Total darkness swallowed the lab.

Dr. James Carter’s breath slowed as his senses sharpened. Somebody had cut the power.

Outside, an engine idled.

Then—a car door creaked open.

Lena’s lab was buried deep in an industrial block. No one should have known they were here.

And yet, someone did.

Carter didn’t wait to find out who.

“Move.” He grabbed Lena’s wrist, pulling her toward the back exit.

Lena’s voice was low, tense. “You think they’re here to talk?”

Carter didn’t answer.

They already knew the truth. Whoever was behind this wasn’t issuing warnings anymore. They were here to erase a problem.

A Chase in the Dark

Carter pushed open the back door, the metal cool against his palms. The alley was narrow, choked with shadows.

Lena cursed under her breath. “I don’t have a car. Took the train.”

Carter scanned the street. A black SUV sat parked at the entrance of the alley—headlights off, windows tinted.

Then—movement.

A figure in dark clothing stepped out, their silhouette just visible in the dim glow of a streetlamp.

Carter didn’t wait.

“Run.”

They sprinted down the alley, footsteps slamming against wet pavement.

A shout behind them.

Then—the crack of a gunshot.

Lena yelped, stumbling. Carter yanked her forward.

They veered left, darting between rusted shipping containers. The city pulsed beyond the docks—but they had to reach it first.

Another shot. A bullet sparked off the metal beside Carter’s shoulder.

They needed a way out. Fast.

An Unexpected Savior

Suddenly—tires screeched.

A car peeled around the corner, headlights flaring bright.

A voice shouted from the driver’s side.

“Get in!”

Carter barely hesitated. He shoved Lena into the backseat and dove in after her.

The car lurched forward, tires screeching as it tore through the alley.

The SUV roared to life behind them.

Carter twisted in his seat, heart hammering. “Who the hell are you?”

The driver’s face was hidden under a hoodie, but his voice was sharp, urgent.

“A friend. Now shut up and hold on.”

The Escape and the Truth

The car weaved through side streets, dodging red lights, slipping through gaps in traffic with inhuman precision.

The SUV pursued them, but the driver knew these streets better. After a series of impossible turns, their pursuers were gone.

Only then did Carter exhale.

Lena’s voice was breathless. “What the hell just happened?”

The driver pulled into an empty parking garage, finally turning to face them.

Carter’s stomach dropped.

He knew this man.

Ethan Perez.

The patient who had vanished. The one Holloway had warned him about.

Carter stared. “You’re supposed to be sick.”

Ethan gave a hollow laugh. “I was.” He pulled up his sleeve. His veins were darkened, his skin pale. “Thanks to Vibramycin, I’m barely alive.”

Carter felt his pulse spike. This man looked like he was dying.

Ethan leaned forward. “I don’t know what you think you’ve uncovered, doc. But you’re not even close to the truth.”

Carter swallowed hard. “Then tell me.”

Ethan exhaled. “It’s not just one bad batch.”

A chill crawled up Carter’s spine.

Ethan’s voice dropped lower.

"It’s in all of them. The entire Vibramycin supply. And it’s about to get worse."