard in hand.
"Hi, Sophia! I'm here to see Izzie," the woman said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Sophia stepped aside, and the woman walked in. "Izzie, this is Elena, your new personal assistant," Sophia said, her voice a little cooler than usual.
Izzie's eyes widened in surprise. "My personal assistant?"
Elena nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I'm here to help you with everything, from managing your schedule to handling your, uh, unique abilities."
Izzie was taken aback. She hadn't asked for a personal assistant, but something about Elena's bright smile put her at ease.
"Thanks, Elena," Izzie said, smiling. "I'm glad to have you on board."
Elena beamed, and Sophia nodded, her expression softening. "I think you'll find Elena very capable, Izzie. She's been working with me for a while now, and she's great at keeping things organized."
Izzie's instincts told her that there was more to Elena than met the eye, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Still, she was willing to give her a chance.
As Elena began to brief Izzie on her schedule and tasks, Izzie couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Maybe having a personal assistant wouldn't be so bad after all.
But as they talked, Izzie noticed that Sophia seemed a bit...off. Like she was hiding something.
"Sophia, can I talk to you for a minute?" Izzie asked, nodding towards the balcony.
Sophia followed her, and Izzie closed the door behind them. "What's going on, Sophia? You're acting weird," Izzie said, her voice low.
Sophia sighed, her eyes dropping. "It's just...Elena used to work for me, okay? And I had to let her go. But she's been acting weird lately, and I don't know what to do."
Izzie's eyes narrowed. "Weird how?"
Sophia leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "She's been asking questions about you, Izzie. About your powers and your past. I don't know what she's after, but I'm not sure I trust her."
Izzie's instincts kicked in, and she knew she had to be careful. But she also didn't want to jump to conclusions.
"Let's keep an eye on her for now," Izzie said, her voice firm. "But if anything feels off, we'll deal with it, okay?"
Sophia nodded, looking a little relieved.
As they went back inside, Elena looked up from the papers she was sorting. "Everything okay?" she asked, her eyes innocent.
Izzie smiled, her mind racing. "Yeah, everything's fine. So, Elena, tell me more about yourself. How did you end up working for Sophia?"
Elena's smile didn't falter, but Izzie caught a glimpse of something in her eyes. A flash of hesitation.
"Oh, it's a long story," Elena said, laughing. "But basically, I just wanted to help people, and Sophia's work was fascinating to me."
Izzie's instincts were screaming at her. There was more to Elena than she was letting on.