The lab looked different in the morning. The overhead lights washed everything flat and bright, rays of sunlight came through the cracks of the old window shutters, and the motors of the vessels hummed low behind the team as they gathered around Riley.
“So, what? We’re just gonna leave all of this?” Proshanto Biswas questioned Riley the next morning. Riley exhaled slowly and nodded, shoulders dropping. There was nothing else to say. Proshanto looked at the floor. Around him, the room went quiet. The brilliant students who had started this project with Riley as fresh-faced graduates from college now wore a defeated exhaustion that their master’s degree program alone could not be responsible for.
“There’s not much to leave anyway, Shanto,” said Priti Sen as Proshanto looked at her. “How many live subjects did we even get? The most we ever got was the equivalent of a stillborn.” She didn’t elaborate. She’d been part of the handling team. The slime-like weight of the remains, the copper smell — she didn’t need to say any of it out loud.
“The only thing worth showing was the embryonic level of the research. We could publish a paper on that, right?” She looked at Riley as he sat on his desk in the corner of the lab; he merely nodded in response.
Proshanto gave Priti a pointed look. She glanced at him and softly pleaded, “We really don’t have much in our hands, Shanto. We have to make do with what we have.” Proshanto’s face softened. He nodded, keeping his head low.
“Then that’s all we can do for now, I guess,” Riley said as everyone turned towards him. A few shoulders lifted. Someone toward the back let out a breath. The prospect of publishing at least some of their discoveries cheered them up a bit; the sting of losing their lab was partially softened by the thought of getting their names out there.
“You guys can leave if you want, but we have about a week to wrap everything up, so I suggest we clean up the parts that each of us worked on.” Groans. Murmurs. The room that had been quiet a moment ago broke into overlapping voices — work divisions, complaints, and at least one conversation about souvenirs.
“I can hear you clearly, Austin. No, you can’t take an eye — that’s company property and a biohazard. Please dispose of every mutant in the assigned boxes the company gave us,” Riley said, pointing at the balding young man in the back of the room. The man’s shoulders slumped as he audibly said “damn it!” and his peers snickered.
“Oh yeah, Shanto and Priti? Could you guys stay for a sec? Everyone else can go back to your stations.” With hushed murmurs, the group dispersed. Proshanto and Priti moved closer to Riley, curious about what he would say.
Riley spoke softly to them. “You know I’m not usually the kind to be sentimental around here” — the pair chuckled as Riley gave them a faux stern look — “but I’m glad I got you two on my team for this. I know it’s hard to shut this research down, but trust me. You’ll get to do bigger and better things than this.” Riley stood up from his desk and patted their shoulders. “I believe in your potential. You guys are meant to do great things.” He smiled at them — the kind of smile he didn’t use often — and said nothing for a moment. Neither did they.
Proshanto smiled at his mentor. “Sir, it was an honor to be on your team. And not to be too dramatic, but,” Proshanto snuck a glance at Priti, “this was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Priti stared at the floor. Her face had gone completely red, but she didn’t disagree.
“Okay, lovebirds,” he said with a snort, “if it’s not too much trouble, could you do something for me?”
“Anything, sir,” Priti responded instantly.
“I have another meeting today with the officials about this matter — legal issues. It might last till evening, so could you two shut down the vessels after you’re done fixing up your stations? I know it’s extra work—”
“Only on one condition,” Proshanto cut in, his tone turning serious, “that we get to have dinner with you afterward — then we’ll be happy to help.” Riley and Priti both chuckled at his ‘condition’.
“In all seriousness,” Riley said as he moved back toward his desk to get his bag, “I would love to have dinner with you two. I’ll arrange for something when I get back to the lab today.”
“Sure thing, sir. See you later!” Proshanto said as their mentor walked out the door, waving at them.
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