Heiser-The-Facade - Sparkling Eyes

CHAPTER 33"One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic." —Josef Stalin"I'M SORRY FOR your loss, Doctor," a disoriented Brian vaguely heard over thecrunch of glass under the soldier's boots. "I know he was a good friend. I just wish I hadan explanation for his behavior. We had no choice."Brian wiped the tears from his face and looked up at the Colonel from where hesat on the floor, back against one of the walls of the lab, staring at the floor between hisknees. The officer looked uneasily into his eyes, unsure of what else to add. "I know,"Brian acknowledged politely, and resumed his position. He was still in shock over whathad happened, but perhaps more over what had nearly happened. What could possiblyhave driven Neil so far over the edge that he'd not only be willing to kill, but to kill him?"Brian ..." Melissa's familiar voice beckoned gently."Better not get too close," he mumbled a warning. "People who spend too muchtime around me tend to wind up dead.""Don't talk like that," she tried to soothe him."It's true," he scoffed, "those who don't excuse themselves from my lifevoluntarily get removed somehow or another.""I'm not going anywhere.""Then you're not as bright as I thought you were.""Enough!" she scolded him. "You're the one who told me that everything happensfor a reason. I'm not going to let you excuse God or yourself from this. The universedoesn't revolve around you any more than it does me."Brian said nothing, stung more by her words than his own thrown back at him. Hecouldn't tell her how unjust he felt this latest providential twist of fate was, either. He hadonly to recall her own experience to know he had no corner on feeling maltreated."This is just really . . . hard to take.""1 know," she comforted him, and sat down next to him and took hold of his arm."I know what betrayal feels like.""1 guess I do feel some of that, but . . . somehow I don't feel like he looked at meany differently than usual. What could compel him to make that kind of decision—andwhat about what he said, that millions would die if you lived? It's just lunacy.""I think you need to face up to the fact that Neil just cracked for some reason.You saw how agitated and distressed he was. Something inside just snapped.""It makes no sense. Stuff like what we're doing was his life.""It doesn't make sense because there's no sense to it. He just reached the breakingpoint. That's why the psychological screening is so thorough here . . . unfortunately, theprocess isn't foolproof.""How's Malcolm?" he asked, changing the subject."Fine. He just needed something to calm his nerves. They already took him backto his room."296