Chapter Text
Ryland's favorite time of the year as a kid was summer. Well into his adulthood, autumn had taken the lead.
He always thought the bare branches silhouetted against cloudy skies looked like cracks in marble. In late November, leaves browned into crisp ghosts and littered the school's parking lots, crunching under tires of cars. He'd learned to spot leaf-disguised rain puddles among the damp asphalt, so his pant legs wouldn't get wet cycling to work. The season had cooled to sweater weather, and he'd taken the opportunity to break out his cardigan collection the very day the temperature finally dipped below sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit.
Dr. Grace's students had settled into their class schedules after the late summer back-to-school chaos, and he felt confident he had a solid enough grasp on all of their names, and was starting to categorize their personalities and learning styles so he could adjust his teaching methods. One of the greatest joys of being a middle school teacher was seeing that sparkle in a kid's eyes when they understood what you were teaching them, and the best way of doing that was ensuring each module was fun and interesting to learn.
But, he couldn't lie and say he wasn't getting as antsy for the holidays as his kids were.
Lucky for them, Thanksgiving break was starting that afternoon. After a too-short and restless day of teaching seventy-odd kids, Ryland let his last class start packing up five minutes before the dismissal bell. They'd pretty much wrapped stuff up, anyway - and there really wasn't any point in trying to command the attention of a room full of kids who were too focused on shuffling their stuff into bags quiet enough for him not to notice. Which, by the way, really doesn't work when at least half of them are doing it at the same time.
He waved them off with a sunny smile as they finished eagerly packing their bags and filed out the door. The hallways bustled with cheerful goodbyes and sneaker squeaks. Ryland sat back at his desk as the school buses filled, doing some tidying-up of that day's lesson plans and settling in. The last few gulps of his coffee sat in his periodic table thermos, lukewarm at best. He finished it off with a grimace.
Just another hour of some final organizing and grade-inputting, and he'd be free to enjoy his own well-earned break.
Rocky wasn't much better himself, but he could practically hear his best friend's voice calling him a workaholic. Ryland grinned to himself and checked his phone. Nothing since lunch. The two were in a days-long argument - sorry, discussion about what they should binge watch over the holiday, with minimal but tactful input from Adrian, who was putting their vote in for Godzilla.
The three didn't feel any type of way about Thanksgiving, but it was a great excuse for a get-together involving Adrian's cooking, some day-drinking and nerdy science talk. He was looking forward to it.
Used to the building's after-school atmosphere of shuffling janitors and lingering teachers, Ryland slipped into a focused workflow. He didn't notice when, a half hour later and as he was readying to head home, a pair of particularly clipped footsteps approached his door, cutting through the white noise of the light November drizzle.
Knock, knock.
Gaze lifting, Ryland peered over the rim of his glasses at the woman standing in the classroom's doorway. She wore a strictly fitted and dark suit adorned with what looked like government pins underneath a trench coat. Her blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun, and an eyepatch sat over her left eye. He didn't recognize her.
He cleared his throat. "Uhh, hi! What can I do you for?" He tapped a stack of paperwork against the desk and tucked them into a file organizer as she strode toward him.
"Dr. Ryland Grace?"
He paused, glancing up at her before swiveling his chair to check that he'd properly shut off the CPU. Then, he closed his laptop and slipped it into his messenger bag, clasping it shut. And then, for good measure, he looked over his desk to ensure he hadn't missed anything. Nope, everything looked good. Okay, then. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans.
"Depends who's asking." He stood, slinging the bag over his shoulder and adjusting his glasses before finally making proper eye contact with the woman again. Nobody called him 'doctor' unless they knew of his PhD status, and, as an extension, his academic career.
"Captain Ava Volkov," she answered, untucking a paper book from underneath her arm and presenting it to him. The title read 'An Analysis of Water Based Assumptions and Recalibrations of Expectations for Evolutionary Models' with one Dr. Ryland Grace listed as the author. "Did you write this research paper?"
A quiet, pained wheeze-groan of some kind escaped him. "Uhh..."
"We were especially interested in this section," a leather-gloved hand flipped to a tab-bookmarked chapter. "'Speculations of Evolutionary Models of Unicellular Life Sans Water'-?"
"Look, ah... Ms. Volkov," he awkwardly shrugged on his yellow raincoat and pulled the matching beanie over his unruly hair. Pocket pat, keys, check. "I don't know what exactly you needed me for, but if it involves my very public academic failures, I'm not interested. So, if you'll excuse me-"
She sidestepped into his path, shoulders squared and demanding his attention. Dang, her cold stare was intimidating, even if she was a full half foot shorter than him at least. "Realization would like to request your expertise in a research project."
"...Realization?"
Her eye squinted subtly - if he wasn't locked on to her expression, he would've missed it. Right, maybe break the intense eye contact. "Do you remember the asteroid intercepted by Filament's scientist a few years ago?"
He did. Rumors about potential alien discoveries had swept through the academic science community like wildfire. Nothing had ever been confirmed, of course, no news could either mean little meaningful had come of the research, or that it was all being kept under wraps. It hadn't stopped him and Rocky from speculating about the classic horror film trope of alien eggs emerging from the asteroid to take over the planet. Sometimes the conversations devolved into plans for the apocalypse. Ahh, good times.
If Ava had any thoughts on his head-jerk as he mulled, she didn't let them show. He had to admit he was... slightly intrigued. "I do, yeah."
A brief, curt smile. "Earth scientists studying the samples have recently made some... major discoveries."
He shuffled his hands in his pockets and waited for more, staunchly ignoring the funny little leap his stomach did.
Her eyebrow furrowed. "Surely a leading molecular biologist should understand the significance in that?"
Ryland puffed out his cheeks and rocked on his heels, looking around the room at nothing in particular. "Well, yeah golly, it sounds interesting. Incredible scientific findings, I'm sure. But, I don't see why the, government? Would want this, former," he raised his eyebrows and leaned a bit to exaggerate the fact, in case somehow this Captain Volkov wasn't aware, "leading molecular biologist for... asteroid samples? I don't know what I could do for you there. Actually, I know a wonderful geologist I could get you in contact with-"
"Let me assure you," she cut him off, "that a molecular biologist with theories such as yours would certainly be necessary in studying these discoveries." It sounded like Ava was trying to hint at something she couldn't legally confirm, and gee if Ryland wasn't biting at the fishhook she was casting his way.
It seemed she picked up on his apparent interest, because she smirked at him. "Unfortunately, I can't give you any more information without you being on board the project. As you can guess, it's classified."
He sucked his teeth, thinking. He wanted to see it. Oooooh, he wanted to study (unofficially confirmed) extraterrestrial life so badly. If that's what Ava was implying he could do, and that his theories on non-water based unicellular organisms was potentially relevant, he was interested on being "on board" this project. He was very interested, actually. But...
"Well, um. I do have a life, you know. A job?" He gestured vaguely at the classroom. "Break is only a week or so, so-" he stammered, picking at the skin around his nails to stop his nervous gesticulating. Cleared his throat. "Hhhhhow long would I be needed?"
Smirk widening and a glint in her eye, Ava pulled the metaphorical fishing line right as the hook was poised in Ryland's cheek. "You'll be in and out by Monday."
It probably wasn't the best decision Ryland's ever made, to follow a scary government official out of his place of work and to a nondescript black vehicle in which she'd presumably be using to take him to a second location. But, well, this seemed pretty tame in comparison to some of the many bad decisions Ryland had made in his life before, and she had dangled a tantalizing science opportunity right in front of his face with juuuust enough detail to intrigue him.
A hunk of a man, introduced by Ava as David, stoically opened the door for him. Ryland found himself pausing, glancing between the two as apprehension wormed its way under his ribs.
"So, uh... where we goin'?" He tried for a nonchalant approach.
"A temporary research facility about a half hour from here," Ava answered surely, and, hm, that seemed reasonable, didn't it? "You'll be housed with us for a few days to study your sample and present any findings." Wait, hold on.
"Um? Can I like, stop by my apartment and you know, pack up, grab an Uber-?" He blinked hard.
"We have limited time with our designated sample. The ride there will be the perfect opportunity to brief you on the details," She held a hand out toward the back seat, words straining slightly. "Please, Dr. Grace."
Well, it wouldn't be the first time he'd gone a few days without changing his clothes or showering. He studied the black leather seats. This all seemed very official, at least to him, but it was sudden, and he wasn't really known for having a good read on situations. However, he was a grown man. He could take care of himself. And besides, thirty minutes away was close enough to hail a cab home if he really needed to.
The phone in his pocket felt heavy as a stone. He'd have to shoot Rocky a message to let him and Adrian know he probably wouldn't make it for the holiday, that something came up. Rocky would understandably be very loud and very upset, and would valiantly pry the real reason he had to cancel plans from Ryland for sure. He'd probably have to sign some kind of NDA, but deep down he knew he'd spill the beans to his ol' college roomie. How could he not?
It was a leap of faith that could lead to nothing consequential or one of his biggest contributions to the field of molecular biology yet. He couldn't deny that his ego was stroked by the government reaching out to him. He certainly wasn't the only scientist involved with this, but soothing over the wounds of the UNESCO conference and his controversial research paper would be a dream come true, on top of studying alien life.
Emboldened by a momentary bravery and the burning curiosity that powered all good scientists, Ryland steeled himself and slotted into the back seat of the car.
The asteroid's trajectory through Sol's system had brought it closer to Mars than Earth. Filament Station had first detected the incoming object a year before interception and calculated that it most likely originated from the system of 40 Eridani A. It was a long way from home, and strange readings of the approaching asteroid spurred the decision to reel in the space rock for study.
The event was live-streamed across Earth and Mars. Ryland fondly remembered staying up way too late for a middle school teacher, bundled up in a quilt with a mug of cocoa coffee Rocky made for them and nose all but pressed against the TV as he watched the drone and rocket reports with apt fascination. The deep eyebags he sported at work the next day were more than worth it.
Initial findings were classified. As it turns out - and Ryland was incredibly giddy with excitement upon learning this, the fact that he even was allowed to know this was insanely cool, failing to keep his legs from bouncing - that there was, in fact, a small sample of alien particles discovered in the asteroid! They'd been encased in a bubble deep under the rocky surface in a pressurized pocket of ammonia-rich air and crystal formations.
It was a singular species of microbe. Viral in nature - so, not technically alive by standard classifications, which made Ryland deflate a bit, but it did mean that, theoretically, the virus had evolved to infect other life. The existence of the virus - dubbed "Eridanius" or the "Eridian Virus" - was the only evidence of that being the case, but it was promising. Higher-ups in the fields of space sciences travel were already studying the faraway star system in more detail, and even considering future plans for probes and exploration of 40 Eridani A in search of the asteroid's origin.
Most important of all, Filament scientists learned how to trigger the virus' reproduction cycle after providing them with various eukaryotic cells, until they found one that the virus responded to and infected the nuclei of. Not only did that open more avenues for research, but it created an essentially infinite sample amount.
It was pure luck that the FSS had shipped samples Earth's way mere months before its untimely end. A historic symbol of humanity's foray into space habitation and all that interplanetarily funded research equipment, destroyed just before its one-hundredth year anniversary. Not to mention the loss of life. It was devastating news to all.
Those precious samples had arrived on the home planet half a year after, on schedule and intact. The group that had attacked Filament Station, the Brotherhood of Eden, had been swiftly arrested, but it was a pervasive worry that there was a plan to target the probes as well. Fortunately, they made a safe ocean landing, and the Eridian Virus samples were distributed among top-secret research facilities throughout the home planet to continue the groundbreaking research founded by the FSS's late virologists - including this 'Realization' group that Ava apparently captained.
Ryland wasn't a virologist, but if Ava claimed that he had something to contribute, then he was game to investigate the samples. If anything, there might be evidence in some way, shape, or form, that there was an anhydrous alien life form out there in the universe. He fiddled with his sleeves, trying to convince himself of his apparent importance as they approached their destination. Fifteen years ago, he wouldn't even have to try, and he inwardly cringed at his past self's unearned arrogance.
David pulled the car into the mostly-empty lot of a large, office-esque building south of San Francisco, while Ava tucked the briefing papers back into their binder. The road was much quieter here than the busy city streets. Ryland was buzzing with about a million science questions that he was sure the captain and her security guard were probably unequipped to answer, so he held them in with a frankly admirable amount of self-control, thank you very much, as he followed them to the building. All the answers he needed would be inside.
Ava stood closely in front of a keypad, inputting an almost unreasonably long series of beeps that was blocked from Ryland's sight. Stepping inside, they were met with a handful of personnel, all wearing uniforms and stern expressions that made Ryland glad he'd worn one of his muted suit jackets that day. Though he became much more aware of his cartoon space-print tie and matching socks as he was patted down. Well, anyone who knew him would know he taught kids for a living, so.
He was remiss to surrender his phone as his belongings were scanned and stored in a temp locker, but he understood why it was necessary. He hoped he'd get it back at some point before the end of the day. Even if his cellular activity had to be monitored, that'd be fine - he just hadn't yet had time to text Rocky. He didn't take out his phone in the car since he didn't want to disrespect Ava, and also, it'd make him carsick.
Past the security checkpoint was another set of metal doors locked by another very long code, and then bright linoleum hallways lined with office windows. Peering around as he followed Ava through the building's many corridors, he was intrigued to see many of the lab spaces were full of equipment but empty of people.
Ava noticed him looking, and the corner of her mouth lifted in amusement. "This was the only laboratory available for use in the area that met our security needs," She nodded to a camera installed near the ceiling. "But we only need a fraction of the space for our personnel."
That made sense. He ignored the slight tingle on the back of his neck. His chin jerked up and he snapped his fingers.
Rounding a few more corners brought them to a stop in front of one of the many doors - the only door so far that was guarded. "This will be your office for the duration of your stay," Ava explained while unlocking the door via another keypad. He'd never be able to get through any of these doors without assistance. The realization settled uncomfortably. "Your designated sample and all necessary research files have already been delivered. Today you will be under observation while you do preliminary studies. If you have any questions, we can hear and answer you from the outside."
She opened the door, motioning for him to step inside. There was a tenseness to her schooled expression that made something in his gut squirm, something that made his gaze flick to the inner door handle and notice that there was no inner locking mechanism. He took a moment to clear his throat, adjusting his tie as camouflage for soothingly tapping his sternum with his knuckles.
"I'll be working alone?"
"Yeah," She paused, "Just for today. I've been told that... individual observations, are important for cross-reference and peer review?"
"Hmm, well - that's right, but. I mostly just want to make sure I handle the sample safely? I don't wanna mess anything up." It felt a bit like a lie. He wasn't expecting to be alone in the lab, is all. He wasn't sure he wanted to be.
She gestured to a stack of folders on the counter, next to a laptop. "There are fully written handling instructions and safety protocols, including videos. The sample is in the lab connected to this office, through that decontamination chamber," She pointed toward a metal door with a white hazmat suit stored next to it. "You can familiarize yourself before suiting up. We'll be here if you need anything." The last part sounded like she was trying to be reassuring.
He swallowed hard and nodded a bit quickly, "Okay! Okay, neat-o. I'll uh," He made an incomplete gesture toward the doorway, then made his wobbly legs step through it. "I'll get to work, then." He turned to face her, rubbing his hands together uncertainly while trying to look certain of himself.
Ryland just barely caught the satisfied gleam in her eye as she nodded, swinging the door closed and punctuating his worry with three metallic clunks of a heavy-duty lock.
Science was easy. Science was familiar. Science was what he decided to pour his nervous energy into over the next few hours.
Logically, he understood the layers upon layers of precautions. The security was for the safety of the samples and people as much as it was for the information. Emotionally, however, being locked inside of a lab with the guard and Ava hovering just within his periphery was beginning to fray on his nerves. There was a constant buzz in the back of his mind.
He poured over the instructions and protocols with a fierce concentration, willing himself to chill out Ryland, focus on the cool science stuff you get to do, don't get so in your head that you forget the basics and fudge it all up.
Eridanius evolved to withstand a pressure nearly thirty times that of Earth's, and a scalding atmosphere with an intense concentration of ammonia. It was an astoundingly adaptable virus. While it reproduced only in its original conditions, Earth's atmosphere didn't outright destroy it, just rendered it dormant. This meant that the laboratory he'd be working in wasn't an oven, and Ryland had one less danger factor to worry about as he carefully donned the hazmat suit and entered the decontamination chamber.
The laboratory in question was fully stocked with equipment. All kinds of tubes and vials, a microscope, Bunsen burner, centrifuge, DNA sequencing machine, and beakers and flasks of all shapes and sizes all sat out on the counters. He took stock, finding more tools filling the drawers and cabinets. A specialized vent hood with a built-in electron microscope (holy cannoli!) and gloves housed the virus' preferred atmospheric conditions, with its own atmosphere venting and circulation system and airlock.
Within the vent chamber rested the labeled petri dishes of Eridanius, an alien virus, patiently awaiting his arrival. Ryland had to physically stop a cheesy one-liner threatening to escape him, instead landing on an almost flirtatious "Well, hello there," as he grinned and rubbed his hands together, which - was probably not much better. Oh well. They wanted him here.
Time to get to work.
Observation to start. His double-gloved hands were a bit clumsy as he situated one of the petri dishes beneath the electron microscope, adjusting the dials until the image was as focused and clear as possible through his glasses, the faceplate, and the lens.
There it was. There it was!
A tiny, dispersed swarm of the virus floated around the sample. It looked strikingly similar to some of Earth's viral structures, but it... wasn't. These little buggers housed alien DNA and proteins from a completely separate solar system. Until otherwise proven, from 40 Eridani A, an entire sixteen light years away from Sol.
Yet here these little guys were, after a long, long journey through the cosmos and coincidentally-to-an-astronomical-scale, to humanity's pale blue dot.
He could hardly believe it.
Ryland slipped into scientist mode, hardly noticing Ava slowly pacing outside the lab and occasionally speaking with the guard or checking her pager. With an admirable amount of quiet focus, he checked each dish, took notes, interacted with them, took more notes, and finally cycled the airlock to retrieve a couple for experimentation and... you guessed it, even more notes.
What could he say? He was in his element. ADHD took a back seat to lab work.
He studied and took notes on pictures he'd taken on the electron microscope, then photographed more after cryofreezing one of the dishes to better see the protein structures. He ran a genome sequence. He used a regular ol' microscope to study a small chunk of the asteroid's inner pocket lining. He recorded everything on the in-lab computer and shoved the printed papers and images into a loose stack in a filing tray on the counter near the door to be sorted when he was done. Which he was far from.
Honestly, the only thing he wish he had was a pencil to chew on while he worked. His lips were going to be so chapped. Curse PPE.
A generous amount of eukaryotic cell samples had been provided to observe the virus' reproduction process, housed in small containers labeled with letters and numbers, with doubles for redundancy. No species, strangely. Multiple trips moved one of each cell sample to the vent hood's airlock along with a large sectioned petri dish that kind of reminded him of a bento box. Ryland cycled in the hot ammonia atmosphere and prepared the long and meticulous process of introducing the various cells to the virus and observing its reactions.
He nearly jenga-towered a stack of containers when the intercom overhead buzzed. "Anything interesting?" Ava's voice asked.
He turned a bit awkwardly to see her through the suit's faceplate. She stood next to the outer wall intercom and looked just as stern as she had all day. His leg bounced on the stool and he slipped his hands out of the vent hood's gloves so he didn't actually knock anything over.
"Uh... yeah! I mean. Everything about it is interesting. It's... very similar to a virus you'd find on Earth, with some variation in structures. Probably an adaptation to its natural environment. I'll have to do some more tests for that," his hand bumped against the faceplate as he went to push his glasses up. Dummy. "But, uh- the DNA is made of the same chemicals as ours, and arranged in a double-helix structure. It's- honestly- it kind of points to convergent evolution, or, or, maybe the panspermia event theory. Which, the odds of that, are-" he gestures to simulate his head exploding with a matching mouth noise. "-astronomical, but these little guys did travel sixteen light years to another habitable planet. So. It's fascinating stuff!"
He quickly wrapped up with a self-conscious grin and rubbed his thighs through the suit, having realized that one: he was rambling, saying the most he had all day to this woman, in fact, and two: it was about complicated evolutionary theories that a government official probably didn't know enough of or care about unless it resulted in... well, results. He clamped his mouth shut, tapping his fingers on his legs.
"It sounds like you're doing some good science in there, Dr. Grace." The pleased tone was a welcome change of pace. He offered her a lip quirk. "What are you doing now?"
"I'm introducing some euk- some, uh, animal cells to the virus to see if I can get it to replicate. Do you know the species of those samples? Or if they're written down anywhere? They're not on the labels."
Her eye darted to the counter, then back to the vent hood where they locked on. After a pause, she pressed the intercom button again. "I don't believe so, no. They were... a secondary concern to the transport of the virus," Then, "Sorry about that."
"That's okay," It was weird, actually. Maybe he'd rummage through the lab drawers again and see if he can find some paperwork on them. He turned back to the vent hood, resuming his setup. "I can, uh, I'll run tests on their DNA, the ones the virus replicates in. If any. That'll give me the species, and we can see if there are any similarities between the viable ones. If I'm remembering correctly, viruses usually only replicate in a small number of hosts, even down to just a single species. So we'll see if this one's any different from Earth viruses..."
In his periphery, Ava stilled. He turned his head toward her without lifting it - this prompted another strained smile, almost painfully fake, and a nod before she walked away from the intercom.
That squirmy feeling in his gut returned with a vengeance.
Everything about science was meticulous. It was probably the only thing that Ryland could completely focus on for hours at a time without fidgeting, ticcing, fumbling or otherwise making a fool of himself. It was fact, observation, theories, experiments and factors. He couldn't help but feel an odd sort of satisfaction that even an alien virus couldn't escape the scientific process. Science can't lie.
People can.
Only one of the cell samples provoked the virus into binding to the cell membrane. He watched as it injected its tiny little RNA bundle into the cytosol. Success!
He took a blue label from the two tape labels he'd put in the vent alongside everything else, and stuck it over that square in the petri-bento-box to indicate a successful replication. Earth viruses took hours, if not days, to replicate, so everything already in the vent would be trapped until further notice so the labor and delivery wasn't interrupted by a change in atmosphere. He took a sticky note, wrote 'VIRUS REPRODUCING - DO NOT OPEN OR CYCLE' on it with Sharpie, and stuck it on the vent, before standing.
Sitting hunched over a microscope for so long did his back absolutely no favors. He groaned and took a moment to stretch - his hands ached, too. He'd have to call it a day pretty soon, but first...
Ryland returned to the eukaryotic cell containers to grab the dupe of the one labeled "H" - the one the virus replicated in - and ran a DNA barcode sequence for a quick read on the species. A couple of centuries earlier, the process would've taken days, as would a full genome sequence. Now, it'd only take a clean forty-five minutes in the machine, enough time for him to line up other samples for tomorrow's testing, input more notes, organize his notes, look over his notes and make addendums, and then look busy for a bit while mulling over everything so far and trying, in vain, to ignore the uncomfortable gut feeling he had that something wasn't right and hadn't been right all day.
He pretended not to notice Ava consulting the guard. He couldn't hear anything from their side unless the intercom was active, but it looked urgent. The guard nodded, turned and walked down the hall at a normal pace, expression blank. It didn't stop Ryland's palms from clamming up under the suit's gloves. Hm.
A cheerful beep! from the sequencing machine drew his attention, and he stepped over to glance at the screen, fingers poised over the keyboard, ready to type the species that had been decoded.
He froze.
Then he stopped a shaky disbelieving chuckle from escaping his lips, because he was suddenly painfully aware that his every move was being monitored. And, you know, it was a normal species to include cells of in laboratory samples. It was completely reasonable to worry about an alien virus being able to infect any living Earth creature. It was truly an evolutionary and biological coincidence that out of seventy-eight individual species, presumably from across all phyla and many different classes, the only one that triggered the virus into infecting its DNA and replicating, was that of Homo sapiens.
Ryland fought to keep his hands steady as he typed it out, set the container aside, and set up the next sample for sequencing, this one labeled "P." He was moving on autopilot, had meant to save the rest of the barcodes for tomorrow, but now he desperately wanted a little more time to think.
He rested his hands on the counter, staring at the sequencing machine with an uncanny focus as he digested the information. It had been four entire years since humanity had gotten a hold of the Eridian Virus. The scientists on Filament Station had learned how to successfully replicate the virus within just a few months. Did they use human cells to achieve it? Ryland didn't know how many samples they would've had easy access to on the station - it would make sense.
He typed a note to introduce the dupe cell samples of each species to the virus after the first replication process was complete, to rule out any false negatives or potentially contaminated samples. Actually...
Walking back over the vent hood with his gaze pointedly avoiding the windows, Ryland slipped his hands into the gloves, peeled the tape off the "H" section, and pulled the petri dish back under the scope. Something was telling him he needed to check, even though it should be too early for the process to have finished. It took him a few moments, but he located the bundle of cells - human. Human cells - and. Oh.
They were destroyed.
Cellular membranes had broken and spilled the cytosol out like those cheap plastic summer pools. Their organelles were unfurling and dissolving around the nuclei, proteins floating aimlessly.
Cheese and crackers. This virus wouldn't just make someone sick if it infected a living person. It could kill them.
It couldn't only be humans that the virus could infect... could it? There could still be false negatives, he should re-check all the petri dishes, introduce the dupes, run it again. It felt like the beginning of a horror sci-fi novel: an alien virus arrives on an asteroid and only infects human beings. If this got out-
The DNA sequencing machine beeped on the counter behind him, and Ryland took a deep, steadying breath before putting everything back the way it was before, slowly standing up, and walking to the computer.
Pan troglodytes. A chimpanzee. The closest (living) DNA on the entire planet to humans, and still a non-viable host for the virus.
The white hazmat suit suddenly no longer felt like adequate protection.
"Dr. Grace?"
He turned to the window, where Ava and the guard from before stood. Another guard rounded the corner of the hall, walking in the direction of the office door.
"It's been four and a half hours. We were hoping to debrief with you sometime soon?"
Oh jeez, it'd been that long? Ryland winced. There's a reason his sleep schedule in college was the way that it was. Long lab hours and four cups of coffee a day.
"Ah, sheesh... yeah, I think I need some time to recoop. I got some good data, and I was actually just wrapping up, so," he stretches his arms with a groan. "I'll meet you in the office in a few minutes?"
She nodded, lifting her finger from the intercom button and up to an earpiece as she followed the guard past the view of the window. Ryland was left to anxiously tidy up, making sure samples were secure and that his notes were saved. He didn't know how he was going to breach the topic of a human-infecting alien virus, so he instead focused on the decontamination process, intensely aware of the crawling feeling on his skin. Once he was able to finally strip off the overbearing hazmat suit, he shook out his arms and cracked his knuckles. Did they have any hand sanitizer in here?
Stiffly, he reached for the suit jacket he'd laid over the office chair hours ago - just as he did, the door locks clunked open with a beep, and Ava walked in. Three guards flanked her, and Ryland could see two more posted outside the office door.
Huh.
"Uhh..." he croaked confusedly. Ava gave him another one of those smiles that he was sure she meant to be reassuring, but it missed the mark.
"Precautionary measures. We're just making sure you haven't brought anything out of the lab," she nodded to the guard on her left, who walked toward Ryland. He backed up a bit, raising his hands.
"What-?"
"He's just gonna pat you down, Dr. Grace. No need to worry."
"Oh. Okay, um-" He tossed the suit jacket back onto the chair - the guard on Ava's right stepping forward to search the pockets - and lifted his arms up, complying uncomfortably as his eyes flickered cautiously around the scene.
When the guards stepped back, Ryland clenched his hands and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He took a moment to fruitlessly adjust his crooked space-print tie for the umpteenth time that day, and summoned the singular iota of authority he could muster when surrounded by government personnel. "Okay. Debriefing."
Ava nodded at him to continue, and he cleared his throat, crossed his arms.
"So, uh - well, I've already told you a bit of it. Similar DNA structures, viral functions - you get the gist. I wasn't sure if the virus would be able to interact with Earth life, but it did respond to one of the cell samples. It attempted to replicate and it did so... successfully, but the cell was destroyed."
Ava eyed the decontamination chamber with interest. "You got the virus to infect a cell?"
He held his hands out. "Yes. But. It killed the cell," he gesticulated aimlessly, beginning to pace. "and that cell, was- well, it was a human cell. Which, it's crazy that the virus is compatible with anything from Earth, but- of course, that's very, uh. Concerning. To say the least. I mean, it's equally as likely that this thing would die before it can replicate sustainably in a human body, as it is to kill its host via... total cell destruction.
"I couldn't tell you its method of distribution, but if it gets out, if it finds a way to reproduce in our atmosphere and spread between human hosts... it could be. Very bad. Very, very bad."
He wrung his hands and pressed them to his mouth. His glasses hung off his ear - after being pressed against his nose by a faceplate for hours, they'd left deep irritated dents. He wiped his hands down his face and then remembered that he'd been handling an alien virus that could infect his cells.
"We- we could research the symptoms it would cause in the human body, I mean- it might not even be fatal, our immune systems might have some kind of... evolutionarily-adjacent antibody? We could make vaccines just in case of an outbreak, but it'd take years upon years of pharmaceutical research and, well, it'd have to involve infecting a living human with it. Which would be crazy." It felt crazy even leaving his mouth.
When there wasn't any answer, he turned to look at Ava. Her hands were clasped behind her back and her expression was unsurprised. Something clicked.
"...You already knew this, right? I mean, scientists made the virus reproduce years before sending it to Earth... We've had to have known. Since the beginning."
After a second, she nodded. "Yes, we know that the virus can infect human cells."
"Do you know if it can infect people in Earth's atmosphere?"
She pursed her lips but stayed silent.
Ryland couldn't help but huff and resume his pacing. He gestured animatedly at the hazmat suit, hung back in its spot, then let his hand fall in exasperation. "Am I expendable to you? Is that why you wanted me?"
Her eye narrowed in a subtle way which raised the hairs on the back of Ryland's neck. "You are most assuredly not expendable. That's why we want you."
...What?
The two guards at her side stepped forward, and the one behind her stepped back to block the only door to the office.
An ice-cold ball of dread wormed its way under Ryland's ribs and sat heavy under his tongue.
"Ms. Volkov," A short, nervous, almost hysterical laugh escaped him as he glanced around, "...What are we doing here?"
"I apologize, Dr. Grace, but you're not leaving."
His gaze darted between the guards as he slowly inched away from their advancement. He spied the glint of a needle in one of their hands.
Uh-oh.
"We need you."
His tongue went dry. He couldn't take his eyes off the needle. "What do you mean?" She turned her back and began walking away. "Hey!"
Panic rising, he haphazardly grabbed an office chair as the guards went for him, trying to fight them back. He clambered on top of the counter, knocking files and paperweights over and barely dodging their grabbing hands. His heart pounded in his ears.
They were trying to take him. Where? She said they needed him. What for? Was this about keeping him from blabbing about the virus? Or did they know if he was infected? Oh, god, was he infected?
I need to run.
He tried.
He really did.
He did manage to land a couple punches and kicks as he was grabbed, which, let's be real, probably just felt like mosquito bites to these guys. Three men bigger and bulkier than him, and probably with military training to boot, needed less than a minute to pin him face down to the floor. He couldn't breathe with the hands and knees all over his back. His space-patterned tie splayed in front of him on the rough office carpet. He yelled and pleaded and- felt a sharp sting in his neck. The last thought he had as the fluorescent lights faded to black was that he really wished he'd texted Rocky.