Outside Hope's office.
Pope and Field took deep breaths, trying to calm their racing hearts. After a moment, they raised their hands and knocked.
"Come in!"
The two men opened the door and entered. Hope sat behind his desk reading a book, wearing glasses. At fifty, his face was weathered, but the muscles built through years of working out made him look strong. His image closely resembled an elderly Schwarzenegger.
"Have a seat, have a seat," Hope said. "I have something important to discuss with you. It's about Song He."
Pope and Field clearly paused as they sat down, but their expressions remained normal. They nodded and looked toward Hope.
"Song He has been brazenly poaching scientists. His reach has extended into our school, throwing our once-peaceful campus into chaos. His enormous team of secretaries has been openly making mass calls to scientists, threatening and enticing them. Their methods are utterly despicable and show not the slightest respect." Hope's tone was calm.
"What does this lead to? The cutting-edge technology we painstakingly developed may be stolen through the loss of talent. Song He is carrying out an outright technological robbery and theft, damaging our security and interests."
"Have his secretaries called you?" Hope suddenly asked.
Pope and Field had just been about to speak when Hope raised his voice. "Think carefully before you answer!"
The two men across the desk jumped. The hairs on their arms stood on end in an instant, but they quickly composed themselves and shook their heads in unison.
Hope silently watched the two men, his face expressionless, as if waiting for lying children to confess.
Pope and Field braced themselves, their faces full of innocence.
A long silence followed. The air seemed frozen.
"They may not have called you yet. As far as I know,