Sara Strong

Chapter 10

Ingrid stood for a moment, straining to hear what she could on the other side of the door. There's was nothing, and yet Ingrid knew he was still there, the cameras would have seen if it he had escaped somehow.

She knocked again. She knew she could just walk in, but she wanted Max to feel like he had some control. Some small right to his own agency.

"It's me", she called. "It's Ingrid." She wasn't sure if identifying herself would make him more or less likely to open the door, but she figured it was worth a try. "I just want to talk."

Still, there was no answer. Alright, if he didn't want to talk to her that was his choice. That was the whole point, to allow him to make his own decision. Even if it was something as little as who he welcomed into his prison.

She turned away and jumped just a little in surprise.

Sebastian was at the other end of the hallway, leaning against the wall, studying her.

"He still refuses to see you?" he asked.

"Yes, " she admitted, she was certain he got a kick out of startling her, but she couldn't read any mocking in his tone or voice. Max had refused to see anyone in the last few days, but especially not her. The scientists and the like were content to monitor him from afar. But Ingrid still went to his room at least twice a day, if only so that he knew she hadn't forgotten him.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, " he told her. "That boy is a loyal one. It might take him a second, but he's not about to abandon you so easily."

She turned away from him. She needed to show him respect, let him know she was a suitable partner. Trustworthy. But right now, she just wanted to punch him in the face.

She felt his stare on her.

"What?" She snapped a little too harshly. She was not in the mood to play one of his little games.

"I'm just trying to figure you out, " he said, holding his hands up in a sign of peace. "I mean, our buddy Max in there. I get him, we're cut from the same cloth really."

Ingrid really doubted that. "You don't think loyalty is a trait I share. Is that it?"

Sebastian shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, you had a lot of pretty words about doing what's best for him."

"I told him the truth."

"Yeah, and what he said is true too. Your exactly where you want to be, aren't you. You don't regret what happened at all."

Ingrid kept her head up, refusing to allow this man the satisfaction of making her look away. "What happened, happened. There's no point regretting it, " she said truthfully. "We need to move forward."

"You know, " Sebastion said after a moment. "Maybe it's a bit a both."

He pulled himself from his lean and nodded his head at her. "Come on, " he said. "I want to show you something."

Ingrid followed him silently. They stepped inside a control room. Several people that she didn't recognize in white lad coats sat around the room pressing buttons and monitoring screens.

One man stood in front of a large one-way window overlooking a smaller room that held a rather calms looking man strapped to a table.

The man at the window was older, with tan skin and white hair and thick glasses. Ingrid recognized him as Doctor Teller, head of research and development. 

"Ah, " Doctor Teller said as the approached. "Excellent timing Mr Levine. We were just about to commence the process."

"Doctor," Sebastian gestured to Ingrid. "This is Ingrid, our newest associate. You remember we spoke about her."

"Yes, yes, " Doctor Teller said. "Always a pleasure to have new faces." He offered his hand and Ingrid took it. "We'll have to bring you up to speed. But first, a practical demonstration."

He turned back to the window. Sebastian led her to stand beside the doctor and they all looked at the man inside.

Ingrid felt unsettled. But she desperately wanted to know more and truthfully the man, while restrained, didn't look to be under force.

Doctor Teller held down a button in front if go. and spoke into a microphone. "Mr Ronson we are ready to be. Are you ready?"

The man nodded.

Doctor Teller turned to the person next to him. "Begin."

The person did something on their controls and Ingrid could hear the release of vents and the hissing of air.

Inwardly, Ingrid winced at the familiarity with what had happened to her and Max. Outwardly she remained unmoved. The gas colourless and if it was the same one she had been exposed too it was both tastes and odourless as well.

For a long moment, nothing happened. And then the screaming started.

The man started to conclude. His eyes rolled up into his head.

Ingrid took a panicked step toward the door. Sebastian grabbed her arm. "Not a good idea, " he told her.

Ingrid grit her teeth. "We need to stop the experiment, " she insisted.

"We can't stop it, " Sebastion said calmly. "Once the virus is in his system it can't be extracted. We send anyone else in with him and they could very well suffer the same fate."

"Besides, " Doctor Teller spoke in his thick accent. "We do not interfere with the experiment while in session. We simply record the results. That is the cornerstone of good science." He raised an eyebrow at Sebastian and spoke to him in an aside. "I thought you said she had great promise, where is her ambition, her drive?"

"Not everyone has the same focus as you, Doctor, " Sebastion said placatingly.

Ingrid could barely register their practised back and forth, even while screams turned into moans and gargled groans in the background. Blood was streaming from the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. And still, no one made a move.

Ingrid took a deep breath and unclenched her hands and took back her position beside the two men. She was determined not to look away. To keep this man and his suffering in her memory forever. She wouldn't let herself forget.

Meanwhile, Sebastion was watching her with an almost proud smile.

The three of them watched as the man became still and the sounds died down.

"Well, " Doctor Teller spoke up. "That was a less than ideal result."

"That's the fourth one this month, " Sebastion said. "We're going to run out of desperate people."

"Lilith will not be pleased, " Doctor Teller announced.

"No, she will not, " Sebastion agreed. " he turned to one of the other workers. "Call someone to clean this up, " he ordered.

Ingrid started at the bloodied corpse. This is what could have happened to her. This is what could have happened to Max. What might still happen.

And they had all stood by and watched. Ingrid had a sick feeling in her stomach.

She wanted to say something. To condemn their actions. To make it clear that science without ethics and morals was worth nothing. But she bit her tongue and stayed silent.