Chapter 14: The Catalyst
The laboratory of Professor Ilham did not look like a place that still belonged to the world outside.
It was quiet.
Organized.
Alive.
Unlike everything else they had passed on the road.
Lights still worked.
Computers still responded.
And for the first time in days—
everyone inside the team felt something dangerous again.
Hope.
Professor Ilham examined the sealed container carefully as Myra placed it on the stainless-steel table.
"You brought this from Akra Hill?"
"Yes."
She opened the container slowly.
Inside—
wrapped in protective laboratory paper—
were the remaining Akra leaves
and Fingerroot samples.
Professor Ilham didn't touch them immediately.
Instead—
he studied them first.
Like a scientist recognizing something rare.
Something important.
Something almost lost.
Farid stood beside the doorway.
Watching everything.
Watching everyone.
"So this is it?"
Professor Ilham looked up.
"No."
He answered calmly.
"This is only the beginning."
The first test started immediately.
Grinding.
Separating fibers.
Heating extract solutions.
Filtering compounds.
Running stability scans.
The lab slowly filled with the sound of machines working again.
For the first time since the outbreak—
real research had resumed.
Lyana stepped closer to the microscope station.
"You're testing reaction resistance?"
Professor Ilham nodded.
"Yes."
"And immune compatibility."
Raj crossed his arms.
"Tell us the simple version."
Professor Ilham allowed himself a small smile.
"I'm checking whether this can help the human body fight the infection."
Minutes passed.
Then another twenty.
Then almost an hour.
No one spoke much.
Everyone waited.
Finally—
Professor Ilham leaned back slowly.
His expression had changed.
"What is it?" Myra asked.
He looked at the monitor again.
Then at the samples.
Then back at Myra.
"This is not medicine."
Silence filled the lab.
"What do you mean?" Diana asked quietly.
Professor Ilham answered carefully.
"This is a catalyst."
Everyone looked confused.
Except Myra.
Her expression changed immediately.
"A catalyst?"
"Yes."
"It doesn't kill the infection."
He paused.
"It forces the body to respond faster."
Raj frowned.
"So it helps the immune system fight?"
"Yes."
Professor Ilham nodded.
"But only if the body survives the reaction."
Malik stepped forward.
"And if it doesn't?"
Professor Ilham didn't answer immediately.
Because everyone already understood.
"It accelerates mutation," he finally said.
The word changed everything.
Mutation.
Dangerous.
Unpredictable.
Irreversible.
Myra looked at the reaction data again.
"It explains Akra Hill."
Professor Ilham nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"They weren't trying to cure the infection."
"They were trying to create resistance."
Farid crossed his arms tighter.
"Did it work?"
Professor Ilham stared at the screen again.
Then answered honestly.
"We don't know."
He walked toward an old storage terminal at the back of the lab.
Turned it on.
Waited.
The screen flickered once.
Twice.
Then finally responded.
Archived research logs appeared.
Damaged.
Incomplete.
Partially deleted.
But still readable.
Lyana stepped closer.
"That system is military-linked."
Professor Ilham nodded.
"Yes."
"And someone accessed it before the evacuation."
Raj frowned.
"You mean after the outbreak?"
"Yes."
Professor Ilham answered quietly.
"Someone removed part of the Akra samples."
The room fell silent again.
"How many samples?" Farid asked.
Professor Ilham checked the inventory log carefully.
Then answered.
"Most of them."
Only one entry remained highlighted on the screen.
Subject trial pending.
Status: incomplete.
Myra leaned closer.
"Pending?"
Professor Ilham nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"They were preparing for another test."
Before anyone could respond—
a warning sound echoed softly from the outer compound wall.
Not loud.
Not urgent.
But wrong.
Farid turned immediately.
"What was that?"
Zul checked the security panel.
"Outer fence sensor."
Malik frowned.
"Animal?"
Zul shook his head slowly.
"No."
His voice dropped.
"Movement."
Professor Ilham looked toward the monitor.
Then toward the corridor outside the lab.
Then back at the Akra samples still resting on the table.
For the first time since they arrived—
he stopped working.
"Close the doors," he said quietly.
No one asked why.
Because everyone already understood.
Something
was coming. 🧟♂️