Page 26 of The Last of Love

Dr. Walt’s eyes flickered with surprise. He hadn’t expected that. His smile grew wider. “Oh? You’re beginning to see the bigger picture, are you? Or are you just fucking with me?” He took another step closer, his arrogance getting the better of him. He was buying her act, and she needed to keep it going.

Fleur nodded, forcing a shaky sigh. “I just... I want to understand what it is you’re trying to accomplish. If it’s really for the greater good, maybe I could help. The journey I've been on has been awful, and if I'm valuable, I want to be… alive.”

She kept her eyes on him, trying to read his face. His ego was palpable. He truly believed he was the hero in all this, that he was on the brink of saving the world. And she wanted to make him believe she was going to join him.

Dr. Walt began to pace, clearly enjoying the opportunity to share his grand vision. “We are at the cusp of a new era, Fleur. One where we take control of this virus, harness it to build a stronger future. It’s all about power. Ensuring that the right people are left standing, the right people thrive.” He gestured grandly as he spoke, his voice growing more animated. “And you, with your expertise, could be a part of that future. We could do great things together. I know the lab you’ve come from, I know they had similar plans, but my plans are… better.”

Fleur listened intently, nodding in all the right places, keeping her face neutral. Inside, she felt sickened by his words, the way he spoke of using the virus as a weapon. But she kept that disgust hidden, focused instead on the ropes around her wrists, the way they dug into her skin. She shifted slightly, testing their give. The knots were tight, but not impossible. She just needed a distraction, needed him to keep talking.

“What exactly is your plan, then?” she asked, her voice as smooth as she could make it. “How do you plan to make all of this work?”

Dr. Walt grinned, clearly pleased with her interest. He stepped closer, oblivious to her subtle movements, her fingers working at the knot behind her back. “The plan is already in motion,” he said, his voice low, conspiratorial. “We’ve secured the data, and soon we’ll have everything we need to finish the cure, one that we control. With it, we can rebuild society from the ashes, but only with those who deserve it.”

Fleur kept her eyes locked on his, her mind racing. She could feel the ropes loosening, her fingers trembling slightly as they worked. She needed to buy just a little more time. “And what happens to those who don’t deserve it?” she asked, her voice just above a whisper.

Dr. Walt sneered, his eyes narrowing. “They’ll become part of the past. Collateral damage. It’s the only way forward. You know the deal.”

Fleur’s heart pounded as she finally felt the ropes slip free, her wrists aching but now untethered. She kept her posture still, not letting him see her triumph, instead leaning forward as if genuinely interested. “I see,” she murmured. “And you really think you can make this work?”

Dr. Walt nodded, his confidence radiating off him. “I know I can,” he said, his chest puffing with pride. He stepped closer, within arm's reach now, oblivious to the danger. “With someonelike you by my side, it’s inevitable. I have more information that I need you to help me with. And you either help me by your own choice, or I make you help me. It’s as simple as that.”

Fleur forced a smile, her hands moving behind her back, flexing as she prepared herself. “Well, Dr. Walt, I’m afraid there’s one thing you didn’t consider,” she said, her voice dropping to a cold, calm tone.

Dr. Walt frowned, his eyes narrowing in confusion. “What’s that?”

Fleur didn’t hesitate. In one swift motion, she lunged forward, her hands shooting out, grabbing him by the collar. His eyes widened in shock, but he didn’t have time to react. He didn’t grab his weapon. She twisted, using her momentum to slam him against the wall. The impact stunned him, and she didn’t let up, her body moving on instinct, fueled by fear and adrenaline. She grabbed a piece of broken glass from the floor. Something she had noticed earlier, something that now served her purpose.

Dr. Walt tried to fight back, but he was unprepared, his arrogance having blinded him to the threat she posed. Fleur brought the shard down with a force that surprised even her, driving it into his side. His eyes went wide, his mouth opening in a silent scream. She twisted the shard. She didn’t stop until he slumped against her, his weight heavy, lifeless.

She stepped back, breathing heavily, her hands trembling as she looked at what she had done. Dr. Walt lay on the ground, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Fleur felt a pang of something—guilt? Fear? She wasn’t sure. But she pushed it aside. There was no time for hesitation, no time for regret. She didn’t even want to check if he was really gone. She didn’t need to.

She turned, moving quickly to the door, her heart racing as she listened for any sign of movement outside. The building was eerily quiet, the echo of her own breathing the only sound.She knew she had to find Lena, had to get them out of here before anyone realized what had happened. She opened the door slowly, peering out into the hallway. Empty. She slipped out, her bare feet barely making a sound as she moved.

Fleur’s chest tightened as she hurried through the dirty hallways, her bare feet silent on the cold concrete. She had to get to Lena before it was too late. She moved faster, her body aching but her determination pushing her forward. She wouldn’t let them win. Not now, not after everything they had been through.

A green exit sign was flashing on top of the stairwell entrance.

“She’s strong—maybe she got out. But she would’ve looked for me,” Fleur thought out loud.

She took a deep breath and made her way down the stairs. And when she reached the bottom, that's where she saw her.

Lena lay slumped against the wall, her eyes closed, her face pale and streaked with dirt and blood. She’d managed to drag herself inside and close the door behind her. Fleur’s heart dropped, and she rushed over, falling to her knees beside her. She reached out, her fingers trembling as she touched Lena’s shoulder, giving her a gentle shake. “Lena?” she whispered, her voice cracking. “Lena, wake up.”

Lena’s eyes fluttered open, but there was something wrong. Something was off about her gaze. They weren’t the sharp, focused eyes Fleur had come to know. They were duller, clouded, with a hint of something dark swimming within them. Fleur’s stomach twisted in fear as she noticed the wound on Lena’s arm, a jagged bite mark that was already beginning to darken, the skin around it a sickly gray.

“No,” Fleur breathed, her eyes widening in horror. “No, no, no.” She cupped Lena’s face with her hands, her fingers brushing against her cheek as if her touch alone could bring her back toherself. Lena’s breathing was shallow, her skin clammy beneath Fleur’s touch.

Fleur shook her head, her heart pounding in her chest. “Stay with me, Lena. Please, stay with me,” she pleaded. She couldn’t let Lena go, not like this, not after everything they had been through together. Fleur’s eyes darted around the room, searching for anything that could help, anything she could use to fight this. She knew what the bite meant, knew that time was slipping away far too quickly.

A backpack.It must be from one of Dr. Walt’s men, she thought. She rummaged inside frantically.

A miracle. She found supplies.

Gauze, bandages, disinfectant. Nothing that would be enough. Then her eyes landed on a packet with a vial and syringe. It was unlabeled and it could be a risk, but what was there to lose now?

“Could this be what Walt and his men have been working on?” she mumbled, a tear running down her face.

It surely wasn’t a cure, but it might be something enough to slow the infection, to give Lena more time. Fleur rushed back to her, dropping to her knees again, her hands already working to prepare the injection. She looked at Lena, her heart aching at how weak she looked, how unlike herself.

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