WAITING...

The lab was filled with the dull hum of machines, the rhythmic beeping of monitors, and the occasional scratching of a pen against paper. For all the life-or-death importance of their work, the atmosphere had settled into a monotonous routine.

Dr. Moreau sighed, rolling her shoulders as she stared at the screen in front of her. Lines of data scrolled endlessly, none of it making any significant breakthrough. She tapped the keyboard a few times, ran another simulation, and leaned back in her chair. The result? Another failure.

Across the room, Dr. Solis rubbed his temples. "This is pointless," he muttered, pushing a stack of notes away. "We're going in circles."

Dr. Voss, who had been staring at a microscope for the last fifteen minutes, finally looked up. "That's the nature of science," he said. "You keep going in circles until, eventually, you don't."

Moreau smirked. "Inspiring."

Solis exhaled sharply. "I just don't get it. Every virus has a weakness. This one doesn't. Or if it does, we're too slow to find it."

"Maybe we need a break," Voss suggested, stretching his arms.

Moreau raised an eyebrow. "A break? The world is dying, and you want a break?"

Voss shrugged. "What's five minutes going to change?"

Solis groaned and stood up. "Fine. Five minutes. Maybe I'll suddenly develop divine inspiration if I step away for a bit."

Moreau sighed but didn't argue. She leaned back in her chair as Voss grabbed a protein bar from the nearby counter and took a bite.

"This tastes awful," he muttered.

Solis, now sitting on one of the lab tables, smirked. "You keep eating them."

"Because I have no choice."

Moreau shook her head. "You two sound like children."

There was a short silence before Voss spoke again. "So. Since we're taking a 'break'—what's with Manav?"

Moreau's fingers froze over her keyboard.

Solis looked intrigued. "Yeah, I've been wondering the same thing. He doesn't seem… human. More like a machine."

Moreau exhaled, debating whether she should even entertain the conversation. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try us."

She hesitated, then leaned forward, lowering her voice slightly. "He's not like us. He's not like anyone."

Solis raised an eyebrow. "That's not an answer."

Moreau gave him a tired look. "That's all you're getting."

Voss changed the subject. "So, what about you, Moreau? How's it feel being dragged into this after being presumed dead?"

Moreau chuckled dryly. "You're assuming I'm happy to be here."

Solis smirked. "You're here, aren't you?"

Moreau rolled her eyes. "Like I had a choice."

Silence stretched between them for a while.

Eventually, Solis sighed. "You ever think about what happens if we fail?"

Voss, finishing his protein bar, threw the wrapper into the bin. "No point in thinking about failure."

Moreau stared at her screen. "The world burns."

Solis scoffed. "Optimistic as always."

Moreau's lips twitched slightly. "Just being realistic."

Voss leaned back. "What were you two doing before all this?"

Solis gave him a look. "You know what we were doing."

"Yeah, but humor me."

Solis sighed. "I was in hiding, researching from the shadows. The usual."

Voss nodded. "Same. Laying low."

Moreau tapped her fingers against the desk. "I was trying to disappear."

Solis smirked. "Didn't work out, did it?"

Moreau shot him a glare.

A few minutes of silence passed before Moreau finally sighed and stood up. "Break's over."

Voss groaned. "Already?"

Solis slid off the table. "Back to suffering, then."

They returned to their stations, the room once again filled with the sound of endless work.

Hours passed.

They ran test after test. Data streamed across their screens, and each time, the results were the same—failure.

Moreau rubbed her temples. "We're getting nowhere."

Voss looked at the time. "I think we should call it a day."

Solis exhaled. "Manav won't like that."

Voss chuckled. "Manav doesn't like anything."

Moreau sighed, looking at the data one last time before shutting off her screen. "Fine. But tomorrow, we need a real breakthrough."

Voss stood up, stretching. "Yeah, yeah. Tomorrow."

Solis smirked. "If the world lasts that long."

They left the lab, the sound of their footsteps echoing down the halls.

And so, another day passed. Another day without progress.