The Memory Painter

Michael brushed her hair away from her face and said, “Forgive me.”

She turned away from him, unwilling to help. She heard him climb onto the table and administer the injection himself.

Michael instructed Finn to hook him up to the EEG. He lay back on the table, and his body immediately went slack.

Finn did as Michael requested and then glared at Conrad through the glass window. “You got what you wanted. Now unlock the door. Let Diana monitor him from the control room.”

Conrad looked undecided, but he left the control room. Moments later, Diana and Finn heard the lab door unlock.

Finn turned to Diana. “Go. I’ll join you in a minute.”

Diana nodded. She did want to monitor Michael from the control room. When she stepped out into the hallway and saw Conrad, she felt sick. Without a word, she hurried away from him, but at the sound of the lab door being locked again she whirled around.

Conrad pocketed the keys.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“Making sure there are no interruptions.” He saluted her and headed to the elevator.

Fear rose up inside her. “Conrad, open the door or I’m calling the police.”

Conrad got into the elevator and gave her a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Diana. This needs to happen.”

*

Diana sprinted to the control room. Through the glass, she saw Finn bent over, checking equipment at the back wall. Michael was lying on the table, but he wasn’t moving. She checked the monitors. His pulse rate had skyrocketed and the EEG was going ballistic.

Diana turned on the microphone. “Something’s seriously wrong. We need to get him to the hospital.”

Michael remained deathly still, his eyes closed.

Finn was still busy with the equipment. He looked tense.

“Finn? What’s going on?”

Finn didn’t look up. His fingers were fumbling with something. It was the first time Diana had ever seen him in a complete state of panic.

“Finn, talk to me.”

“I need a minute here. Find the keys and unlock the door. I’m pretty sure we have a gas leak.”