The tiny resting room was a shadow,only a single red emergency lamp hanging above the narrow metal door illuminated it. Jin was sitting on the other bed with his knees pulled to his chest, and Han, kyum was sitting opposite him on one of two cold chairs fixed to the ground.
The hour passed and the labor had made their bodies weak, but their brains were very much alert.
Han, kyum rubbed his forehead. "The mutation rate kept me awake all night. It's even higher than we figured."
Jin slowly agreed with his head. "You said the window is small… but how small?"
Han, kyum relaxed, and his fingers were drumming on his arm. "If the virus keeps mutating like this… none of our formulas will be valid in a couple of weeks. Sometimes in days. The cure we are making is like racing against an invisible timer."
Jin was nervous and he gulped. "So its not just extremely dangerous… its even evolving by itself?"
"Exactly." Han, kyum's tone was calm but weighted with sorrow. "Viruses in general mutate to survive, but this one, it's going fastest among the different strands. Respiratory, neurological, cardiovascular. It is continuously rewriting itself."
Jin became very curious. "Is it even natural…?"
Han, kyum only said afte ralong pause, "No. Not naturally."
The cold silence that followed was quite deafening.
Jin pulled his knees even closer to his chest. "So… Yunseok and Elijah knew? From the very beginning?"
Han, kyum stared at the floor and sighed. "I think that is the case. The way they keep track of every ratio, every reaction, as if they were expecting a disaster if they do not follow it. They are not only finding a cure. They are preventing something they understand more than us."
Jin's voice was barely a whisper and his throat was sore. "Then the people out there… they must be dying."
Han, kyum looking at his empty palms, opening and closing them slowly, said, "I can't stop thinking… about what is going on there. How many people are infected? How many are dying? My lab, Ms. Jana, Jae, heon… I don't even know if they're safe."
Jin humbled his eyes. "I wish I could call my sister. Only once. I don't even know if she's alive…"
Han, kyum's chest felt pressure. He was almost suffocated by the feeling of helplessness.
He extended his hand, uncertain, hesitant, and gently tapped Jin's arm.
"We are doing something, " he uttered. "It is not a great thing. But it is more than what millions of people are capable of at this moment. We cannot call anyone… but we can at least keep trying."
Jin's voice was unsteady and shaky. "Have you ever thought of escape?"
Han, kyum confronted his question with his eyes. "I do. Every day. Every second."
Jin let the air escape through his mouth. "I thought the same. But even if we got away… the virus is all over the place. We will be walking into a world that is falling apart."
Han, kyum agreed by nodding his head. "That is the reason why finishing the cure is the only way that makes sense. It is our way out of here, and everyone else's too."
Jin's head was against the wall as he leaned it back. "I'm… afraid. But the fact that I'm with you… makes it less so."
Han, kyum didn't respond but his look was very tender. "Rest. We'll be at it again tomorrow."
Thelights made their usual noise. The metal door was closed.
And slowly, they both succumbed to exhaustion.
____
THE NEXT MORNING
A loud knocking brought Jin out of his sleep.
Han, kyum was immediately on the alert and he opened his eyes right away, his years in the lab have made him a very light sleeper. He came out of bed quickly, signaling Jin not to follow him as he opened the door with a creak.
An employee from the lab, young, shaky, still wearing half, buttoned scrubs, came in.
"Han, kyum… Jin… you have to see this." His voice was unsteady and very close to being broken.
Han, kyumwastensed. "What is it? Is there a fire on the upper floors?"
The employee answered by shaking his head vigorously. "It's the virus. N-news. Th- there is. It's… It is everywhere."
They were about to find an answer for more questions, but instead of that, he put a newspaper, folded and creased due totheway he was holding it, into Han, kyum's hands abruptly.
Han, kyum opened it slowly and carefully.
Jin was leaning forward, his stomach tied up in knots due to fear.
When Han, kyum looked at the newspaper, he couldn't move.
He was stunned, his breathing caught.
The head line was written in very large, bold letters all over the page:
DEATHS GLOBALLY FROM THE VIRUS EXCEED 3 MILLION, GOVERNMENTS FOOLING UNDER THE OUTBREAK
Jin was very surprised and whispered, "Three… million…?"
The employee was nodding fast and was very hot and sweaty. "Last night,thevirus mutated again. It is transmitted much faster. Entire districts are closed down. Hospitals are overflowing. In some cities, there is no electricity. They said… they said that it is only goingtoget worse."
Han, kyum's fingers were quivering, just a little but enough for Jin to see it.
Below the headline, there was an article that contained these dreadful lines:
'Acute respiratory failure within a few hours.'
'Neurological breakdown spreading.'
'Unknown mutation causing organ collapse.'
'Emergency response failing.'
Han, kyum was almost inaudible when he spoke.
"Jae, heon… Ms. Jana… everyone out there…"
Jin could feel his knees about to give way. "If the mutation is this fast… the prototype we made just yesterday might already be obsolete."
Han, kyum's fear turned into determination. He quickly closed the newspaper.
"So we do not waste any time, " he said decisively.
The employee wasnot very comfortable to speak, but he did. "Y-you two are theonly ones left who can finish the antiviral. Elijah told me to bring you here directly."
Han, kyum looking at Jin with his eyes saying the words, his face illuminated by the urgency, "No more delays. No more breaks. We start now."
Jin, holding his notebook tightly, agreed with him. "Yes. If ever there is a time when we must be flawless, that is today."
They exited the room, and their footsteps were resonating in the metal corridor.
The world above them was disintegrating.
Millions were dead.
The virus was evolving faster than science.
And deeply underground, inalab buried beneath fear and silence,
Han, kyum and Jin were moving closer to their lab benches, to their chemicals, to the one thing that might still save the world.
_____
The employee exited the room silently and somewhat nervously. Han, kyum and Jin didn't hesitate to act. They were at the entrance in no time,quickly putting on their lab coats which they had left hanging on the hooks near the door. They tightened them up with their hands and the fabric made a slight sound a sit rubbed against each other.
"We need to be there now, " Han, kyum said in a low voice.Jin gave a quick assent with his head, and they raced through the white, washed passages to the basement lab. The sound of their steps resounded through the corridors,asthough the walls themselves were urging them on.
They were at a heavy door at last. Han, kyum brought out his access card and ran it over the sensor. The metal they sought was revealed as the door swung open with a soft sound. They were welcomed by the sterile, cool air of the lab which smelled of metal and chemicals. Under the bright white light, the lab looked spotless and new. The vials were neatly arranged in rows, waiting for the next experiment.
Jin peeked at the instruments setting his gloves straight and said, "We are… we have to be started immediately."
Han, kyum's eyes were darting throughout the room like probing needles. "Sure. We cannot be lacking in time. Let us use every second of it, "
Sound of a door closing softly behind them could be heard; the room was sealed off,a place full of tension and silence, where Han, kyum and Jin would have to be extremely careful with their moves and reactions.
______
Jae, heon, on the other hand, could not afford to stop his search and he was moving through the vacant streets with a rather quiet but most determined manner. A few moments later, his phone vibrated in his pocket while the screen was lighting up. He took the phone out of his pocket and was not very happy with the flashing message:
"WARNING: THE VIRUS HAS REACHED LEVEL 4. COME TO SAFETY IMMEDIATELY."
The warning was so loud and urgent that it almost shouted at him to stop what he was doing and go to a safe place straight away.
However, Jae, heon was not daunted by it in any way. Completely disregarding the warning, he continued to look for Han, kyum.
People with masks on their faces were rushing into houses and shops, panic being visible in their eyes, but he was almost not seeing them. Every moment was of utmost importance to him and he couldn't afford to stop for even a second.
Jae, heon was indeed a man of action. Despite the phone in his hand showing numerous alarming messages, he went back to the lab directly. A voice from the loud speaker system, which was crackling, informed the people in the corridors:
"EMERGENCY ALERT! THE VIRUS HAS ESCALATED TO LEVEL 4! COME TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY!"
However, Jae, heon did not pay attention to it. Running into the lab, he gestured with his hand, chemists around him. "Hear me out! You can't just stand there by and delay the work! I don't care what you were incapable of doing, you start working on the cure, right away! Time is ticking!"
The fear was visible on some faces, butthedetermination in Jae, heon's eyes forced them to act. They swiftly went to work, putting on their gloves, preparing their pipettes and beakers. Jae, heon hurriedly went to Han, kyum's desk and searched for clues
He found a pictures of Elijah and Yunseok, the two scientists who were primary suspects, were looking at him.
Their serene and untroubled faces were quite scary, but it was the surroundings, what they had done, what they stood for, that made a more powerful impact, he stared at the picture and thinked "a chemistrian?.. and suspects?.. that's weird of them" and again he snapped back from reality he stands up and looked at the whole lab
At the same time, Gael, from her office, shouting over the noise of the lab, said to herself while talking on the phone, "Level 4? What? It was just Level 2 a few days ago!"
Jae, heon didn't say a word back. He was busy at that moment, his mind working tirelessly, and he was putting together the clues, the suspects, and the virus that was getting worse. "Level 4, " he uttered softly to himself. "It's not just spreading… it's a total mess."
Turning toward the chemists, his voice was stern yet he was able to keep himself calm. "We can't go on with this as a mere scientific experiment or follow the steps in the manual. It's a matter of life and death now. Make sure the formulas are correct. Be very thorough with every step. We're going to make this cure, no matter what. Start immediately!"
The lab was filled with the noise of hurried movements. The measuring of chemicals was done quickly, notes were being taken at a rapid pace, and calibration of instruments was being done with great urgency, an urgency that none of them had ever experienced before.
Every moment was heavy with the possibility of an outcome that would cost lives; and every mistake could be fatal.
Jae, heon's eyes were rapidly moving between the monitors, the notes, and the chemists who were in a state of frenzy and he was well aware that even though Han, kyum was not there, his guidance had left them with sufficient knowledge to take action. He tightened his fists. "This is possible. This is our duty. We can't go back now."
Ms. Gael was sitting in the office and observing everything silently, her heart was beating very fast. Level 4, it was beyond what she had ever imagined. And still,thesight of Jae, heon taking command, the chemists getting to work, gave her a little bit of hope amidst the anxiety.
The lab that used to be a place of order and control had now become the scene of a battle against time and a disease. Every stirring, every measuring, every move that was carefully thought out was actually a move towards survival. And in the middle of this, Jae, heon, with knowledge from Han, kyum's phone and his own determination, was pushing forward not letting the virus have another second, another life.
_______
Thefluorescentlamps overhead emitted a buzzing noise that was reflected sharply over the shiny counters and the rows of vials.
The metal smell of chemicals was still presenting the air, and every little clink or drip sounded as if it was very loudin the quiet underground lab. Han, kyum looked at the notes lying in front of him, knitted his brows, and his hand was near a vial but he didn't touch it.
"I just... I don't understand, " he muttered, talking to himself more than to Jin. "Everything we've done so far matches perfectly. Temperatures are stable, pH is within range,thesequence is the same as the previous compounds... but something doesn't feel right."
Jin moved his head nearer, and he was trying not to break the silence by the noise of the tools which were tightly held. "Yes, I also thought the same and I have checked everything twice. Even the timing of the stir and the quantity of each reagent are checked by us. But this last compound, whatever it is, it's like we're missing a crucial detail. Something subtle."
Han, kyum rubbed his temple and his voice was faint and stressed. "It is very irritating because we have only done flawless reactions so far. And at this point... just this one. It could be the cause of the cancellation of our entire work. If we make a mistake… not only will the experiment fail, but we could also lose control of the whole process."
Jin looked down atthesolution he was holding and he swallowed hard. "I understand that…the pressure is already too much and the virus is now evolving even faster than we thought. Therefore, every second is very important. Nevertheless, Han, kyum… what if the problem is not the measurement? What if it is the order? What if the sequence isalittle different from what we anticipated?"
Han, kyum's eyes shifted to Jin and he looked straight into Jin's eyes. "Are you saying thatthestep what we thought might be actually later or earlier?"
Jin was slowly nodding. "Right. I have encountered slight sequence changes in different antiviral reactions. Sometimes a small change intheorder can make a compound that was unstable become stable. But if we are wrong..." He stopped, letting the burden of the possibility linger in the air.
Han, kyum sighed, leaning against the counter. "I cannot take a risk with guessing here, Jin. Not at this place. Not at this time. Every fraction of a second,everymilligram… has to be perfect. If the ratios are even slightly off,thereaction will destabilize. And that is something I would not want to risk."
After a few minutes of tense silence, they resumed their work with deliberate movements. Their every action, pouring, stirring, note, taking, was a silent recognition of the high stakes involved. Han, kyum was sweating from his forehead and Jin's hand was slightly trembling when he was inserting the thermometer.
Then, the door slowly opened and Elijah entered. He almost casually leaned against the counter, his smirk was sharp and unsettling in the bright light.
"Hmmm…" His voice was calm, teasing, almost predatory. "It seems that you have no idea what the next chemical is?"
Han, kyum was shocked, and he looked at him movingly, "We are working on it. There is no place for mistakes here."
Elijah's glance moved from the vials to Han, kyum and then to the vials again. "I understand. But hesitation and doubt are the very reasons that failure is brought about. Do you think that you will not fall now just because you have come this far?"
Jin tightened the grip on his stirring rod as an reflex. "We are pushing to our limits, " he whispered. "A mis step and… we might see a total collapse."
"You are already aware of the stakes, " Elijah cut in, his smile changing into a colderandsharper expression. "Without clarity, precision is nothing. When you don't know what comes next, stop, think, but don't get stuck. And don't waste time by worrying about mistakes before they happen. Neither time nor the virus is on your side."
Han, kyum tightened his jaw. "We understand the stakes. We don't need… help from a person who isn't doingthemixing."
Elijah laughed softly as he was moving towards the exit. "Ok. But don't forget, pressure is part of the game. Use it to sharpen your senses, not to break you."
After Elijah's departure, the atmosphere in the lab got heavier, as if the tension caused by his words was still there. Han, kyum took a deep breath,andthen he shook his head to get rid of it. "Don't mind him. Step by step, Jin. We should concentrate on what is in our power. One experiment at a time."
Jin agreed by nodding his head and he also ran his fingers through his hair. "Step by step… but how can we be sure that we select the right compound? Every note and formula that we have only confuse us. I amata loss as to which one is trustworthy."
Han, kyum came closer and spoke in a low voice. "Now, trust is not sufficient. Observation, logic, and pattern recognition... are the things that matter. See how each reaction stabilized through the slight color change of the solution, the small change in the thickness. That is the data, Jin. Not your gut feeling. Not your guesses. Data."
Jin looked puzzled and he took a deep breath to calm himself. "Data… alright. So we compare alltheresults and find the one that corresponds to stability… and that should indicate th enext compound?"
"Yes, " Han, kyum said with a little determination in his eyes. "We cannot let the pressure of the unknown get to us. If we are thorough and take it step by step, everything falls into place."
Jin exhaled slowly and nodded his agreement. "I… I am capable of that. I will put my focus on the details. Each note, each stir,and each measurement."
Han, kyum slightly, almost imperceptibly, nodded his head. "Ok. Then we should return to our work. We only have one shot, Jin. One shot."
____
Hours later Han, kyum and Jin looked at the last vial from part 3, their hands both slightly trembling due to exhaustion and adrenaline. The very dim light from the solution was an indication that the reaction had been successful, stable, accurate, and exactly as expected.
Jin couldn't hold the breath any longer that he had been holding without knowing it and let it go in a gasp. "We… we did it. Part three is done." His tone carried the relief of the situation mixed with the disbelief as if he was still trying to convince himself that it was real.
Han, kyum's eyes became gentle but his body still showed the remaining tension. "Yes… but it's only part three. Just one more step, Jin. Just one more part. And we cannot make any mistakes. Not at this moment."
Jin agreed and swallowed hard. "I understand. But… I can't get rid of the feeling that we deserve a bit of pride. For a moment… we actually did something right."
Han, kyum gave a very slight smile. "That's right. For a moment, we remember why we're here. For a moment, we experience hope. That's what makes us move on to part four."
They both chuckled softly,thesound being reflected strangely from the walls of the sterile underground lab. It was a small, human sound in the middle of their high, stakes work, a brief letting go of the tension.
Jin moved closer, looking at the chemical notes. "Do you… think part four will be more difficult than this one?" His fingers were moving over the stirring rods, uncertain.
Han, kyum was puzzled. "Definitely. Part four has the most unstable component. The margin for error is the smallest that we have ever done. If you make a wrong move, the whole thing falls apart. We have to be very careful, very patient and very accurate. Like surgeons."
While they were getting their tools ready for the next stage, a sudden shadow covered the lab. Elijah entered, with a slight smirk on his face, and his arms crossed.
"Hmmm, " he said with a playful tone, but with a sharp voice, "looks like you guys solved the part 3 chemical " With keen interest, he was observing Han, kyum's reaction and thus, moved his face closer to him.
Han, kyum grabbed avial with a clenched fist and reacted sharply, "We know what is to be done perfectly. We only… have to doitright. There are no shortcuts."
Still, with a little smile, Elijah raised one eyebrow. "Yes, it is only a matter of executing the plan. But are you going to be able to deal with the stress? This is the point where most people fail." He looked at Jin for a moment and then, moving back, his eyes changed direction.
Jin slightly tightened his grip on a stirring rod. "Yes, we will be able. We are required to do so."
Han, kyum, calm but determined, challenged Elijah to a duel of wills by saying, "Yes, we are going to do it. We have come this far, haven't we?" "
Elijah's sarcastic smile slowly turned into a slight nod. "So… keep on working. Don't let yourself down."
With the indication that he was about to go, Elijah, pushing his sleeves up, said, "Not bad at all. You two pulled off that part well."
Without a moment of hesitation, Han, kyum, whose eyes were like daggers, uttered, "Just a minute, if you are a chemist, then why are you not working on the cure for your brother?"
Elijah stopped in the middle of his way and the smirk on his face grew just a little more. Turning his face towards Han, kyum and keeping a teasing tone but measured, he said, "Ah… you are talking about the part only I could do?"
Han, kyum looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"
Elijah's eyes seemed to sparkle a little under the bright lab light. "Let me just say…that some very difficult reactions require a very specific approach. Knowing the compound, being aware of the minute changes… only I have the right for now. That's why this part, the last and the most important,isthe one you should be handling."
Faintly, he gave a shrug while putting his bag on his shoulder. "Think of it as a compliment. Don't throw it away."
Han, kyum kept his lips pressed against each other, not knowing whether to be frustrated or determined. Elijah gave a small nod, turned, and walked toward thedoor. Just before he was leaving, he looked at Han, kyum one more time. "Be careful, a single mistake and you'll regret it."
The door that Elijah had just closed, made the noise of a click, leaving Han, kyum and Jin in the silent lab.
Jin let the air out of his lungs slowly. "He… doesn't seem to be very nice."
Han, kyum disagreed and when he turned his attention back to the vials, he said, "It's not friendliness that counts. It's accuracy. Part Four is the riskiest. Every single measurement is important. One slip and everything that we have done could be undone."
Jin agreed and was holding the stirring rod tightly. "So… one step at a time?"
Han, kyum's face was somewhat smiling with a firm determination. "Exactly. Step by step. That's all we have."
They turned back to the chemicals, the tension thick in the air, ready to tackle the final, most dangerous part of the cure.
After successfully part three, but under great stress Han kyum and Jin put their back straight and relaxed their arms. Although their mind swere still running, and the lab smelled of chemicals. The metallic odor of the substances they had just been working with filled the air along with a faint sigh from the ventilation system.
Jin pulled on his hair, and to relieve some of the pressure he pressed his hand to his forehead. "I just cannot fathom that we were able to do that step. My hands were trembling all the time."
Han, kyum smiled, but with no much cheer. "It is quite natural. The next step is going to be even more complicated. However, at the moment... let us eat. We have not had a meal today,andI do not want to be making mistakes just because of lack of food."
Jin immediately agreed and was very pleased with the short break of work. "We have to do something outside of work... What is there to eat?"
The small portions, which Elijah had prepared and packed neatly, and were smelling good, were pointed out by Han, kyum. "It seems like dinner… by Elijah's kind hand."
After un loading the food from the tray, they took it to the irtiny room, which was waiting for them.Thetwo of them sat on the floor in a lotus position. There was absolute silence except for the slight sound of the unwrapping of food and the ticking of the clock on the wall.
While eating Jin initiated a conversation, which he kept low and calm. "Han, kyum… Are you certain that what we are doing is correct? To be honest, sometimes we get so overwhelmed by all these measurements and steps."
Han, kyum was reflecting the question back. Eating he looked at Jin. "Yeah, I do know what you mean. Nevertheless, we are very careful and exact. There is nothing else than that we can do. One step at a time. That suffices at the moment."
Jin nodded, his shoulders relaxing a fraction. "Yes... just one step at a time."
They had their small meal done in companionable silence, the tension easing just enough to let them breathe. The outer world,with all its worries and responsibilities, could have been put on hold for a moment; here, in this quiet room, next to the work that was all they had, and the not too loud feeling of support which they shared and was that they were not alone, was all that existed.