Thermophile

Ten: Discovery

The squeaks and steps of the feet were the only sound my ears were focused on.

What if they-basing from the unsynchronized sounds of footsteps-walk to our direction and saw us?

"Leib!" Came a harsh whisper.

"Are we in the wrong room?" Another softly said.

My heart was already thundering and it nearly jumped out of my mouth when lights turned on behind me.

"Scott, we're here." My brother answered from somewhere at the back. "And close the door will you?"

Not long after, blinding light pointed at my face. "Kat."

I paused, even my nervous heart paused.

Was that Les?

When the light finally was taken out of my face, I confirmed that it was indeed my best friend that arrived with her boyfriend.

"What is this, am I your fifth wheel?" Is this some freaky, thrill double date?

"Your brother called us to meet him in the science lab." Her facial expression was probably poker with how she monotonously delivered her remarks. "What is he planning on doing here, drugs?"

What? "They got my blood-"

"Les, help Kat pack those up, will you? Be sure nothing is left behind." It was Leib. They were moving franticly, and the gush of water from the faucet sink could be heard once in a while. They must be washing the things they used earlier.

Scott came and took the test tubes and the microscope. He told us to stuff everything else in the plastic bag that he handed Les.

"Check if everything is in order." Leib instructed. "Don't throw anything in the trash can, take it with you and then we'll take care of it later."

Destroying and hiding evidences, my brother really thought all these through.

I remained in where I was as my friends and brother got busy moving about in the flashlight-lit room.

When everything was checked-two or three times-and cleaned, the door of the laboratory was soundlessly shut. We creeped as fast and silent as we could while all aware that we could get caught by the security people any minute.

The taps and squeaks of our shoes echoed in the empty corridors making them sound louder than they did.

Words weren't said by any of us when we climbed up the wall and into our respective cars.

My brother and Scotty stayed outside and talked. I couldn't see their faces even if I tried to squint through the glass, but after a few minutes, Leib entered and started the car.

We got away with no hindrance and my heart wasn't able to calm as we drove away. The thrill I've experienced creeping in the school hallways and getting sneaky remained with me while I watched the street lights pass us by. Still confused as to why my brother did all this, as well as his theory that he never revealed to me, I held my mouth from asking them for a few more moments.

Fifteen minutes was a very long time, it felt like hours as seconds passed behind the driver's seat.

"Is it okay for you guys to talk now that we're far from school?" Honestly, I had been holding myself back firing them reasonable questions because I was still waiting for them to tell me themselves. "What did you guys talked about back there?"

Nothing. Not even a vowel from the two people seating in front of me.

Finally, we reached our house!