Before the mutants...
A week to the deadline, no anti-aging gas.
Everyone was freaking out.
Katherine was almost in tears.
I was still hunched over my notes trying to figure out what we were doing wrong.
Kate was sprawled on the table top.
Kay was doing her homework on one of the tables behind us.
"Please let me die..."
She kept groaning
I rolled my eyes.
"Please can you let me think?"
She let out a loud groan and curled herself into a fetal position right there on the table top with test tube racks and bunsen burners.
I placed my forefingers on my temple and rubbed. I was already feeling a headache brewing.
"Kate, you know acting like a child throwing a tantrum is not going to magically make the gas appear"
She uncurled herself and slowly climbed down from the table, more like crawled down. Kate was not one to take corrections, which was one of her biggest flaws.
I watched the expression on her face change from miserable to anger. She flipped are curly white blonde hair over her shoulder and placed her hands on her hips. Her white skin was red with anger.
I braced myself for what I anticipated would come next.
"Are you calling me a child?"
She looked ready to burst
"Kay, please can you excuse us for a moment"
I didn't want her to be part of any of this.
"Okayyyy"
She looked conflicted
As soon as she stepped out and I heard the click of the door, I turned towards Kate, her hands now crossed over her chest.
"Can we calm down, getting antsy will not solve our problems"
She stood looking at me for a long while then she bursted out into a deep humorless laughter.
I was so confused as I stood watching her.
Kate can be crazy at times, but this was so next level.
"You know you're a hypocrite. You have freaking everything. You have a family, you have an amazing career. You've won best scientist how many times in row? I've nothing, absolutely nothing"
I winced and shut my eyes.
"Where is this coming from?"
I placed my fingers on my temple and started rubbing slightly.
She huffed and walked away, shutting the door with a loud bang.
I heard the glass equipments rattle.
I sighed and sat down heavily.
What's her problem?
We've been working together almost a greater part of our lives, we worked on project together.
We've literally had worst times than this. There were time when we had to call to have the deadline extended because we couldn't meet up.
I don't know why this was any different.
Well I guess it's because it's the very first international project we are working on.
But even at that, I believe we should still stay positive, we still have seven days left till the deadline.
A lot can happen in seven days.
"Ma, is everything all right?"
I felt Kay's hand on my shoulder.
I was startled at first because I never heard her come into the room.
"Yes, my princess, everything is fine...everything is fine" I guess my face didn't look convincing because she kept staring at me. I could see worry brewing in her brown orbs.
I forced a smile
"Look, it's nothing to worry about. Everybody is just having a hard time, it happens sometimes, but everything will be fine eventually"
She wrapped her arms around me and I guess that was all the comfort I needed.
"Let's go home okay?"
She nodded, her head still on my shoulder.
After dinner, Kay went straight to bed. I couldn't sleep so I walked straight to my office as soon as the door shut behind me, the dams burst.
I sat on the floor and cried my heart out.
Since I lost my husband three years ago, there was no day that passed by that I didn't think about him. When he was around everything felt easy.
But since we started this project, I haven't thought about him at all and I felt so guilty. The thought made more tears to flow down my face.
I stayed there on the ground wallowing in my guilt until the darkness claimed me.
=====
A loud buzzing sound was coming from somewhere around me. I opened my eyes slowly, the room was still dark.
When my eyes finally adjusted to the darkness I could make out the silhouette
of a large desk by the corner.
Then I suddenly realized that I was still on the hard floor.
The buzzing was still persistent. It was coming from somewhere above my head. I started feeling around in the darkness with my hands.
My hand suddenly came in contact with my iphone which was face down on the floor. It kept buzzing aggressively in my hands.
Kate's face was flashing on the screen.
I rolled my eyes as I slid a finger over the screen to answer.
"We've made a breakthrough!!!" She screamed into the phone. I moved the phone away from my ear to retain my sense of hearing.
I checked the time on the phone and I saw 3:07am in bright white font.
"Kate it's three in the morning"
I grumbled
I heard her sigh
"Did you hear anything I just said?"
I kept quiet
I knew she rolled her eyes
"Anyway just come to the lab very early"
I heard the click as the call got disconnected.
I rolled my eyes and got up from the floor. I needed my bed urgently.
========
As early as nine I was already rushing towards K-Tech. As I was driving in, I saw a van with K-Tech inscription by the side driving out.
I drove inside through the large gate, parked my car and rushed to the lab.
As soon as the door to the lab slid open, I saw Kate surrounded by a group of young scientists, they each had a champaign flute in their hand, and it looked as if Kate was making a toast.
"...we finally did it. Cheers to us and the growth of K-Tech"
She said raising her glass and every one followed suit.
I just stood by the corner observing everything. I was so confused.
Sometimes I wonder if Kate is bipolar, yesterday she looked as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders and today, she was in full party mode.
The only thing that could change her mood is if she finally completed the gas...
My eyes widened as realization dawned.
"Everybody leave!!"
I shouted, announcing my presence on a very high note.
I waited till everyone scrambled out of the room.
Then I turned towards Kate who was smiling brightly at me.
"What have you done?"
"I got the gas completed and saved our career, you're welcome"
She curtsied
I rolled my eyes.
"Why did you involve them? What happened to keeping this particular project private"
"They work for me, so it's still private. And it's not as if we were doing great together"
She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her champaign.
"What exactly did you do?!"
I asked, raising my voice a little higher
She looked visibly stunned.
"When you left last night, I got to work and I figured out what we were missing out and the rest is history. Right now the gas is on it's way to be delivered"
She said casually and ended with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Kate..."
I started
"Can't you acknowledged the fact that I'm smart too. All you've ever done is look down on me"
"Kate this is something that is going into the human system, if it is not properly made, it can lead to death"
My voice was too low, I was trying so hard to control my anger
"And let's not forget the fact that we are meant to work on it together"
"You were not available so I did what I had to do. I know what I'm doing"
"I hope you do"
I said and stormed out of the lab without looking back.
By 1:00pm that afternoon, we got the news that the van containing the gas exploded on the highway and there were no survivors.
That was just the begining of everything bad.