EXCERPT

“This has got to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done” said Maricus. “Isn’t there another way to figure this out?”

                “Well, this is the most accurate way we have,” said Dr. Langdon. “If you have a better way of figuring this out, I’d be glad to hear it.” Maricus sat quietly for a
moment.

                “No, I don’t have a better way, but I was just wondering, do we really need to know?” asked Maricus after a moment. Dr. Langdon pondered.

                “Yes,” he replied after a while. “It’s not like you’re really dying. You get to come back after a few minutes.” Maricus thought about it and said nothing else.

                They resumed changing their clothes in the dressing room. They removed their casual attire and replaced them with plain white hospital scrubs. They put their
belongings into their respective lockers and exited the dressing rooms, then
walked into the hallway and met two more men in identical attire.

                “Are you gentlemen ready?” Langdon asked.

                “Ready as we’ll ever be,” Rashik said.

                 “Not sure if I still want to go through with this,” Fawkes said.

                “Good lord, am I the only one with any balls around here?” Dr. Langdon said, jokingly. “Fawkes, I’m surprised at you. You’re usually the brave one. We’ve already got
enough adversity coming from outside sources, the last thing we need is someone
getting cold feet at the last second. So if anyone wants out, they should say
so now.” The hallway was silent. “Very well, let’s do this,” Dr. Langdon said,
beginning to walk. The other men followed behind him.