Rath's footsteps were tentative as he sat down in the chair in front of Kessler, each creak of the floorboards a reminder of the fragile situation. The air inside was stale, filled with the scent of aged wood and old books. Kessler's eyes tracked Rath's movements with an intensity that bordered on paranoia.
The scientist's appearance was unsettling—disheveled hair, a week-old stubble, and eyes sunken from sleepless nights. Rath felt a shiver of unease. If Kessler was the key to understanding the virus, they were in deeper trouble than he'd thought.
"Sit," Kessler gestured towards a worn chair opposite his cluttered desk.
Rath complied, his mind racing. The scientist's unhinged demeanor did little to assuage his growing anxiety. He needed to stay focused, to extract as much information as possible.
"Dr. Kessler," Rath began, "I know about NecroX. I've seen what it can do. You need to tell me everything—how it started, how it spreads, and if there's any way to stop it."
Kessler's laugh was dry and humorless. "You think it's that simple? You think there's a neat little explanation and a magic bullet to stop it?" His voice rose, a mix of bitterness and frustration. "This isn't a movie, boy. This is reality. A messy, horrifying reality."
Rath swallowed, steeling himself. "I understand that, but I need to know. If there's any chance at all—"
"Chance?" Kessler interrupted, leaning forward. "You want a chance? The only chance we had was to never start this damned project in the first place. But no, the higher-ups, they wouldn't hear of it. Progress, they said. Advancement. At what cost?"
Rath felt a flicker of anger. "So they knew? They knew it was dangerous and they didn't stop?"
Kessler's eyes gleamed with a manic light. "Oh, they knew. They knew the risks, the ethical breaches. But once they saw the potential, they couldn't resist. Imagine a world where neurodegenerative diseases are a thing of the past. Imagine the power, the control."
Rath's heart pounded in his chest. "So it hasn't infected anyone yet? It's still in trials?"
"Yes," Kessler admitted, slumping back in his chair. "But the trials were... aggressive. We were on the verge of human testing when it all started to go wrong. The virus is more volatile than we anticipated. Its effects on the brain—it's beyond anything we could have predicted."
Rath felt a mix of relief and dread. There was still time, but not much. "Tell me about the virus," he pressed. "How does it work?"
Kessler ran a hand through his hair, his expression turning serious. "NecroX targets the neural pathways, essentially reprogramming the brain. It overrides higher cognitive functions, leaving only the most basic, primal instincts—hunger, aggression. The infected become husks, driven by an insatiable need to feed and spread the infection."
Rath's mind raced. "So it's airborne? Bloodborne? How does it transmit?"
"Primarily through bodily fluids," Kessler explained. "A bite, a scratch, contact with contaminated surfaces. It's highly contagious, but it requires direct transmission. Airborne spread was a concern, but we never saw it happen in the lab."
Rath's thoughts turned to containment. "If it's still in trials, then we can stop it. Contain the lab, destroy the samples—"
"Destroying the samples isn't enough," Kessler interrupted. "The virus is already out there, in small amounts, but it's there. We need to find a way to neutralize it, to prevent it from reaching its full potential."
Rath's jaw tightened. "So what's the plan?"
Kessler leaned back, his eyes closing for a moment. "I've been working on a counteragent, something that could theoretically inhibit the virus's ability to replicate. But it's untested. We're running out of time and resources."
A tense silence filled the room. Rath's mind raced, calculating the risks and the next steps. He needed to act fast, but he also needed to be smart.
"Where's the counteragent?" Rath asked finally.
Kessler opened his eyes, a flicker of hope breaking through his exhaustion. "In the lab, back at the facility. But getting in won't be easy. Security's tight, and they're paranoid about breaches."
Rath nodded, a plan forming in his mind. "We'll need to be quick and quiet. In and out before anyone knows we're there."
Kessler gave a grim smile. "You talk like it's a simple heist."
"It has to be," Rath replied, standing up. "There's no room for error."
As they prepared to leave, Rath couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom. But he pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. He knew he had to be ruthless, to do whatever it took to survive and prevent the apocalypse he'd glimpsed. This was their chance, however slim, to stop the nightmare before it began.
And Rath was determined not to let it slip away.
Though, as they were making their way out of the cabin to discuss further rath started thinking about the fact that he never heard anything about a antivirus or a cure or even about Kessler in the future he saw, not a single mention which made him feel even more uneasy.