The Vanished

Chapter 10

"Dr. Jonas. How was he?", Mr. Yahontov questioned Dr. Greener. "As in a person, or a colleague?", Dr. Greener asked him back.

"Both", Mr. Yahontov said. Dr. Greener stared blankly at him for a moment. "I don't know him personally. Dr. Jonas was a very professional man, just like Dr. Doppler and Dr. Kevin. He used to not interact much with the others. Even in free times, which we rarely got he worked. He was a bright person, very sharp, I would say. His inputs were very important at our initial stages", Dr. Greener said.

"Okay, now Mr. Greener, will you tell me where were you when the others heard that scream of a lady?", Mr. Yahontov asked him. "I was in my room. Resting for a bit. We didn't have anything else to do", Dr. Greener said as a matter-of-fact.

"Will you please describe the events that occurred after that Mr. Greener?", Mr. Yahontov requested.

"We heard a woman's scream. It was too dark so we couldn't see anything. We wanted to make sure that everyone was safe. So we kept asking for people who didn't come out. Dr. Hannah refused to come out saying that she was ill and she wanted to rest. Dr. Jonas and Dr. Lana didn't respond back to our call. We thought that they must've slept. We turned downstairs to check on Mrs. Glenn, in the dining hall. But we couldn't find her there either. After a few minutes we heard Dr. Jennings scream. She swore that she saw someone out there. She believed it to be...be...a... ghost", he said, going red.

"You don't believe it then?", Mr. Yahontov asked him with a small smile. "No", he said, looking embarrassed. "I do not believe in a bodyless being, spirits, or whatever they call them as. There is nothing like soul, being left out after you die", Dr. Greener said strongly. "I share same thoughts about it", Mr. Yahontov said with a smile that grew now. "What happened after that then?" He started again.

"I believed someone from the outside entered. To enquire about this. I left the housing wing to have a talk to the guards. They were not patrolling that day, given the harsh climatic conditions. They were staying here in the cabins. They told me that the power-cut had left the electronic gate in a compromising state", he finished.

"What do you mean?", Dr. Greener, Mr. Yahontov asked curiously. "The gate was left open the entire time", he answered back. "But the guards, they assured me that anyone coming in was impossible given the storm. So I needn't worry and go back to my room and stay there". He said. Mr. Yahontov speedily noted down something on his notepad.

"You can go now, Mr. Greener. But will you please send Mr. Doppler here?", He asked kindly. Dr. Greener left the cabin and walked aimlessly through the garden that was once well-maintained and beautiful, now it only looked like a part of the wildness.

"Hello Mr. Kevin", Mr. Yahontov said, as Dr. Kevin took his seat. "Can we get done with this soon please. I want to leave", Dr. Kevin whined.

Mr. Yahontov simply smiled without making any promises. "Mr. Kevin that night, I believe you were not in good terms with Miss. Lana?" He questioned.

"Good terms?", Dr. Kevin asked, confused. "I do not have time to make terms with anyone. She made a huge mistake that day. Everything we worked hard for all those months could have gone in vain", he said, crisply. Mr. Yahontov could not ignore to notice the arrogance and pride in his tone. "All that I cared for was this project. I don't care about anything else", he said.

"Okay, so let me rephrase my question then, Mr. Kevin", Mr. Yahontov started again. "Were you vexed at Miss. Lana that day?", he asked him again.

"Yes, I was. She was a stupid girl. I will tell you that. She and Dr. Natalia and Dr. Dervey. I always felt like they had other important things to do here than what we came here for", Mr. Yahontov narrowed his eyes, thinking hard on the context behind those words. He clearly understood that Dr. Kevin didn't like the trio, he mentioned.

"What do you mean by that Mr. Kevin?", He asked him. "They were always stuck together, like stupid teenagers, which they were not. I used to try hard to schedule their shifts in such a way that they never had the same timings together, but still, they found time to be with each other", he said, with great distaste.

"Maybe they were close friends", Mr. Yahontov suggested. "Whatever, relationships serve as good diversions. When you have to gain something, you will have to lose something. Those people were not ready to accept it, I would say that", Mr. Kevin declared. He wore a sort of superiority over others in the air.

"Okay", Mr. Yahontov started again. "That night, when Mr. Greener and Miss Lana came back from the laboratory wing you stopped Miss Lana didn't you?", He asked, carefully. "Yes", Mr. Kevin replied. "So what happened after that?", He pressed on.

"I spoke to her, trying to make her understand how this project was important for me and so she better not try to ruin it for the others, and then after that I let her leave", he said. "She walked back into the hallway. I was walking back into my own room after that. I saw Dr. Dervey entering his own room", He was stopped here by Mr. Yahontov.

"What about Ms. Jennings. Did you see her enter her room too?", He asked him. "No, only him", he said. "Are you sure?", He asked again, and Dr. Kevin nodded positively.

Mr. Yahontov dismissed him. 'Ms. Jennings' he wrote on his notepad and then asked for Mr. Doppler to be sent in next.

"Dr. Doppler. I suppose you and Dr. Dashwood are relatives?", Mr. Yahontov asked him.
"Yes very distinct cousins", he agreed. "Hmm I see, why do you think she did what she did?", He asked him.

"I do not know", Dr. Doppler answered back, his face looking grave now. "You know that she committed suicide right?", Mr. Yahontov asked him and Dr. Doppler nodded. "Yes, I am aware. But we still don't know how...?", He started, but Mr. Yahontov interrupted him here. "She overdosed herself by taking Metformin and insulin injections...", Mr. Yahontov was stopped here, by Dr. Doppler. "Hypoglycemia...", He breathed. "She died of hypoglycemia? But why? Why did she overdose herself with insulin?", He asked. There were no emotions in his voice, but mere curiosity.

"Odd way of choosing death, isn't it?", Mr. Yahontov asked him, studying Mr. Doppler's expressions. "No, I wouldn't say that", Dr. Doppler told him. "It's a rather painless death. I see why she chose it this way", Dr. Doppler said. Mr. Yahontov remained silent for a few seconds.

"Any reason, she would do that to herself?", Mr. Yahontov asked him. "No, We had very limited conversations during our stay here", he answered back. "Any personal problems she might've had, that you were aware of?", Mr. Yahontov pressed further.

"Her husband left her many years back. Her son doesn't care about her", Dr. Doppler told him, again expressionless. "You sure you don't know anything else?", Mr. Yahontov asked him. "No", he repeated. "Okay", Mr. Yahontov said. "Can I leave? I have important business..." He started, "No", Mr. Yahontov said loudly. Dr. Doppler stared at him, and then got up and left.

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You'll can keep guessing where this is all going to lead😁.

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