Stranded // One Direction

Chapter 22 // Cure

The loud ticking of the clock sitting next to the desk is the only sound filling the room. The room now sits without Dr. Drake as he left only moments ago to run something by Natalia. We've been sitting talking in his office for what has seemed like hours about his late night shifts in medical school and about the countless lucky souls that he's saved. He's the real deal, so he says.

However, throughout all of his heroic stories he did manage to release some information about the work that he's been doing on the island. He wasn't really specific but the words biological testing did come out of his mouth at one point. That was the point where he nervously shuffled a few papers on his desk and laughed before saying, "Natalia forgot to print the last page. I'll have to go ask her to get that for me..."

Now before he returns, I quickly pull myself out of the chair that I've been sitting in talking to Dr. Drake and jump behind his desk in an attempt to gather more information myself. I pull open two file cabinet drawers to the left but the drawers only hold the typical office essentials, such as pens, staples and a few cases of old, stale mints. As I reach to pull open the third file drawer, it doesn't budge.

I breathe in deeply and open the first two drawers again, eager to find the key that must be used in order to open the third drawer. Under the cases of old mints, a small stainless steel key sits alone. The key is immediately pull to use as it clicks the third drawer open. This drawer is definitely more important than the last.

Thick files sit in the drawer, small codes written in ink in the right hand corner of each. They're in numerical order, the first code being, "001" and the second, "002." The short codes remind me a lot like the ones that Sol showed us on the map. The ones that specify which part of the base that you're in at any given time.

I begin to flick through the files, my nervous hands trembling with fear with every passing second. Nothing pops out at me until I reach the fifth or sixth file. It's the name. Kennedy Patera. I open the file as soon as I see the familiar name. The first page has all of her basic information, her birthdate, her hair color and even the signatures of her parents. At the very bottom of the page, it's signed Carson Lee and Helios Patera.

The second page includes more of her medical history. She was born nearly four weeks premature and spent her first month in the NICU. After her stay there, she was transferred to a private medical ward. After her medical history, it has her family history. I scroll down the page, searching for anything that may be helpful.

A specific phrase on the page catches my eye as I nearly read past it. "Grandfather Gerald Lee was killed on-site after he injected himself with the test injection named BioCure in late 2013..."  My heart stops in my chest as I read that sentence. BioCure. That's what Eddie spoke about being the cure for Louis and Nick. Yet if it killed Carsons' father last year, what makes us think that it's going to actually work on anyone else without killing them?

"What are you doing!?" A booming voice says from the entrance of the room.

I instantly glance up, looking to see as Dr. Drake stands in the doorway, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. Natalia stands behind him, her eyes as large as the moon. I breathe in silently and hold up my hands, as if I'm surrendering. I suppose I am. This is it.

"I uh..." I stutter, turning my eyes to the floor below.

"I said..." he mutters as he takes a step into the room, "what are you doing?"

My heart thumps deep within my chest as I feel it vibrate throughout my body. Sweat pours down the back of my neck as every hair on my skin rises in a panic. My hands have stopped shaking but the shakes have just been transferred to my legs that are luckily being hidden by the desk. I take in one last gulp of air before deciding to defend my actions.