“What changed your mind?” Eric asked. 

“It was a combination of things, really,” Dev shrugged, “not the least of which involves protecting my daughter. I’ll be honest though, you have made some convincing points. You really did think this through. When I started my work, I thought I would be saving the world. A bold, narcissistic thought, I now realize. I watched pandemic after pandemic take place and wipe out so many people, and I just wanted to help. I wanted to save villages, cities, entire countries. I wanted to save all of humanity. But I’m just one man, a weak man who couldn’t even save my own wife. You’ve made me realize that I have a chance now to wipe the slate clean. That perhaps, it is time for the virus to reign and for balance to be restored. The fact that you are willing to die to save the planet shows me just how noble your cause truly is.”

The whole time Dev spoke, he was clenching and unclenching his right hand, attempting to keep the circulation strong despite the pins and needles from wearing the cuffs and being positioned with his arms behind him for so long. The tremor was still there, strong as ever, but he ignored it.

They had to get to the lab. They had to get to the vaccine before Anika arrived. He would do whatever it took to protect his daughter. 

“You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that,” said Eric. 

“I won’t fight you, anymore. I swear on Anika’s life,” said Dev. “Take me to the lab, and you’ll have your virus, and your vaccine.”

“Your virus doctor. Your beautiful creation. Magnificent, elegant, deadly.”

Eric crossed the room to kneel on the mat in front of Dev, who used all of his willpower not to flinch away. 

“Time to share it with the world,” Dev said, forcing a smile. 

Eric leaned over to unlock the cuffs, and Dev held his breath. After gripping the cuffs, the clang of metal on metal evident as Eric worked the key, he paused, casting a side-glance at Dev. 

“You do understand that I’m going to take precautions. You’ve lied already tonight, doctor. I’ll have the taser and the knife, so don’t try anything, or I’ll zap you, cut your Achilles tendon, and wheel you upstairs in that chair if I’m forced to. Then I’ll do the same thing to Anika. Understood?”

Dev nodded emphatically, swallowing against the lump of fear in his throat. He wouldn’t do Eric a lot of good if he couldn’t walk, but he understood that Eric was counting on him complying first and foremost, especially with the threats to his daughter. 

“Right,” Eric nodded, clearly attempting to reassure himself. “Alright. You and me, doctor. One, two, three, up!”

Dev nearly fell over as his hands were released and Eric lifted him bodily to a standing position. He fell back against the pillar at first, feeling wildly unstable on his feet after having been tased and spending so long in a stress position against the pillar, but managed to catch himself. 

“You good?” Eric asked. 

“Y-yeah,” Dev breathed. 

“Good, let’s go,” Eric ordered, gesturing toward the door with the taser now held quite visibly in his hand. 

Dev walked toward the door, feet slipping on a particularly thick pool of blood. He felt the revulsion bubble in his gut at being reminded of poor Edward, now left behind, crammed into a bathroom closet. Dev imagined his sweet Anika shoved into that same closet, and his heart beat furiously at the thought of Eric getting his hands on her. 

They reached the hall, leaving bloody footprints in their wake. Part way down the hall, Eric instructed Dev to wait as he slipped into his shoes which had been left there tucked by the wall when he went to murder Edward. Dev eyed the taser in Eric’s hand, which was once again pointed in his direction as they continued on to the elevator. 

He saw that they were currently in Sublevel C. Dev had never ventured down that far in the many years he had worked at the lab. Eric leaned over and swiped his keycard, and hit the button for floor three, occasionally glancing at Dev as they ascended up to the BSL 4 lab level. 

They reached the outer door of the lab, and Eric swiped again, before gesturing for Dev to scan in. Dev took a deep breath and scanned his iris at the door, which clicked, letting them into the PPE and shower room. Eric stepped in after him, and the door sealed behind them.

This was it. No turning back now.