It had taken everything in Dev’s power not to strike when Eric was putting his suit on. For the briefest moment, he had considered it, poised to lunge when Eric was zipping up, but the tremor in Dev’s hand became so pronounced that he had to pause and take several steadying breaths to try to bring the panic down. Eric picked up the knife again, and the moment was gone. 

They were past the point of no return now. As they stepped into the lab, Dev eyed the panic button, cursing silently when Eric crossed over to block him from accessing it. There was still the chance that he would call for help and no one would come in time. Or Eric would leave him for dead and abscond with the virus. 

Eric’s domain was technology, and Dev’s was this lab, right here. So, knowing what he must do next, he continued to play the part of the agreeable psychopath intent on releasing the virus as they reached the freezers. The terror he felt as he pulled the vaccine out of the freezer was matched only by the horror of pulling the virus from the frigid cold. A vague attempt at getting Eric to wait on retrieving the virus was quickly shot down, and Dev didn’t protest. His only goal was to get back to the biosafety cabinet, whatever that took. 

He was relieved that Eric didn’t seem to know the difference between the containers of the rapid onset virus and the deadlier one with the extended incubation period. Dev was able to pull the rapid virus out with trembling hands, with Eric none the wiser. Worst possible scenario, a fast-acting hemorrhagic virus might escape the lab and be quickly contained, limiting the potential deaths. 

Limiting, but not negating. The fear of releasing this virus was raging inside Dev, and he fought against the panic to steady himself as he carefully carried both containers to the biosafety cabinet. 

It seemed fate was favorable this time as Eeyore caught Eric’s attention, taking him away from the cabinet, from Dev and his syringes and the bottle of ammonium salts that Evers had left out earlier. 

Thank you, Eeyore.

Thank you, Evers.

Eric seemed utterly fascinated by that monkey. 

Dev plunged one of the syringes into the ammonium bottle, drawing back a hefty amount of the caustic liquid as he continued to glance at Eric. He briefly considered dumping the ammonium on the thawing virus, but he knew he only had one shot at this. And a strange part of him couldn’t bare to part with the samples he had worked so long on. Besides, what if he messed up, and Eric went back to the freezer for more?

“He’s quite something, isn’t he?” Dev said through the headset, trying to keep things casual. He needed Eric’s guard to be down for this to work. 

“He’s incredible,” Eric said. Dev set down the syringe while he squeezed and relaxed his right hand as Eric walked back over to the biosafety cabinet. “What we are about to do, doctor, cannot be put into words. The whole world is about to change.”

This was it. With a wave of rage, of utter defiance, Dev picked up the syringe full of ammonium salts and slammed it into the plastic cover of Eric’s mask with all of his strength, shoving the plunger down at the same time. 

It worked!

A spray of toxic liquid was dispersed into the positive pressure suit, and Eric was immediately gasping and flailing in pure agony. Dev watched in horror as Eric careened into the biosafety cabinet, which shattered open. As Dev dove to catch the virus, to stop the vials from shattering on the floor, he felt the impact of the knife ripping down through the chest of his suit, tearing open his skin. He fell back into the cabinet in a daze, sliding to the floor as Eric thrashed next to him. 

Then Eric was still, and Dev was in a daze, staring at the smashed vials of virus spattered on the floor, droplets visible across his suit which was currently leaking oxygen through the tear over his chest. Dev slowly pushed himself off the floor and hobbled over to the panic button, slapping down the button before collapsing on the floor in searing pain from the wound in his chest. 

A voice crackled over his radio, “What’s happening? No one is supposed to be in the lab.”

“Contaminated,” Dev breathed, pressing a hand down over the wound in his chest. “Eric Quinn tried to release my virus. He killed Edward. The guard. His body is on sublevel 3. Eric is dead now. I’m injured. Was held hostage all night. I have to contact Anika.”

“Doctor? I’m bringing in authorities now. Are you saying someone released a virus?”

Dev took in a deep breath as he spoke, “The lab is contaminated. Call Anika, now, please. Put her through for me.”

“Doctor, we’re sending in people-”

“Please! Please call her. She’s my emergency contact.”

“Okay, doctor, okay. Just hold on a second.”

Dev was acutely aware of the pool of blood gathering in his suit and now spilling out to trickle down into his lap. His eyesight was starting to go. He knew that in the unlikely event they managed to get him stitched up in time, he would already be infected. His body already at a disadvantage from the wound would take no time at all to expire, with a great deal of suffering to boot.

It seemed to take an eternity, but he heard a crackle, and the sleepy voice of Anika, “Papa? What’s going on?”

“Anika, where are you Pipette?” Dev asked. 

“I was sleeping. What’s happening, Papa? Why do you sound like that?”

Sleeping. Eric had lied. Somehow, he had faked his conversation with Anika. Dev smiled as he slumped a little more against the wall. His daughter was safe. As horrible as this would be for her, she was protected.

“I’m sorry, Pipette. Something happened tonight, something bad. I won’t be coming home from this. I love you so much. Your mother loves you so much. You are my whole world, my darling. You are my moon and my stars.”

“Why are you talking like this?” she asked. He could hear the panic in her voice, and it occurred to him that he could no longer feel panic himself. He was slipping away into something peaceful, something warm and inviting. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could sense a presence. Loving and kind. Indira. Welcoming him. Waiting for him. 

“I’m so sorry. I never wanted it to happen like this. Just know I did what I did tonight to protect you and everyone else in the world. I did what I did because I had to.”

It was becoming too painful to speak, but he forced out the words, “No matter what, I love you. I love you more than anything, Pipette.”

The blood loss was making him dizzy. Dev’s eyes were fluttering shut as he heard the unmistakable sound of the emergency disinfectant spray being activated in the lab. He heard Eeyore screeching anxiously in the corner. 

“Papa! What’s happening!? Where are you?!”

He no longer had the strength to answer as he began to slip away. 

Everything would be okay now. 

Everything would be fine. 

The world was safe. 

His daughter was safe. 

Dev closed his eyes and drifted away.