It was a normal day in my ordinary life as a junior genetic scientist. At least as normal as the atmosphere could get. But there was a familiar feeling of unease in my stomach. The last time I felt like this was during my school days. I still remember when my mom suddenly called me while I was shopping at the grocery store and asked me about the red marker which she needed for some reason. I had instinctively told her that it should be in the last pocket of my school bag. And just after cutting off the call I remembered that, in that pocket I had also kept the result of my math test in which I had scored very poorly.
Currently I was getting that exact same feeling that I had experienced years ago on that particular shopping trip.
But currently I cannot think of any reason why I was getting such a feeling.
*Beep* After the green light flashed on the computer screen registering my entry in the lab, I took out my identity card from the machine and made a bee line towards the coffee machine.
My job never demanded overtime work. So I was not one of those caffeine addicts. But I needed the bitter taste to forget about whatever bad feeling I was getting.
*Hmmmmmmmmm*spray*
"Shit ! What the !" I quickly jumped back as soon as the coffee dispenser made a strange sound. Unfortunately I was already late.
My bad day started with a coffee machine spitting brown foam on my lab coat.
"What a perfect day to start my work," I muttered, watching the dying machine hiss at me like a bitter ex.
"Hey, Tamura !" A cheerful voice greeted me from behind. From his voice alone, I immediately recognised him. It was none other than my junior, the junior assistant researcher Nakamura. Unfortunately due to my scrawny physique and youthful look with no beard on my face, I never got the treatment of a "senpai" from him…
"Wha- Hahahahaha ! You got that baptised by that old machine too ! Hahahahaha !" I had no idea why he was laughing like a hyena, but the situation was definitely not funny for me.
I slowly turned around to give him the most deadpan look I could muster.
"Hahaha ! Sorry ! I couldn't hold it ! But hey at least your face doesn't look like you got someone else's cream on your face ? Hahahahaha !" I raised my eyebrows hearing that comment.
"Does that mean I am not the first victim ?" I asked him with a hopeful tone.
"You have no idea. Come on ! Come with me. Let me show you the first victim of that machine." I allowed myself to get dragged by Nakamura. And before long I found myself behind the desk of Nakamura, who took out his phone and shoved it under the table.
I leaned down to see the picture he had opened from his gallery. It was the picture of none other than my boss, Dr. Corvin, his face smeared with milk. But from the angle the picture was taken it was clear that this bastard had taken it purposefully and secretly so that the normal milk would look like something very suspicious that I would rather not think about.
Suddenly I felt relieved that the automatic machine had not exploded on me.
"So…" Nakamura gave me a look that screamed unnecessary trouble from a mile away.
*Sigh* "As much as I want to play, I have some things to do." I tried to make my tone as regretful as possible. That picture was just too funny. And I didn't want to drag myself into unnecessary trouble by laughing at it.
My name is Tamura, a junior researcher at Helixis BioDynamics, a genetic research company so secretive that even our cafeteria menu probably had a non-disclosure agreement.
It has been 3 years since I have been working in this lab. My job was simple. Follow the orders of the senior researchers. Straight and simple. Yes, on paper I could get creative and run my own tests and do independent research if I want, but reality is not a fantasy. So instead of putting my life into more complications that I didn't need, I went to collect data and run the routine tests on a miracle virus called VX-001, the supposed cure for cancer, aging, and probably your ex's emotional issues. It was supposed to be our golden goose — the pride of Helixis. At least that's what we were told.
News flash. The company I was working in was more shady than anyone could imagine. I was on my way to inject the usual dose of VX-001 to test subject M-63 when my boss, Dr. Corvin, leaned over my shoulder like an owl that wears an expression of perpetual disappointment.
"Tamura, did you already forget that I told you that the new formula will not be tested on mice ?"
"You did, sir ?" I asked, without looking towards him, "Well I must have forgotten… but don't worry this is not the new formula, sir. You can check the vial, if you want. In fact I have not taken them out from the freezer yet. This is just the regular booster dose." I replied to him calmly.
"Hmmmm…" He didn't laugh. His mood is still sour from that coffee machine incident. He simply took the vial and checked its label before putting it down on the tray.
He left without a single word. And I sighed in relief.
You see, around a week ago due to a technical glitch in my office computer, I accidentally found access to the lab archives. Everything was free to open. I thought that all that data would be free for us to look into. So I chose a random folder named "Animal Trials — Version X."
That was the point where everything went wrong. Naturally what I found gave me a mini heart attack. They were mixing VX-001 into livestock vaccines — untested, unauthorized, and labeled for commercial export. The virus wasn't just in the lab. It was in the food chain.
I closed the file faster than I could ever imagine. In fact , I shut down my computer before booting it again. But this time I found that the technical glitch was still there. My computer had access to all the forbidden files of the research centre.
At that moment I had prayed to God that they should be someone's prank.
But when no one came knocking to my desk, I realised that the company might be unaware of this.
That's why I decided to become a hero and expose the company I was working in even if it means that I will be unemployed and probably disappear if I fail.
Since that day I have been slowly working on collecting enough evidence that no one will be able to dismiss as a made up story.
So far no one seems to notice me. But compared to the other day, the bad feeling I was getting was very high. Because if I succeed today then I could get out of this building with all the proof I needed to bring down the company I was working in.
Before logging out that evening, I had applied for an unpaid leave at my boss's office.
So far my discovery was an absolute secret. But today no matter what, I will have to hand it over to someone that I can trust. Someone who will not sell the evidence back to the company for money.
So I called my girlfriend, Elina, a freelance journalist with more confidence than common sense.
It has been an entire year since I have been in a relationship with her. And so far it is going… Okay. Both of us had no problem with the other's professional life. Even though I was still a virgin, I was hoping to get my virginity taken by her very soon.
Due to my work load, it has been a while since we spent proper time with each other. And with my intellectual mind on paid leave, my heart convinced me that she will definitely propose to me the moment he learns about such big news.
She'd been dying for a big scoop, and I had just stumbled on the biggest one in our country.
The moment my honda civic left the parking lot of our lab, I immediately called Elina. Talking on the phone while driving was dangerous. But it was an urgent matter.
Fortunately the phone didn't even ring a couple of times before she answered my call. "Hey bebe!"
"Hey Elina! I have something that you will love to hear. Big news. Something horrifying that the public needs to know." I told him so quickly that I even ran out of breath.
"Calm down bebe! Slowly explain it to me…" After hearing her voice, I calmed myself down.
"Alright, here is the thing. Our company, Helixis, is mixing vx-001 in animal vaccines without any clearance. You understand what that means, right ?"
"Wait, do you mean they are doing it with commercial vaccines ?" Elina asked me.
"Of course ! I wouldn't have called you if it wouldn't have been this severe!" I almost screamed in fear and excitement.
"Are you sure ? I mean do you have any proof ? You know without any proof this kind of news is useless." Elina's doubtful voice made my brows twitch in irritation.
"Of course you idiot ! I wouldn't have called you so urgently if I didn't have the proof !"
"Hahaha… sorry ! Sorry ! How about we meet outside the second parking lot of galerie marchande ? I am actually nearby. I can get there in 15 minutes." Elina said while laughing.
"Fuck ! I just got on the opposite lane of the highway ! Alright wait for me. I will reach there in a couple of hours." I told her before cutting off the call. Turning on the indicator I immediately took the service lane to go back.
When I arrived, Elina was waiting in her Chevy. For five seconds, everything felt normal. But the moment I got out of my car and started walking towards her car, I noticed the two men walking towards me. And both of them looked very suspicious.
For a moment my breath hitched.
I stopped abruptly and looked at Elina.
She didn't get out of her car. She just rolled down her windows and looked me in the eyes.
"I'm sorry, babe. They made an offer I couldn't refuse."
*Bang*
The sound of a muffled pistol was the last thing I heard before I saw a tranquilizer instead of a bullet lodged into my arm.
My consciousness faded faster than I could take it out.
I couldn't even curse that hateful treacherous bitch before everything went dark.
…