April 30th, 1978
One by one, the metal drawers slid open before being slammed shut with a loud click. The blonde required only a few seconds to determine that they were lacking the item he was searching for, compelling him to move on to the next. It was only upon opening the last one that a cheerful grin graced his vaguely aged features.
"Aha—there you are!" He leaned downwards and reached into the drawer, immediately taking hold of the item he had desired. It was a key ring, the esteemed set that contained about a dozen keys of varying shapes and sizes. With it, he would be able to access any of the rooms in the building, including Marcus' lab.
That is, unless Marcus ended up changing the locks at some point, but…he didn't think that would have happened. After all, Marcus probably didn't even know that he had all of the keys, so there wouldn't have been any reason to change the locks, right?
…Well, he certainly hoped not. But seeing as he didn't have much time to waste on what-ifs, there was only one way to find out.
Shoving the keys into the pocket of his lab coat, he stood up straight and briskly took off towards the door. He left his own lab behind as he entered the hallway, turning the corner and passing the other rooms, taking only a few more steps to reach the end of the corridor.
As he stood before the heavy steel door, he gulped nervously and turned around; his own paranoia beginning to take hold of him. After a few seconds of complete silence and a sight devoid of anyone else, he released the breath he had been holding so adamantly.
"Keep it together, Savage… I'll just be in and out, no problem." He attempted to reassure himself to bolster his spirit, giving a confident nod before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the set of keys. He fumbled through them for only a moment, having been able to find the right one quickly enough.
It was intricately designed; silver in color while an elegant motif was inscribed on the bow. The design matched the insignia displayed on the upper half of the door, a not-so-subtle hint that he was correct in his choice of key.
Strictly speaking, he was fairly certain that this same key worked on the lock to his own lab room as well. This thought was aided by the fact that the doors were of the same model and both displayed an emblem identical to the one that the key held. He never had any reason to lock the other lab room, though, so the key went largely out of use. At least, until today.
He inserted the thin brass into the keyhole, slowly shifting it until he heard a loud click—the announcement of his success. He gave a quick nod as he removed the key and gradually turned the knob, taking only a few seconds to stare at the door and brace himself for what laid ahead…
…It was finally time to learn the truth.
As he pushed the hefty door open, he couldn't help but be struck by an immense air of unease; furthered by the somehow ominous shriek that the door seemed to emit. If he hadn't known better, he would have taken it as a warning to turn around and never look back—to forget this ever happened; to go on as if nothing had changed.
That was something he easily could have done, because honestly, he didn't need to discover the truth. He could have simply left well enough alone. That was what he always had done, wasn't it? No matter what he would find in this room, it couldn't help him.
If nothing was wrong, he would return to his work and scold himself for getting so hyped up and wasting so much time. But, if something was wrong…no good would come of this.
This was a risky endeavor regardless of what the truth might have been. He knew this very well, and yet…despite his mind screaming to just turn back, to return to a place where he knew he would be safe… He didn't listen.
…If only he had listened.
Savage stepped forward, hurriedly folding his arms together to fend off the chills that emerged out of nowhere. He wasn't sure how it was possible, but the room itself felt significantly colder than the hallway he had just been standing in. This made his dread that much worse, and the sound of the door slamming itself shut behind him only added to the sensation. However, neither of those even compared to the apprehension he felt once he turned his head.
His eyes shot towards the right side of the wall, pupils springing up and down rapidly in an attempt to make sense of what he was seeing. Seconds later, his mouth slid open as low, repulsed groans escaped from it.
"That's… N-no, it can't… It couldn't be…" Unable to even come up with a sentence to accurately present his thoughts to himself, he made the decision to move ahead to get a closer look at the source of his revulsion. The very instant that he reached the front of it, his hand flew towards his mouth in an attempt to keep himself from gagging.
Before him stood two large, cylindrical-shaped cases, each one towering over his own height by several feet. The insides were partially obscured by the fogginess of the glass, but the faint visage that was available was more than enough to determine the purpose they served…
They were specimen cases, both of them containing a translucent fluid that enveloped the beings inside. And those specimens…had been two adult men, both of which now stood lifeless.
"But, that's not… No, that…that doesn't even make sense…" So many questions had been running through his mind at this point, but even through the countless jumbled-up phrases, one question in particular had stuck out to him.
"They're dead, but they were conserved in preservation fluid, right…? How…how can they look like…that?"
His meaning had been present in the fact that each body looked like death. Their skin had turned to a dark grey and was absolutely shredded along their torsos and arms, while the rest of the delicate skin had instead been pierced by the sharp, protruding bones elsewhere.
The bodies themselves were also completely lacking in any sort of muscle, fat—anything. They were hardly anything more than skin and bones, but with how much the skin was falling apart, even that was subject to change.
And their faces… Savage didn't even want to look at them, but he forced himself with the sole intent of putting a name to the face. This task certainly wasn't easy given the extreme level of decay, but he did his best regardless. He needed to, because if these bodies were those of the residents that vanished…then the truth about Director Marcus would finally be revealed.
He could see that the one to the left seemed like it might have been on the younger side, maybe somewhere in their mid-to-late twenties. That one had an expression that was truly awful; a look of complete and utter suffering. Their eyes were closed, but their mouth was wide open as if they had been screaming in pain. Small slits had formed in the corners of the mouth, showing just how desperate their cries must have been. They had been causing themselves even greater pain in a frantic attempt to escape the horror they were going through…
In spite of his meticulous inspection, he was unable to determine the identity of the unfortunate fallen soul.
As for the other body, they clearly were older, likely in their late thirties. Their eyes were also closed, but their expression was a bit more subdued than their counterpart, only having their thin lips slightly parted in what was likely their final attempt at an anguished groan. Their short black hair had become thin, with many of the strands already long since fallen away. And though it was hard to see for sure, their chin appeared to have a faint trace of stubble, which somehow even appeared to be familiar—
—In that moment, his heart sank.
"…Assistant Director Davids?!"
This ghastly revelation came with no paltry cost… It left him so staggered that he was unable to move even a single muscle, which was only worsened by a sudden onset of intense dizziness. He was incased in a sensation of both paralysis and nausea as his own world began to spin incessantly.
He was incapable of focusing his sight on anything; not the cause of his horror, nor the revolving room around him. Realizing this, he instead chose to expend his energy on simply keeping himself from falling to the floor—in which a great deal of effort was required.
Several seconds passed before he was finally able to feel the weight within his limbs again, giving him enough leverage to raise an unsteady hand to his aching head. He wearily shook it as he took a few steps backwards; his trembling legs working to make such a simple task so much more difficult.
Bumping into the desk behind him, he leaned on it for support, finally attempting to settle down and regain his bearings.
"A-all along, Director Marcus, he…he really did…" He choked the words out, lifting his head just enough to once again witness the horrific visage, only to immediately tear his gaze away. Now that he knew for certain what—or rather, who—the abomination once had been, he couldn't bear to stare for another second.
To think, moments ago he had been so carefully scrutinizing the corpse of a man he spoke to only months prior to this… The thought alone was more than enough to make his hair stand on end. He never could have imagined it would come to something like this…
Savage had always given Marcus a fair chance. He was considerate to him, always doing his best to make the man's life easier while encouraging him to open up a little more, since Savage was more than willing to lend an ear if he needed it.
He brought meals, packages, anything he ever needed—straight to him, understanding that he simply was too engrossed in his research to do these things himself.
Most of all, he defended him while the others had engaged in petty and ludicrous gossip. Never once did he believe their foolish theories held even a sliver of truth.
But…who was the fool now?
Savage, in truth, was too kind. He was a man of the sciences, but his brain had not operated in methodical terms. He differed from Marcus in that he was emotional, not at all cold and detached like his senior. He deliberately ignored every piece of evidence and data—something any rational scientist would, without hesitation, leap for—because of his human sentiments.
Even so, he genuinely never believed that someone like the director could be capable of actual murder. How long had this gone on for? Had it only been since last October, or had he kept this secret even longer than that? Several students and workers had left throughout the earlier years, and while those always seemed like regular resignations—were they really? What if Marcus had always been a murderer, even before he became the director of the facility?
He was renowned for being a marvel within the field of science; he rose to prominence so rapidly after his graduation from college. He made discovery after discovery, and his research was always so remarkably thorough and comprehensive. He was an inspiration to many up-and-coming scientists—Savage included—and many often wondered just how meticulous his work ethic had been for him to be so exceptional.
Then again…what if there was a reason for that? Admittedly, there were cases where straying from ethics did give you an advantage over the natural and more-grounded approach. Maybe Marcus had been using innocent lives in his research, even back then…
His frown only grew as the appalling notions ran through his mind. He didn't earnestly believe any of those theories, but with that said… Even now, he couldn't earnestly believe that Marcus killed anyone, despite the evidence standing right in front of him.
Even when he first saw the bodies, while he was obviously shocked, his initial thought had been that maybe they weren't even people from the facility. They could have been specimens that Marcus ordered for his research—as many scientists often did. Those ones were generally people that were already dead and, prior to their passing, consented to have their body used for further research upon their death. So, while some would still view it in poor taste, it certainly wasn't a crime in the traditional sense.
If that couldn't be the case, then he hoped that maybe they weren't even real people, just mere dummies made to look authentic. Especially with how horribly disfigured they looked…he had hoped so desperately that this idea held some truth to it.
But now, even despite their inhuman deformities, Savage knew without a doubt that they were real. The man in the rightmost case was unquestionably the missing assistant director, Davids. And with that being the case, it was basically assured that the left one also housed a former member of the facility, though he still couldn't determine exactly who it was.
Whereas that man's identity might not have been clear, there was one thing with an abundance of clarity…
Director Marcus, was, in fact…a murderer.
While only two of the fifteen disappearances were now accounted for, it stood to reason that the rest of them were placed elsewhere, if not just disposed of altogether. If he had time, it'd be worth checking out the other rooms that Marcus kept off-limits, but…
He let out a deep sigh, shaking his head as he reflected on what a fool he had been. Marcus was very adamant on no one being allowed in his lab, along with any of the rooms it led to. If that wasn't a clear sign of something going on behind the scenes, then what was?
He had been so blind… If Marcus was dragging a dead body right past him, would he even have noticed?
"Apparently not…" He muttered to himself grimly. In some sense, it was true. The man was able to keep his work secret for all of this time, so he likely did drag bodies past him, only for Savage to not even bat an eye.
Was Marcus actually that crafty, or was Savage just a total dolt? Perhaps both—the latter heavily due to his subconscious desire to avoid even considering the peculiar timing of the director's ever-growing eccentricity.
The more he thought about it, the more depressed he became. He, of all people, stood the greatest chance of discovering Marcus' work and putting a stop to it before it was too late. If he had only done something sooner, then maybe, just maybe…there'd be one less body in those cases. If he could have saved one life, then at least there could have been some relief for his nagging conscience. But…even that was a selfish thought, wasn't it?
As kind as he strived to be, his motivations weren't always so selfless. He, ultimately, did what he believed to be best for himself. He wished he was able to stop Marcus' cruelty so that he didn't need to feel like he had been a willing accomplice in the act.
Had he ever truly cared for the safety of those people—had he ever been willing to spare a shred of concern over the fact that they disappeared? He was curious, yes, but was he concerned? It was a question he couldn't help asking himself, despite already knowing the dreaded answer.
In addition, he continuously turned a blind eye to the signs because he didn't want to deal with the trouble that could have resulted from it. Though he might have believed Marcus was innocent regardless, he was never resolute enough to come to that decision upon reviewing all of the facts. He instead ignored the facts, simply because he didn't want to see them.
It stood in ironic contrast to his name, but the reality was that Savage was a coward. He knew this all along, but he never cared to do anything about it. As long as he was able to get by, then what difference did it make? In a world where it's survival of the fittest, the unfits' best chance was to simply lay low and hope for the best.
And yet…he was beginning to see the error in this line of thought.
Instead of accepting things as the way they were, did it not make more sense to take the risk to change them yourself? There might have been hazards involved, but honestly, what did he even have to lose?
He had been at the facility for nine years, but he had nothing to show for it. He got his doctorate degree a long time ago, but never contributed anything of real value to the field. Even back home, he wasn't married and had no family of his own. His life did appear to be vastly underwhelming, when he really thought of it.
Even still…maybe he could change that, at least a little. If he could stop Marcus from committing any more of these heinous experiments, then that would stand for something, wouldn't it?
He wouldn't run away this time.
This time…he'd do what needed to be done.
With a sudden air of newfound courage, he lifted his head and walked forward, directing his sight towards the bodies before him. With a frown, he muttered softly, "I'm really sorry, Davids…" Then, looking towards the other specimen, he continued. "And…uh… I'm sorry to you too…whoever you are." His frown grew, saddened by the fact that he couldn't even properly pay respects to the unnamed corpse, but he tried to move past it, returning to his original point.
"If I only acted sooner, then maybe I could have saved both of you, and maybe even more people…" His frown began to fade, returning to his formerly staunch countenance. "But there's no point in dwelling on that now, obviously… I'm just going to do my best to make sure Director Marcus is never able to do this again. I'd say wish me luck, but, uh…" He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, then turning away with a shake of his head. "Well, yeah… Anyway…"
Savage, after some deliberation, decided that his best play in this situation was to secure some evidence that he could give to the higher authorities. Simply telling them that Marcus was experimenting on these people wasn't enough—he needed proof.
Of course, if they sent an investigator to the lab, that person could discover those specimen cases and have plenty of proof right there, but what if Marcus decided to move them beforehand? He couldn't be certain of how long they were left there already, but he didn't want to take the chance of reporting him only to have nothing to show for it. It'd be a waste of everyone's time, particularly because he might never get an opportunity like this again.
If he were to gather evidence, it needed to be at this very moment.
The simplest and most logical choice of proof would be papers that described the nature of those experiments. As Savage knew well, Marcus was very precise when it came to his research, so he must have had books filled to the brim with details of his work. If he could just find one of those and take it with him, that'd be perfect! And as long as the director didn't need to go back to those papers for any reason, then it should be trivial enough that he wouldn't even notice that they're gone.
The first order of business was then decided. He would search for papers pertaining to those experiments.
The table seemed like a decent start, perhaps especially since it didn't even appear to be a table, seeing as it was completely obscured by countless pages cluttering it.
One glance at it was enough to make Savage gulp, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. There was, of course, the issue of how grueling it would be to go through all of those papers, and to do so in a way that wouldn't discernably alter their positions. With how paranoid Marcus was, there was always the risk that he could notice something even as minor as that. But that wasn't Savage's only issue with it…
The table…was a mess. That much was obvious to anyone who had the misfortune of witnessing it, but for Savage, even a mere glimpse was excruciating.
He was, admittedly, a bit of a clean-freak. He couldn't stand any sense of disorganization or lack of cleanliness, which was the reason that all of the rooms he traveled through in the building were quite literally spotless. He took painstaking efforts in keeping the building tidy, but for these Marcus-only domains…it was evidently petrifying.
He would have loved to clean it up; the entire room was no doubt a challenge worthy of his skills. But he was well-aware of what a terrible idea that was, so he needed to simply grin and bear it this time.
Taking a deep breath, he initiated his search. His work ethic was to cautiously pick up a few pages, give each of them a quick glance, and then set them back in their proper spot—though "proper" certainly wasn't a term he would have used to describe it.
This continued on for several minutes, but the lack of results was already causing his mind to drift. He took a few glimpses around the lab every now and then, trying to make out any sort of cameras within the dimly lit corners.
As far as he could tell, the room did appear to be clear, unless they were just that cleverly hidden. It was a possibility, for sure. But honestly, he got the feeling that the room just didn't have any, with good reason.
It made sense for the room to be devoid of surveillance, since that was how Marcus could assure that video of his actions never got out. Anyone easily could have come in and taken the tape in order to report him; no different than what Savage was trying to do. There was no way the director would allow such an obvious risk, so of course he didn't have cameras.
Although, this choice definitely functioned as a double-edged blade in both cases. Just as Savage could have used the tapes as evidence on Marcus' experiments, Marcus could have used them as evidence on whoever was in his lab. Then, just as the lack of video kept Marcus' work a secret, it kept Savage's infiltration a secret as well. Overall, this choice was probably better for both parties…
His idle contemplations soon faded as his mind refocused its exertions on investigating the massive heap of papers before him. He couldn't entirely devote himself to this objective, though, as he suddenly felt very uneasy. Upon a quick spin, he saw nothing but the bodies across the room. The awful sight hadn't failed to give him the chills, resulting in him grimacing as he turned his head once more.
"Ugh… I can't believe Director Marcus really just left them there… Did he actually sit here and work while they were standing right behind him?" Shaking his head with hesitance, he continued, "Their eyes aren't even open, but I feel like they're watching my every movement. It's way too freaky…" The thought caused him to reflectively shudder, his expression growing more anxious by the second.
He was trying to move on, especially since staring at them and reminding himself of how revolting their appearances had become was not making him feel much better. It was insane how much they looked like some sort of horror movie monster—like a zombie, or something…
But worst of all, he couldn't believe that Marcus just left them there, knowing that he had associated with them in the past.
Well, maybe he didn't bother with that mystery man much, but he definitely spoke with Davids a bunch of times over the years. Marcus probably communicated with him more than anyone else at the facility, aside from Savage himself. It seemed that despite those conversations, Marcus never considered the man as a friend. Unless turning his friends into zombies was his go-to idea for fun, that is…
"It's just so strange that he could even do something like this…" Voicing his disbelief aloud, he sighed softly. "I've been so close to a murderer for all of this time… It's amazing that I'm even still alive…"
As soon as he uttered the phrase, his foraging through the papers caused a smaller pile to shift and slide towards the edge of the table, bumping into a glass flask that had been laying on its side. The bottle immediately began to roll towards the edge, triggering Savage to exclaim a subdued, "No!" and dive towards it without a second to lose.
Just as it was about to hit the floor and shatter into countless tiny pieces—he caught it.
His heart was ready to explode, but the flask was safe, so that was all that really mattered.
He let out an apprehensive chuckle, an anxious smile taking hold of his features between heavy breaths. With his amplified heart rate finally receding, he transferred the unruly papers that nearly caused his demise to their original position and promptly did the same for the flask.
His reaction might have seemed overkill, in particular due to the fact that the building was made of such sturdy, soundproofed floors and walls. Noise had never traveled well through it—so much so that if Marcus was in this room doing one of his experiments, Savage could have been right outside the door and he wouldn't have heard a thing. No doubt, the doctor had fully exploited that point to his advantage…
That said, his already-elevated blood pressure and unrelenting dread at the thought of the lab's door opening at any given moment was enough to keep him on edge. If possible, he wished to avoid causing any apparent commotion. These words rang truer than ever now that he knew exactly what the director was capable of. There was no longer a chance of being able to simply explain that his purposes here were done in good faith and then walk away as if nothing happened.
If Marcus was able to discover that he was here—whether he would learn of it now or later—Savage would die. He would be the next one "preserved" as a specimen, yet that word was filled with humorless irony considering he would embody the visage of literal death. Unless, perhaps, there was something even more horrific in store for him, but he couldn't imagine what could be worse than the fate those two suffered from…
Again, his thoughts drifted towards the undesirable, which as usual only served to increase his apprehension. Not that it was easy to think happy thoughts when he was surrounded by the pessimistic reality. The corpses standing behind him certainly weren't a sign of good things to come, so a bit of cynicism might have done him some good. It'd keep him from frolicking around as if nothing could ever go wrong, at the least…
It was true, anyhow, that Marcus possessed observational skills like no other. Even the most trifling of details possessed the clarity of a blaring siren to him, it had seemed. He evidently made good use of those exceptional levels of awareness, too. This was on account of him so often appearing to be looking off into space, while the truth was that he had been carefully scrutinizing every last inch of the room to determine if anything was amiss.
That ceaseless paranoia, the immense distrust… Savage could never understand why Marcus felt these sentiments so strongly. On occasion, he pondered if it had been a result of the misgivings the students had about him. Perhaps the constant spitefulness of their words had been enough to grate at the man's once good spirits and turn him into something of a cynic.
Now, the truth had become ever so clear. He was always so tense because he had far too many skeletons in his closet—in the most literal sense possible. He was terrified by the possibility of being discovered, so he kept to himself to an obsessive degree. Staying as close to his work as possible, forbidding anyone from entering his personal lab, and even his decision to change the passcode to the platform… Everything had been done to keep his work hidden deeply within the shadows, all because he was afraid.
Perhaps he and the director had more in common than he thought. After all, Savage was afraid, as well. Only in his case, the discovery that he dreaded was the thought of Marcus learning of his intrusion and disposing of him as he had done to all the others…
The visualization that played within his mind caused him to instantly direct his gaze towards the entrance, only to sigh and shake his head. He really needed to stop agonizing himself with such baseless concerns. In any case, there was no reason for Marcus to enter the lab today, because he had only just done so yesterday…
Ever since Savage made the decision to learn the truth behind everything going on at the facility, he started keeping track of the pattern Marcus displayed when visiting the lab. By his notes, he never went more than once a week, never mind two days in a row.
With that in mind, that was the motivation he needed to initiate his plan today, of all days. He knew that this was his best chance, and yet that knowledge did little to alleviate his anxiety…
Still, he knew he would squander this golden opportunity if he continued to whittle away his time on fussing and searching through things that were destined to be fruitless. He needed to just man up and get back to his search—only this time, he wasn't going anywhere near that train wreck of a table…
Pacing around the room as he pondered where the best evidence would be, he came to a stop in front of the metal shelf beside the doorway. It was filled with all sorts of chemicals with different colors and generally long and hard to pronounce names. It wasn't exactly an unusual sight within a lab—Savage's had a shelf just like it, even.
However, knowing what he knew now, it was certainly thinkable that these chemicals had some sort of connection to Marcus' experiments. Was it possible that one of them was responsible for the deterioration seen in the two test subjects? Something must have caused that horrific sight; that was in no way a result of decomposition's natural process.
It was a sensible guess, but his search through them provided nothing of value. He even picked up a few bottles to examine them more closely for peculiarities—after wisely putting on a pair of rubber gloves he found nearby—but none of them should have caused that level of decay in the victims.
It was so strange… What could the director possibly have used, then?
He determined that most likely, the culprit was already taken away from the lab. Marcus had been spending so much time in his office, it was unlikely that he would have left something so significant out in the open. Most plausibly, it was being kept close within Marcus' grasp.
It was a disappointing outcome, for sure. But he didn't want to let it get him down too much, seeing as he hadn't really expected to find the source of the victims' disfigurement anyway. More than anything, he needed to find the physical, paper proof of Marcus himself revealing his own involvement in their murders. Surely those papers would also detail whatever he used in the experiments, too, so to find them was all he really needed.
He began to walk through the lab, searching for the next point of interest. He arrived at the opposite end of the room, taking note of the large sterilization chamber in the corner. He stared at the glass for a minute; his expression of curiosity swiftly changing into one of dismay.
Although it was foggy, it was clear that the window held the faded image of a large handprint. Whoever was inside must have been desperate to get out, as closer inspection revealed even more of these prints; many of them stretching downwards as if the victim's hands had been trailing along the glass. Strangely enough, there were also markings that appeared to be a sort of stained liquid running down the window as well, along with small scratches to accompany them.
Savage could only shake his head with a solemn frown at the sight. He couldn't know exactly what had transpired in that room, but it no doubt was unpleasant. But perhaps even more unpleasant was the fact that he couldn't bring himself to be disgusted—or even just surprised—by the sight.
Despite having been in the room for such a short period of time, he was already becoming desensitized to the horrors held within. Even looking towards the bodies within the specimen cases was starting to lose its impact on him. Somehow, they were starting to come across as a typical view; a mere adornment within the room's cold and desolate interior.
He did want to be brave enough to do what needed to be done, but he certainly didn't want to become outright numb to everything as a result. To exchange your emotions for resolve, all to accomplish the task no matter the cost… It was a logical deal, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it was wrong nonetheless.
…Had that exchange been what Marcus was once faced with? Had there been a time where he possessed human sentiments yet cast them away, all so that he could make something out of his research? Such a rational approach was not at all unlike him, if Savage could still speak on the man's nature. So, if Director Marcus ever had a heart, surely his determination to make a breakthrough had long since turned it to stone…
Finishing his reflection, he let out a small breath before deciding it was time to move on. Thankfully, his next objective hadn't been hard to find. The moment he turned his head, he now noticed the file cabinet that was tucked snugly into the alcove in the wall, just between the sterilization chamber and the specimen cases.
A slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but he silently warned himself not to get his hopes up too much yet.
This caution was quickly proven to be justified, as his attempts to pry open the upper two drawers were met with failure. This immediately dashed his hopes of finding any sort of evidence within the room. Those drawers must have been filled to the brim with Marcus' research papers, but despite being right in front of him, there was nothing he could do to obtain them…
Without having any expectations, he gave the last drawer a try anyway. With his despondence written on his face, he weakly pulled at the handle…
…It opened.
His face instantly lit up, so amazed by this outcome that he hadn't paid any mind to the unusually loud and creaky noise that was emitted upon its opening. He instead wasted no time in yanking it open to its fullest extent, now having a full view of the many files contained within.
To add to his victory, the files were actually neatly organized! He was a bit concerned after having dealt with that table from earlier, but it seemed like Marcus did have some sense of organizational abilities, at least when he wanted to.
The files were grouped by month, so he decided the logical bet was to start with October—the month when the disappearances first began.
Lightly probing through the papers, he found that many of them were discussing various sorts of experiments. There were tests based on rats, frogs, monkeys, and even bugs, apparently. And while he only stole quick glances at them, not wanting to waste any more time than was necessary—he did notice the one thing that they all had in common was the name "Progenitor virus."
Marcus was a virologist, so it wasn't at all surprising to see that he was working with a virus. There might have been some interesting data in those experiments, but as long as they weren't relevant to the actual human test subjects, he didn't think it was useful to worry about them. Not only was time an issue, but he needed to make sure that his rummaging didn't cause any noticeable discrepancies within the files. The less he messed with, the better.
He moved towards the last few files within October, gradually lifting the pages to see if he could make out anything important written within. He skimmed through them for a moment, but suddenly stopped when he noticed a name—Kyle Mathews.
"I remember him!" He exclaimed with the abrupt realization. Mathews had been one of the employees from the facility; one of the few that were originally supposed to be lab assistants, but were sent to work at the main building due to the director's desire to work alone. And…he was the first one to go missing, wasn't he?
With an even more fervent spirit, Savage snatched the papers from the drawer and prepared to stand, finally putting an end to this investigation once and for all—only to stop in his tracks upon hearing a faint metallic click.
"…I cannot say that I'm surprised in the least, and yet…" An icy chill wafted through the air as the calm voice rang out, followed only by the sound of keys clanging around before being thrust into his pocket. "I must admit, I am disappointed."
Savage was frozen in place as the harsh reality now dawned on him. The piercing creak he had heard when he opened the drawer was never even from the cabinet…it was from the door opening. And now…that door was locked.
His eyes were as wide as disks as he clumsily hurried to his feet, stumbling several times along the way. He rose his arms in submission, only to then glance at the papers he was still clutching. He immediately tossed them away as if they were infected, then returned his fearful gaze to the man across from him.
"A-ah… Dir…Director Marcus…!" He blurted the words out awkwardly, beginning to break out in a cold sweat while struggling to find his next words. "I…uh, you know, this isn't…"
"It isn't what it looks like, is that it?" With a click of his tongue, he gave an exasperated sigh. "Come now, Savage. You and I are both intelligent enough to know exactly what this is…"
The director's expression held no true malice, nor did it have any trace of astonishment in discovering Savage's actions. He frankly looked…exhausted, as if Savage was just another nuisance to deal with.
But…how exactly would he be dealt with? That was the question that was continually echoing in his mind, but it wasn't one that he was eager to know the answer to.
As he desperately struggled to find the right words to say—anything that held even the slightest chance of saving him from the grim fate he knew had awaited him, his fretful eyes kept traveling back to Marcus—or more specifically, the metal container he held within his arms. It was large and silver, but had no outer labels or further indications as to what its purpose had been. Clearly, Marcus was bringing something back up to the lab, but what was it? And, if it was any ordinary sort of item…why was he wearing gloves?
Those thoughts flashed through his mind in the blink of an eye, quickly halting once he reminded himself of the present situation. He began to twiddle his thumbs as he sent nervous glances across the room, too frightened to even look the man opposite from him in the eyes.
"Di-Director Marcus," he began softly, speaking calmly in hopes of dissuading the man from taking any drastic actions. "I know, you, uh…are not happy to see me here. But I'm not here for the reason you might think, honest!" He ultimately forced himself to make eye-contact for the purpose of coming across as more sincere, but whether or not such an approach would work on Marcus was uncertain…
At this, the director simply knelt down, setting the metal container onto the floor beside him. From the distance, Savage was still unable to get an idea of what was inside, but he could tell that the contents must have been relatively heavy, as Marcus appeared more relieved now that he was no longer holding it.
Oddly enough, though, Savage could have sworn he heard some strange sort of sound coming from within. He was beginning to fear that it wasn't just books that were hidden in there after all…
Finally, Marcus let out a low exhalation and crossed his arms, looking towards Savage with utter disinterest. "…I'll humor you for a moment, then. For what purpose could you have had in my lab? I do hope you put some effort into whatever excuse you come up with." There was a noticeable irritability to his voice, but he was willing to wait for Savage's explanation, although he was certain nothing but trivial lies would emerge from it.
Noting that after a few seconds, Marcus began to tap his foot in impatience, Savage rushed to speak once more. "O-oh, well, honestly…" He trailed off for but a moment, thinking back to what had initiated this endeavor in the first place. "I… I did notice that you've been acting strangely recently. I thought nothing of it, for a while, but…"
His expression became resolute as he solidified both his determination and explanation. "I'm sure you're aware of the things the staff always say about you, right? Well, the rumors have gotten so much worse these days, so…I just wanted to check the lab and find that absolutely nothing weird was going on—in hopes of finally putting an end to those awful rumors."
There was a notable sincerity to his words, which did make sense, as they weren't exactly untrue. He genuinely did want to stop those allegations and clear the director's name. Although, he couldn't deny that eventually a small part of him did begin to wonder if they really were onto something with those theories. However, there wasn't much good to be gained from mentioning that to Marcus, now…
"But then you infiltrated my lab and learned that the rumors were true all along." Marcus added sharply, scoffing once before continuing, "Well, all along isn't quite right; they've been making up that nonsense ever since the facility was established." He muttered in dismay, appearing to be rather disgusted by that fact. "I'll have you know, I had never ended the life of another human until last October, when I first began this phase of my research. Those morons have been fooling themselves into believing otherwise for years."
Strangely enough, Savage felt a wave of relief upon hearing those words. After everything he witnessed today, he was beginning to fear he had Marcus wrong from the beginning; afraid that he had always been a murderer. It couldn't change the fact that he was one now, but he was glad to know that the man he once admired wasn't always nothing more than a mask meant to hide the cruelty that laid beneath.
Although, the thought did cross his mind that Marcus could be lying, but he didn't think so. There was no reason for him to make falsities now; he had the complete upper hand and could kill Savage at any moment that he chose. Why would he go out of his way just to make himself appear more respectable to a man that very well might be dead within moments?
Even beyond that, the glimpses Savage got of the research papers did seem to corroborate the story as well. Up until October—when the name Kyle Mathews first appeared—the experiments were only said to be on animals. By all regards, it did make sense to believe him in this case.
"I thought so." Savage finally muttered weakly. His expression held regret, yet he was mindful enough to remain on his guard. Even if he could trust Marcus' words, there was no way that he was out of the woods just yet. If there was any chance of saving himself, then he would need to muster up whatever words he could to do it. But before that, he had one question that, while he was confident that he already knew the answer, he couldn't help asking.
"But, Director Marcus… I just don't get it. Why… Why did you do it? How could you do it? You couldn't have just woken up one day and decided that you were going to kill these people, right?" He looked towards the man through emerald eyes filled with sorrow, shaking his head softly as he struggled to come to grips with the answers he already knew within. "I just… What reason could you possibly have to justify murder?"
"Is it not obvious?" Marcus replied quietly, directing his sight to nowhere in particular to avoid the man's piercing gaze. "Everything that I've ever done was for the sake of my research. My work is the sole reason that I live and breathe. Without it, I have nothing." His icy blue eyes returned to Savage, revealing only a faint trace of remorse. "…You should not have come here, Savage. It was a mistake; a grave mistake."
He looked downwards as he shook his head and began to lightly pace around, muttering to himself all the while. "My work with the T-virus was complete, I no longer needed any human subjects. No one else needed to die, but now…" His voice was low and troubled as he contemplated the situation, seeing only one true solution in his mind.
Savage grew anxious as he watched the man's deliberation, already well-aware of what the verdict was shaping up to be. He gulped nervously as he began to sweat, quickly beginning to feel the effects of his escalating blood pressure. Placing a hand on his chest to grant himself some sense of reassurance, he spoke and interrupted the man's reflection.
"You… You don't need to kill me. Please, Director Marcus, you really don't… You could just let me leave, you know?" His frown grew even more uneasy at how swiftly the man turned his head towards him, but he continued speaking in hopes of being even more convincing. "And if…if I may be so bold, I think that's what you would rather do. I don't think you want to kill me, so for the sake of your own conscience…maybe you shouldn't…?"
"Do not act as though I ever wanted to kill anyone." He asserted with a sharp edge to his voice, his expression growing harsh. "As I've said, my research comes before anything else. I will continue it…no matter the cost." For a brief moment, his expression almost appeared to soften, but he quickly corrected it and returned to his stern demeanor.
"…What do you suppose would happen if I let you go? Would you just walk out of here, back to your lab as if nothing ever happened? Would you pretend that you never laid eyes upon this room—would you erase the very image from your mind altogether?" Hesitation was written on the blonde's face, resulting in him looking downwards in an attempt to hide it. Marcus took note of this, nodding as he gave a light scoff.
"I expected as much," he began, giving an indifferent shrug before continuing. "You fully intend to report me. That's the only reason you were looking through my files to begin with, you wanted evidence. But it's not as if I blame you, that is the right thing to do… Unfortunately, however…I'm far past the point of doing the right thing."
Shaking his head with disappointment, a weak frown emerged within his aged features. "After everything I've done to protect the secrecy of my work. After everything I've done to cling onto the very few things I have left in this miserable existence…" He looked towards Savage and nodded with the grim understanding of what he needed to do. "You do have my sincerest apologies, Savage. I truly hadn't hoped for this outcome, and yet…"
"…I'm afraid there is simply no chance of you leaving this room alive."
The moment the words were uttered, Savage felt an intense sickness in his stomach. That same, horrible nausea from earlier emerged, coupled with his vision becoming increasingly hazy. The blurred surroundings began to spin so quickly that he needed to squeeze his eyes shut to prevent himself from growing even worse. He raised his unsteady hand to his head, though it did nothing to ease the piercing aching from within.
"…You always were so kind to me." Marcus began as he took a step back, turning while completely clueless as to the sudden agony his employee had been going through.
"Regardless of how it may have seemed, your consideration had never gone unnoticed. I always appreciated everything you did to keep the lab in good shape, as well as everything you did to make my life easier… It's merely a shame your compassion had gone to waste on someone like me." As he tilted his head to look towards the man behind him, he continued, "I suppose you certainly would agree with that sentiment now, hm?"
The words sounded so…distant, and muffled. He could barely make any of them out, instead only hearing what sounded like a piercing alarm ringing out solely within his head. He muttered several groans as he began to tremble, beginning to lose all feeling within his limbs. Within moments, the pain grew too much to bear—he fell to the ground, his face slamming into the cold steel and snapping the thin frame of his glasses.
The anguish he already felt in combination with the newly-acquired aching was immense. As much as his weakened inner voice cried out, begging himself to stay awake in fear of what would transpire if he didn't—his body yearned for the opposite. It needed so desperately a long moment of respite, and in the conclusion to this battle of desires, the needs of his physical form had won.
His consciousness began to slip, rendering him powerless as he was whisked away into a slumber from which he would never again awaken.
"What…? Savage? Savage!" Marcus called out as he stepped closer, his own expression being overtaken by surprise at the bizarre sight. As he reached the now-unconscious body, his frown grew. "Had he somehow infected himself with the T-virus?" He questioned to himself, placing a hand on his chin as he considered it. "No, no…he couldn't have. The virus is no longer even in here, and there's no way that I allowed the room itself to become contaminated…"
He knelt down, making careful observations of the man's features. His skin was as white as a ghost's, much more so than it ordinarily was, and it was cold to the touch. His lab coat was practically soaked from how much he had been sweating as well, and upon tilting his head forward, a severe purple mark was already beginning to take shape on his cheek from the harsh collision. Naturally, his glasses also plummeted to the floor due to them snapping in the fall.
By his deductions, Savage must have passed out from a sudden and critical drop in blood pressure, clearly a case of vasovagal syncope brought on by the obviously anxiety-inducing situation he was faced with. Still, none of Marcus' previous test subjects had actually fainted even after realizing they would soon die, so it was honestly an interesting development, cold as it might have been to say.
Then again, perhaps it wasn't entirely unexpected. From what Marcus knew of Savage, he always had been on the more squeamish side. He panicked quite easily, as well. This was evident from all the way back to some of Marcus' initial experiments on rodents, long before the T-virus had even been established.
During that period, Marcus had simply asked Savage to deliver a box of mice from the storage room to his lab. It was an easy enough task, he thought, but not quite so for the fretful lab manager. As it turned out, Savage was deathly afraid of rodents, or really just any type of pest that was larger than a fly.
That anxiety resulted in him accidentally dropping the box during the delivery, which allowed it to open wide enough for several mice to scatter and start running amok throughout the hallway. Watching in horror as they scurried about, Savage did appear to be on the verge of fainting. In fact, Marcus was quite certain that the only reason he didn't was because of his sheer willpower to make certain that a mouse couldn't crawl on him while he was unconscious.
Of course, that situation was easily resolved once Marcus got involved. He simply grabbed a piece of the food that Savage brought to him only just prior to this and placed it in the box. There wasn't enough room for the mice to squeeze through any of the doors in the hall, so investigating the site of their former captivity was the only thing they could do.
Once they were all gathered inside, Marcus casually grabbed the box, thanked Savage for the delivery, and went back to his lab, leaving the fearful man dumbfounded.
In spite of the hassle it caused, Marcus was able to look back on the incident fondly now. It was, in truth, an interesting day. The work at the lab always tended to be quite repetitive, in particular during that time period since he had no breakthroughs or real points of interest within his work. So, it was nice to have a slight change of pace…bizarre though that change might have been.
In any case, it showed just how easy it was to freak Savage out. And while he obviously hadn't passed out during that time, perhaps it was because it just wasn't necessary in that moment. But, looking back to the present…fainting just might have been his wisest course of action.
"At least you won't need to be conscious for what comes next… I suppose collapsing does function as a fairly effective self-defense mechanism in times like these."
Rising to his feet and dusting himself off, he crossed his arms and stepped away from the body. "Still, this was an unexpected situation… I honestly am unsure of how I should even approach this."
As much as he always mentally prepared himself for the idea of intruders in his lab, he wasn't all that prepared for what to do if he actually caught them.
Just as he told Savage, he was no longer in need of human test subjects, so what was the best way to deal with this? Infecting him with the virus would be pointless, only resulting in the creation of another zombie that he would need to immediately neutralize, so he didn't want to waste his time with that idea. But if not for the virus, then…he didn't want to just…stab him, or anything like that.
It might have seemed ironic for that to have been where he drew the line, considering all the lives he had already taken. But he couldn't imagine personally killing another human. To do it indirectly with the virus wasn't so bad, especially since he was doing it for the sake of his research.
In this case, however, he would be ending a life for the sole purpose of confidentiality. There wasn't much to gain from it, seeing as it would only help to ensure he wouldn't lose anything. So it was, admittedly, much harder to justify, even in his mind. Nonetheless, justified or not, it needed to be done…
He wasn't getting any closer to reaching a decision from just standing around, and there was always the chance that Savage could return to his senses at any moment. With this in mind, he walked to his file cabinet, bending to grab the papers from the floor once he arrived in front of it. He gathered them into a tidier stack and made sure that they were in proper order as he flipped through them quickly, nodding once he was satisfied.
He wasn't sure about how much exactly Savage had witnessed. It seemed as though he managed to enter the room at the most opportune of moments, so he did put a rather abrupt end to it—although this was excluding the time Marcus spent watching the man eagerly pry through the files as he attempted to locate the most scandalous material.
If he laid eyes on even more than that, he couldn't say, but even those few were too incriminating. Not to mention, the towering specimen cases in the center of the room were already casting more than enough attention to his wrongdoings, anyway. Evidently, Savage had hoped to find even more than those, searching for something he could take that would support his testimony.
It was a clever idea, foiled only by such misfortunate timing. Even more so due to the fact that Marcus was just in the lab yesterday, so Savage must have figured that he wouldn't visit again for a while. Alas, today, of all days, happened to be the one when Marcus decided he would be restarting the use of his lab as his core workspace. It was a terrible coincidence on Savage's part, but an excellent one for Marcus, at the least.
Content with his analysis of the situation, he opened the bottom drawer of the cabinet and placed the notes into their proper section. After a brief moment of idle thought, he seemed to get an idea. He turned his focus to the top drawer, retrieving his keys from his pocket and swiftly unlocking it. He then grabbed a small journal with a dark leather covering, as well as a pen that was tossed in the drawer along with it.
This journal was his primary means of taking notes on the leech experiments, in which he actually kept it in the office with him until just yesterday; having brought it up in preparation for his return to the lab. He wasn't expecting to be making use of it so soon after his arrival, but apparently that was how fate wished it to unfold.
With the journal and pen in hand, he leaned against the wall of the sterilization chamber and began to write.
"An employee has stumbled onto my experiments."
As he finished the sentence, he fixed his gaze on the man that was still lying motionlessly on the floor. He bit his lip for only a moment before his eyes traveled towards the entrance of the room, widening once they glimpsed the box that was still sitting there.
"Ah, of course! How could I forget?"
He brought it in with him when he first arrived, as it was yet another thing of the utmost significance that needed to be transported to the lab. But with everything that transpired, he completely forgot about it. He felt somewhat bad over that fact, but merely because he hated the thought of treating his children so carelessly. But, perhaps he could make it up to them…
"…Can a human be a food source? How will the leeches respond?"
These questions were quickly jotted down on the page as he continued to collect his thoughts. The next minute was then occupied by the light tapping of pen on paper while he continued to glance between Savage and the steel container. This idleness was finally concluded by him closing the journal and tossing it back into the drawer as he prepared himself for his imminent actions.
To discover the answers to all of his questions… That was, after all, what his experiments were all about. To gain an even greater and unsurpassable knowledge, he would do whatever it took…no matter the cost.
He strode towards the entrance of the room, coming to a stop once he was hovering over the container. A quick peek inside revealed seven leeches squirming around, appearing to grow bored as they attempted and failed to climb the walls that surrounded them. But the moment they noticed the man standing above them, each of them immediately grew immobile; now awaiting whatever command they might be given.
In ordinary circumstances, he would be in awe at the dutiful display and grinning ear to ear, but he just wasn't feeling up to it this time. He only nodded along with giving them a quick greeting before taking a few steps behind their steel habitat, leaning down as he gripped the ledge of the container.
"I certainly hope you haven't spoiled your appetite. It seems…dinner may be coming early, today." He couldn't shake the downhearted tone from his voice, but it didn't matter. In a mere moment, he would no longer need to worry about it…
With that last sentiment, he pushed the container and it fell to its side. He reflexively took a few steps back and pressed himself against the wall. From this distance, he watched as the small figures emerged from the box all at once.
They showed a momentary display of confusion, but it dissipated the moment that they noticed the large and peculiar thing in front of them. They mostly perceived a bunch of white due to the lab coat, but closer inspection revealed a hint of skin beneath the fabric. This was the moment that all of their curiosity had vanished—they knew exactly what needed to be done.
In no more than a few seconds, the entire group lunged at the body and began tearing at it with their razor-sharp teeth. Dark splashes of crimson as well as scraps of fabric flew all around as they dug deeper and deeper; their teeth quickly reaching bone in their search for the most satisfying of sustenance. This destruction took place over the entirety of the body, leaving a pool of blood as well as no chance for the man that was once full of life to ever wake again…
Marcus forced himself to watch for a few moments, taking mental notes of their techniques and the efficiency in which they devoured their meal. But as he observed the body becoming less of a man and more so a pile of torn-apart meat and gore, he could no longer pay any mind to the horrific sight. He simply turned away and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the images that he had only just witnessed.
One thing that had been somewhat unanticipated was that Savage had not awakened during the ordeal. It seemed as though the leeches must have punctured his vital organs very early on, and along with the extreme and rapid blood loss, there was no way that he could have recovered from that damage. Truthfully, Marcus was relieved over this fact. He couldn't imagine the agony one would face when dealing with that kind of torment, never mind waking in its midst and being absolutely powerless to stop it…
After an entire minute, he returned his attention to the maimed corpse. The leeches were already finished with their handiwork, so he tapped the container before him a few times. They slithered into it without delay, leaving a thick trail of blood and slime in their wake. Subsequently, he stood it up straight, causing the ones that were still lingering on the side to fall to the bottom with a plop.
Taking a few tense steps forward to get closer to the body; he stopped short of the blood. The corpse before him could hardly be considered as recognizable, if not for his mostly untarnished face and the blonde locks that were now dripping with scarlet.
His lab coat and the attire beneath it were horribly shredded along both arms as well as around the chest and stomach, along with a few gashes around the lower legs. Several large bloodstains occupied the majority of the previously pristine cloth, and with a few smaller stains planted on spots that the leeches hadn't even touched. Of course, if Marcus chose to roll him over, he would surely find that the backs of his clothes were utterly soaked in the foul fluid.
Underneath the tears in his clothes had been a sight even more grotesque. The skin and flesh had been slashed as if someone took a saw to it, leaving severely deep incisions that might have broken through to the marrow itself, as well as any of the organs that they came across. If that hadn't been enough to make him sick to his stomach, the bits and pieces of flesh strewn about certainly was…
He ripped his gaze away, growing more perturbed with every moment that he wasted gawking at it. The only thing worth knowing at this point was that Savage was dead due to the leeches' being morbidly effective in their line of work. Any further observations would be unproductive and therefore unnecessary.
There were more important matters at hand, anyhow—such as the fact that his lab was obviously in need of a good cleaning now.
"…I suppose Savage won't be tidying up this mess, now will he…" He muttered to himself, in spite of finding no amount of humor from these circumstances.
While it was true that Marcus was always rather fond of Savage—even though he frankly did a terrible job of showing it—it hadn't been the lone cause of his despondency. The most disappointing element of them all just might have been that he truly did believe he was free from these sorts of situations—that he would no longer need to commit such atrocities in the name of his research.
Upon the conclusion of his zombie experiments, he was supposed to be done with all of the bloodshed. He was supposed to be at peace, relaxing as he studied the harmless evolution of his leeches…or at least, he hoped that would be the case. He truly did. But even then, there had been a part of him that knew he was only attempting to fool himself.
He couldn't just kill a few people to obtain the results he desired and call it a day. No, his hands would never be washed clean of the blood that engulfed them. It would simply spread to every part of his existence, until every inch was covered in the depravity of his sins. Everywhere he looked would become a grave reminder of the horrors he had committed. This was obvious, because all who sought to uncover the truth behind his work…they would meet the same fate, time and time again.
He started this path of ruin with the knowledge that he would need to reap the consequences. Thus, he would continue to face whatever carnage laid ahead until his dying breath. The reality was that he knew this, just as he knew that Savage would one day be yet another name on his list of subjects. It was, in truth, a mere matter of time.
The chance of Savage catching onto his work had always been present, only a fool couldn't see it. This went without saying, but being the lab manager was a position that perpetually placed him right by Marcus' side. He had any number of opportunities to dig deeper and start investigating what had really been going on in that lab, so the only shocking part of this was that it had taken him so long.
Realizing this, Marcus did feel that there might have been some validity to the man's words. Perhaps he genuinely did believe in his innocence and only wished to put a stop to those rumors, just as he said. Or at least, a small part of him might have felt that way. Standing in his shoes, Marcus couldn't imagine that he honestly had no inkling as to what the truth might have been. He was an intelligent man, there was no doubt in Marcus' mind that he was more aware than he let on.
He wouldn't fault him for playing dumb, however, as it surely was done in an attempt to save his own life. Humans have always prioritized survival above all else, so it was the natural reaction. It was merely unfortunate that playing the naïve game was not enough to save him. The only bliss he could have achieved was if he held total ignorance—absolutely unaware and never willing to think any deeper on it.
Although, even if it did promise safety, such an uninquiring mind was certain to hold a negative reputation in Marcus' book. This was a bizarre sentiment, considering that trait would have been beneficial to his work's secrecy. But honestly, he'd rather deal with a probing rat than a careless moron. At least he could admire the former's tenacity, if nothing else.
Still, regardless of how sincere Savage might or might not have been, he always had been a threat. There were even several times during his zombie experiments where Marcus had been wondering who should be his next subject, only for Savage's name to cross his mind.
Early on, he was aware that the man's death would have made the security aspects much more airtight. How easy it would have been to drag the bodies to their destinations without detection, and to never have to worry about if he had been in the building at the time. It would have been a massive weight off of his shoulders, really.
Luring him into becoming a test subject would have been child's play. He always expressed an interest in what Marcus had been working on, and even offered on a great many occasions that he'd be happy to lend his assistance if the need ever arose. If Marcus had only accepted…the deed would have been done.
But…he hesitated.
It must have been a result of him having seen the man so often. He was the perfect embodiment of an overly friendly neighbor that was always sending their greetings and striking up a conversation—even when you were in no mood for it. Yet no matter how much you might have wished to resist their amiability, you just couldn't bring yourself to tell them to go away.
Only that scenario was an understatement, seeing as the one Marcus was faced with was whether or not he was going to kill a man in spite of him being a bundle of good cheer. Not to mention the many inconveniences he undertook in order to make Marcus' life more convenient. To take the life of someone like that…it was not an easy decision.
To further justify his reluctance, Marcus devised a theory that actually made Savage's presence beneficial to his work.
He began to feel that if the lab manager, of all people, ended up disappearing, that could elevate the facility staff's mistrust in him to far greater heights. In such an event, they might have been provoked into relinquishing their indolence and finally set out to discover the truth for themselves. Or, even more likely, they might have just reported him and had an investigation team come out to learn the truth. Either scenario was detrimental to his work, so avoiding this outcome was a necessity.
So, having the laboratory manager alive and well in the lab where Marcus conducted his research should have been enough to give him some credibility. After all, how could such atrocious experiments be happening in a place where the lead employee was only a few doors away? Savage's very existence was proof that Marcus couldn't possibly be doing anything in the wrong.
Even better, he was aware of the fact that Savage often defended his integrity when speaking with the other employees. It was unlikely to have held much weight in their minds, but perhaps it had at least been the chief source of the soft spot Marcus had for him. Just knowing that the man genuinely did have faith in him when hardly anyone else did was enough to give him quite a bit of extra credit.
Recognizing that, it was difficult to write off his explanation for prying as a mere lie uttered for the sole purpose of prolonging his life. Unlike the rest of the men who had died for his experiments, Savage never once viewed him as a cold, unfeeling psychopath. Even in his final moments, he expressed disbelief, more so stunned that someone like Marcus could even commit such an act, rather than simply brooding over the fate that was soon to befall him…
Davids was similar; he had confidence in Marcus' innocence until the moment he was met with his imminent demise. Even then, he didn't spew words of hatred, nor did he accuse Marcus of being a monster, a psychopath, or even just a murderer. He just…accepted his fate. He accepted what Marcus had become, and somehow made peace with it.
How… How could they act like that? Why had they been so calm, so docile? Why…why did they not hate him…?
He was detestable. He ruined their lives as well as those associated with them, and so many others… Even knowing that, they could hardly utter a single word of contempt. It made no sense, it defied everything he had ever known about human emotions. Why had they placed faith in him in the first place? Why had they trusted him?
…How much easier it would have been had they resented him.
He never wished to be hated for reasons based on petty lies, just as the facility staff and students always had felt about him. But to be despised for the things he truly had done, that was only fair; he took no issue with it. It was for that purpose that it made sense for both Davids and Savage, of all people, to declare their abhorrence aloud. Unlike the others, they did trust him…only for him to tear their faith to shreds. They had every right to scream obscenities at him until they breathed their last. And yet…they didn't.
Ultimately, no matter how many experiments he performed, he was still clueless as to how the human mind worked. It was so much easier once they became zombies; at least he knew that their only desire was for sustenance, in that case. But a brain that was functional was not one that could be easily understood. He was now painfully aware of that…
The act of betrayal was not one that he took lightly. He never wished to be deceived, so he always kept everyone at a distance. But in the end, that detachment was exactly what caused him tobecome the one who deceived others for his own gain… It was an unfortunate case of bitter irony. To become what you hate was a maxim that began to bear a troubling level of resemblance to himself, it seemed.
But…it didn't matter. None of it mattered…not anymore.
He had no reason to dwell on the past for even a moment longer. Davids, Savage, as well as the other fourteen former test subjects were all gone now. The remaining employees and students were irrelevant; he could live the remainder of his life without speaking to them once and he'd be content. The only thing left for him to worry about was his own work, and that was exactly what he would do.
To avoid the gravity of his actions, he would do what he always had done—throwing himself headfirst into his research. But no matter how immersed he became within this work, there was never any true closure to that small, nagging voice in the back of his mind. It was only suppressed; forever concealed deeply within the depths. However, during times like these where he was once again forced to leave the solitude of his research and face the grim reality of his choices; it would resurface, reminding him all over again of the past he wished to forget.
And again, he would stifle it. It was a never-ending cycle of guilt and repression, but if it was the only way he could continue to cling onto his waning freedoms in regard to his research, then at this point…he would have it no other way.
"I suppose…" He interrupted his grim monologue, weary eyes traversing the desolate room as he let out a soft sigh. "…It's time to get to work."