Selector

Two

Seeley stood there as I opened a drawer and pulled out the supplies needed to draw blood. "Well, don't just stand there, come help me."

Seeley continued to stare as I prepared my arm and looked for a good vein. I looked up at him as I pulled the cap of the needle off with my teeth. His face was contorted with confusion, "I don't understand. Those with mental illnesses aren't allowed into doctorate programs."

"I am well aware of that."

He still hadn't moved. He looked from the syringe to me to my arm. "How-"

"Look, See, we only have a few hours before Dr. Lygand comes by to check on our status. So, either we can sit here and chit chat about this or we can save our careers. Which would you rather do?"

He blinked a few times, "Fine, give me that before you hurt yourself." Seeley closed the few spaces between us and took the syringe from me. He palpated for a good vein before inserting the needle. We both watched in silence as the blood started to fill the syringe.

Once the blood reached the mark, he pulled the needle out and started to cover my arm. "Here, I'll do this. You put the blood in the centrifuge." Seeley did as I instructed and walked my blood over the machine in the corner while I wrapped my arm with gauze.

I turned toward the computer and started to create a file for our newest subject. I stared at the screen as the cursor blinked, waiting for me to enter my own name. My fingers hovered over the keys. I swallowed, I could be potentially ruining my career while trying to save it.

"Lie."

I jumped when I heard Seeley's voice right behind me. "What?" I turned to face him.

"If you're sure you want to do this, enter a fake name. We have both worked so hard to get here. If anyone found out, you would be cut from the program, Flint. Our work here is too important. Enter a fake name."

I nodded without saying anything. Seeley understood what was at stake here. If I got kicked out of the program, our research would be terminated. If he was lucky, Seeley would be reassigned, but that was rarely the case when someone's research was terminated. Keeping my secret wasn't just about saving my ass, it was about saving his too. It was about continuing our research. We were on the brink of saving the world.

My hands hovered over the keys again before I came up with a name and started typing. "Watson Mendel?"

"Okay, where did you get that name?"

I shrugged, "They are two of my favorite geneticists and-"

"You know what? I don't really care, as long as something is put down. It'll be anonymous to the publishing journals. Its more just in case Lygand goes through our files we have something written." There was a beep. "You sign a couple consent forms, I'll check the centrifuge. I can make up a signature for your doctor's approval."

I nodded as I pulled up more files, "I was just going to copy another subject's doctor's approval and insert Mr. Mendel's name."

"Even better."

"We should probably make a birth certificate in the data bank. You know, for precautionary purposes."

Seeley nodded, "Good thinking."

We continued with our separate tasks for a while, not speaking to each other. Even though Seeley was helping me, I had a feeling he was doing it begrudgingly. What we were doing was against the law. But, if we didn't do it, we would both be on the first dart out of here before the sun was even up. I didn't want to go home quite just yet.