He leaned into the binoculars of the microscope and gently placed the needle of the syringe onto the surface of the petri dish. Xavier slid the syringe forward with methodical slowness toward the cell wall, and then began to inject the molecule.

“I am now placing the second Hydrogen molecule into the infected specimen. If your theory is correct, then the particle should connect as happened with the first, therefore forcing the infected elements from the cell.”

“Therefore creating the greatest cure known to man,” Williamson said with a slight chuckle. But his mood quickly altered when he noticed Xavier’s expression. “What? What’s wrong?”

Xavier Scott looked up from his microscope with a remorseful look, though he did not directly answer Williamson’s question. Everything that they had worked on—all of the studies and reports that the two had done—and the final experiment was a complete failure. “I… I’m sorry, Mark… it’s not taking,” Scott finally said, as he looked down at the microscope in front of him.

“Well… what, I mean…uh… what’s the problem?”

“The second molecule… it’s not active, Mark. It’s just floating there—the damned thing isn't creating a bond.”

Xavier walked away from the microscope. He came to a stop a few steps later, as if uncertain whether he should walk or speak. Xavier paused for a moment, and then rushed back toward Mark and the lab table.

“ FUCK! ” Xavier screamed. “Two years of work flushed down the god forsaken drain! I need some air. I’ll be right back.”

Mark nodded and stepped back as Xavier rushed past him.

“I don't believe this shit!” Xavier said as he kicked a trashcan. The metallic cylinder shot across the lab and crashed into a metal tray of unused specimens.

“Xavier, watch out! That’s our last batch of specimens. We can’t afford to get more!”

“Specimens? Who gives a rat’s ass about them? The experiment is over . We were wrong; got it?”

“But perhaps that second one was from a bad batch? Maybe we co—”

“No, no!” Xavier interrupted. “It came from the same damn batch as the first one. If it were a bad batch, then the first molecule wouldn’t have made the bond.”

“Look… all I’m saying is let’s try another batch. That is, if you didn’t destroy all of them.”

“All right.” Xavier bent down to grab an undamaged vial lying at his feet. He snatched up the container and examined it for a moment. “Fine. You really want to continue the project, even though we both now know it’s a failure?”

“This is where we belong, Xavier.” Williamson stood next to a microscope and gestured at it. “We all fail once in a while.”

“I don’t fail!”

Xavier threw the vial toward Williamson. The vial flew past Williamson and crashed into the microscope, which caused a small but powerful explosion on the petri dish they were working on.

“ Mark! ” Xavier screamed in fear.