Gemotions

The empty lab felt cavernous. Dr. Chen’s abrupt departure was baffling. The man had dedicated his life to this research, this project. One day, he was there, poring over data, explaining complex theories with infectious enthusiasm. The next, his office was cleared, his equipment stored. A replacement had already been assigned.

She ran a gloved hand across the cold surface of his workbench, her fingers tracing the outline of a missing device. It was a small detail, but it was enough. The air in her lungs felt heavy. She had a strange intuition that she should be looking somewhere, but the only thing she knew was that she should not be staying here.

She sat down at the computer, accessing his last recorded files. The data seemed incomplete, rushed. A flicker of... something passed across her vision. It was gone as quickly as it came. She took a deep breath. She needed to know what was going on.