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Monday - September 20

I look at her and say, "Julie... and Victor Parks are dead."

"John, what do you mean Julie and Victor Parks are dead? Who's Victor Parks? Not your father-in-law? He's already dead, John. Did you see them dead?"

"They are dead! I went back to room forty-seven to ask Julie something, and when I went in, I found her lying on the floor, in blood, inflicted by a gunshot wound. Dr. Parks is dead, possibly by his head injury. I don't know. I... I just know that he's dead, and Julie's dead, and that means there's a murderer among us, and I don't know what the hell's going on anymore!"

"Julie's... dead? Shot? Who do you think shot them, John?" Monica asks in dismay.

"I don't know, Monica. But if I had to guess, it's most likely that big goon Stevens. He's the one with a gun, besides the guards," I say.

"And some of the staff as well, John," Ted replies.

"What? Why would any staff have a gun, Ted?"

"You know, for protection."

"Protection from what, Ted? This is the damn CDC! We're supposed to be saving lives, not taking them! What the hell's going on? Why was Julie killed? Why?" I scream.

Ted and Monica stare at me as if I'm a lunatic. Ted takes Monica's helmet from her and sets it on the table, turns to me and says, "John, I don't know what's going on, but I do know you need to sit down, take in some deep breaths, and then get a hold of yourself. We are at the brink of finding a cure for this plague. Don't you think we should continue with our research before it's too late?"

I stare harshly at Ted and Monica and say, "Ted, it's already too late." I deliberately bump into Ted as I leave the lab to return to my office.

I storm out of the lab, confused, bewildered, not knowing what the hell I should do, where I should go, or who to trust! Claire! Claire, baby! I need you so much! When I reach the elevator, I hear Ted yelling my name, "John! John, wait up!" I push the elevator button several times, but the damn door doesn't open.

"John," says Ted, "you've got to pull yourself together, man. We don't have much time left. The world doesn't have much time left, and I think, no... I know we are on a breakthrough to end this nightmare. Come on, John. You have always been the calm one. You've never been negative, always positive. But now, I see you're confused and unsure who to trust. But man, man, you can trust me, John," as Ted grabs my arm in a brotherly way. "John, you can trust me."

I look at Ted and reply, "Ted, I'm finished. I... I can't go on without Claire. The world... the world was meant to die. God, he wants us to die."

Ted spins me around and says, "Cut the bullshit, man! Straighten your ass up, John! You've never given up on anything in your life! Why start now, when you're needed the most? Come on, man! We've got to fight this until the bitter end! That's who we are: men, scientists who give a shit about humanity, who give a shit about humanity's future! If you throw in the towel now, John, then there will be no future for humanity; for us. You can't just throw it all away, John! You just can't throw it all away!"

I know Ted's right, but what future do I have without Claire? The elevator dings. Ted and I anxiously watch as the door opens. And to my surprise, who steps out - the goon.

As Stevens begins to vacate the elevator, I smell the scent I had smelled when I was going to talk with Julie, and then again when I found Julie. I turn my head slowly as I make eye contact with Stevens. He says, "What the hell are you looking at?"

"A murderer," I reply.

"Huh? That's interesting. How did you come to that conclusion, Dr. Bennett?"