Free A Choice of Evils by Joe Thompson-Swift Page B

microscope illuminated by an infra-red light. Two other figures were engaged in a similar activity of embroiled dedication. The time was now 6pm. Surely they would be winding up soon, I thought.
    I moved away to find a location to hide. On moving to the top floor, a quick scan around found me a cleaning store cum broom cupboard. It was unlocked. Peering inside, I saw it was big enough to hide in and as quiet as a mouse, I found a space behind some boxes. It was made to measure. On depositing my brief case there, I quickly made for the men’s toilet and passed sweet notes of falling water, before settling in for the wait ahead of me.
    Sitting there in the dark cupboard reminded me of the times when I had hidden in the attics and lofts of huge country house mansions while owners were in. On occasions, I had waited like a cat waiting to pounce on a bird. It all came back to me, as I listened to the faint and distant noises coming from somewhere within the building. Now at last I could hear the distinct calls of goodnight, and the clicks of light switches. Through the keyhole, a small dot of light was enough to see my watch was showing 6.45pm. The darkness gave a psychological feeling of safety in the cupboard.
    On the stroke of 7pm I could hear the heavy footsteps of the security guard checking that the building was empty. An odd click of a light switch sounded as his footsteps stopped here and there as he ascended up a flight of stairs. My ears strained to hear him return down and disappear to the ground level. Finally, as I made open the door, I could hear the turning of the key on the ground floor. Then he was gone.
    For a few moments, I allowed my eyes to adjust to the landing darkness as I listened again. The building was in total silence. The only noises were of the passing traffic outside. Walking on my rubber heels, I felt my way around until I came to Dr Bruce’s Lab. I took my twirls, gloves and torch from the case and immediately got to work on the lock. I picked my way around the tumblers inside it until I found the tension rod. With a roll, a twist and a lift, I collapsed the tumblers and slid back the lock. A slow turn of the handle and Hey Presto! I was now inside shining my torch light around the Lab.
    A steel cabinet of draws caught my eye together with a desk. I remembered I was looking for a red bound file as I searched through each drawer looking for the key words XP42. One by one, I went through each file and sheath of papers as an elimination exercise. Most of them were stamped with a skull and cross bones, the symbol for poison. All kinds of scientific symbols and mathematical data compounded my confusion and ignorance, as I laboured with the searching. After two hours with the cabinet, I turned my attention to a desk nearby. Once again, I did a meticulous search, drawer after drawer, and file by file. So far things were not looking good.
    I moved to a long bench work top, where pigeon holes housed more papers and clip boards. There was nothing to encourage my optimism. As I looked around, my torch beam fell on the handle of a door at the back of the room. I moved towards it. There appeared to be a slit of light at the bottom as if the light was on inside. I turned out the torch and crept towards it. I was right. There was a light on. Now I could hear some noises. Again I listened and determined what they might be like the sound of a mouse treadmill and sounds of scratching within a cage, so without further delay, I opened the door and saw for myself.
    It was quite a large room. It was furnished with cages holding various animals. I saw rabbits, rats, monkeys, a dog and some creatures whose names I did not know. It was obvious these animals were the subject of experiments. Each cage held a clip board giving details of their history. Curiosity moved me along each cage. I noticed the words dosage and toxin code run like a thread through the details of each one. Then like a punch between the eyes, I saw the