Get it right

Chapter 19

Tegan was now standing before the sad and cold truth. He had delayed his meeting with Myrtle Appleton once again. A death in the building was a priority. They had to take down the possibility of a virus, of a possible infection. The lab was still in lockdown. If a virus had escaped, they were all screwed up. However, it was better not to think about the worst yet. Adam had been demoted. He was working in practise lab and had access to nothing really dangerous that was kept in this building. If something had been taken out of the sealed vaults, Tegan would have been told immediately and no such bad news had come to him. It was a relief not to have to deal with another potential risk of infection. He wasn't ready to face another crisis that was as big as the noctiagus. He didn't want his name to be associated to the death of hundred persons.

They could add Adam on the list of the victims of the noctiagus but Tegan didn't like the idea of a lie. Adam was just a kid. He certainly had parents waiting for him somewhere in the world. What would they say? How would they take the news? Tegan wasn't a father himself so he couldn't imagine the pain and devastation they would feel. He couldn't tell them either that their son had committed suicide – because that was a suicide, right? They would ask questions and no one had the answers to them. No one but Adam. Adam that was now laying lifeless on the grey and cold ground of the lab. Rory had closed his eyes but Tegan had the feeling that he was looking straight at him and blaming him for his death. Because it was his fault. He hadn't listened to his excuses and motives; he had put the blame on him for Maxence's nearly death and demoted him.

There was no way it could have been a murder. Tegan was clever enough to see that in the sad scene before his eyes. Adam had ended his life and done no mess. He created a bubble of air in the vein of his arm and when it reached his heart... Tegan swallowed. It was clean and quick, but also quite painful.

"I found this next to him."

Rory was doing his usual round when he had found Adam. To him, it was clear that it was a suicide too, and the object he was holding out to Tegan was proving it: it was Adam's professional tablet. They were all using one for their researches usually but the noctiagus had become their priority number one and all their researches had been put aside until better days came around. The neurologist took the device and unlocked it – Adam had taken down the security for them to have all access to it. The first thing that appeared on the screen was a video. A new entry to Adam's personal log. Afraid of what he would hear, he pressed the play button.

Adam Mitchell video log. Twelfth day of October 2017.

Doctor Spitz. I know you won't watch this video until you're finally cured from the noctiagus but it's okay. I really hope that you will make it through this virus and accomplish the great things you're meant to. But that entry isn't to congratulate you on your future successes. I've done terrible things, Doctor Spitz. I've betrayed your trust in me and that's something I can never forgive myself for. One of those things was to nearly have killed you because of the Doctor Appleton. I admit it, I've been a victim of his methods, just like many of us here, in this lab. We were all assistants of the greatest minds in the UK and we weren't satisfied with the little tasks they were giving us instead of the big stuff we were dreaming of. Colin offered us chances and we fell in his trap. Once we entered his cobweb, we were screwed.

I happened to be the weakest member of this lot of young assistants. I wanted more and I was ready to play against the rules to get it. Naive and ambitious as I was, it was easy to manipulate me and to make me do almost anything. I'm guilty all down the line and this made me Colin's puppet. I regret everything I did. It didn't take long for the Doctor Smith to make me confess my crimes. I fully understood his reaction and punishment. He's been fair to everyone in this building and would be a great leader if the offer was ever done to him. However, all what I've done can't be undone and so the guilt is eaten me up to the point it has become unbearable. The Doctor Burnley can't help me. Not anymore. I've gone too far by almost killing you. I would have gone to the police if it still existed but the only way to get redemption for my crimes is to die myself.