The 50/50 Vaccine

Chapter18

After 6 rounds of interviews, we have the last two of the group. We’ve already had to send two of them packing for lying. The lady who asked how they fail tried to lie about her experience after getting the vaccine. The problem with that is that Milly is the one who asks those questions, and she can read your mind, and Evan asks similar questions with the ability to hear what you are thinking. Lying to them isn’t smart. Emil handles the interview, asking about your life before the vaccine and why you decided to get the vaccine, which is the part I pay the most attention to, as he can only sense the change in mood, and sometimes talking about the past is uncomfortable for us.

Doug is one of the last two, and I’m tempted to ask Emil if I can do his interview. Emil interviews with the other man, while Milly interviews Doug. “You should ask Emil if you can sit in on that interview. If you know him and are suspicious, it makes sense to tag you in.” Evan states. I look at him and he smiles, “Sorry, sometimes I can’t help hearing things. How do you know the guy?”

“I dated him. We were together for six years, until I decided to get the vaccine.” I answer.

“I have him next, and Emil will be free. Is there something extra I should ask him to test him?”

“How many families did he interview as a lawyer before I decided to get the vaccine… Ask him about the contracts we had to sign, but alter the facts to see if he catches it. I know he’s only read the contracts of those who have died, when their families were looking to sue Greenway.”

“So, specifically the contracts we signed and have in our possession?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll ask Sasha to send me a copy immediately.” Evan pulls his phone out of his pocket and dials.

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Emil entered the interrogation room where Doug sat uneasily, waiting for his final interview. He hasn’t lied, but he’s also avoided direct answers to his first two interviews. I stood outside in my viewing area, observing both parties. After talking with Emil, we have a plan for me to observe the interviews until the end. I will enter the interview room with Emil once the other survivor’s interview is completed. He’s hoping that having me enter the room and ask pointed questions, and not allowing Doug to avoid direct answers, will get a reaction from Doug. Evan hinted that Doug was thinking about a sports game during his interview, which is a trick to keep himself calm. Milly is watching the interviews with me in the observation room.

“You should be in there with Emil,” She whispers. “When I was doing his interview, he was thinking about you. I’m not sure if it was surprise or relief that he saw you at the introduction.”

“I’m going in there, just not yet. I’m annoyed how he’s answering the questions without a direct answer.”

“Do you think he knows about our abilities?”

“I’m not sure. He could be a true recipient of the vaccine, or he could be working for the government.”

“The government? Not Greenway?”

“He’d never work for Greenway. Doug enjoys being a lawyer, and he never approved of Greenway’s word choices. They asked for volunteers to remove any liability on themselves from a legal standpoint.”

“Why would the government send someone here before Greenway?”

“Because, unlike Greenway, we are not covering anything up. We are just a safe place for survivors of the vaccine to live, and after that report a few months back about a vaccine survivor, they’d be ignorant not to investigate all leads.” When I see red words come into view from Doug’s interview, I push the button, telling Emil that Doug just said was a lie. I take a deep breath and focus on the conversation Emil and Doug are having.

“Why did you decide to get the vaccine?” Emil pressed.

“I told you because I wanted to reunite with my girlfriend,” Doug answered. “She got the vaccine almost a year ago, and we parted ways because she was a survivor and in danger of the protesters.”

I knocked on the door to Evan’s interview, signaling I was leaving the observation area, then I barged into Emil’s interview. “That’s a bold-faced lie, and you know it, Doug!” I announce as I enter. “I left because you told me we were finished. Now, tell him the truth, or you’ll be escorted out.”

“The truth is that I missed you, Mandy. I got the vaccine, not knowing if I’d find you again or not. I know I messed up, but it was a risk I was willing to take in hopes of finding you.” Doug protested. “This is silly, I’ve answered several dozen questions already, why are we still hashing this out?”

“Because you are lying. And when you are not lying, you are expertly avoiding the direct answers. I’ve been watching, because I know you more than you think. I spent 6 years trying to be… Never mind, I know you are hiding something.” I press. “I want a simple yes or no answer, nothing else from you. Did you get the vaccine?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

“What did I just say. Yes, or no. Did you get the vaccine?”

“This is ridiculous, I’m done talking. I know my rights.” Doug replied.

“Are you working for the government?” I redirect.

“What are you talking about?” Doug replied. “You know I worked for the State.”

“I’m done here, Emil. Get security. He’s wasting our time.” I stated, turning to leave. “You have always been a good lawyer, Doug, but all that training will never help you get into this facility. You are hiding something if you can’t answer a question with a simple yes or no. Tell your bosses that we are living peacefully and don’t need to be monitored. The protestors and Greenway need to be investigated, not us.”

I leave the interrogation room, pulling the door closed behind me, and return to the observation room. I stand there watching as security enters and pulls Doug out of the room and off the premises. I’m a mix of emotions right now, because I did love Doug, but now seeing him again after all this time, I feel different. I was skeptical when he first walked in, then I was annoyed that he shamed me for getting the vaccine, and that he was here now as a recipient. The more we interviewed him, the more I was reassured that he didn’t get the vaccine; he was just trying to get admitted into our facility.

“Are you okay?” Emil asked me as he exited the room behind security and Doug.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s not what we agreed on, but he lied, and I wanted to be the one to call him out on it. He was making my blood boil the whole time. He entered here as a hypocrite, I’m a bit relieved that it seems it was only a show and not the truth.” I reply as we walk to the room where those who passed the interview process await the next steps of being welcomed into the facility.

“Did you get closure?”

“I had my closure before I came here,” I admit. “Our relationship fizzled long before I got the vaccine, but I was holding on out of comfort, not out of love.”

“Which explains the waves of emotion flowing off you,” Emil notes.

“I’ll be okay. Let’s go finish up these tours,” I reply, forcing a smile. I know he is an empath, but he understands that I just need time to process the events of this morning.

We broke the group into four tours and led them around the facility. After the tours concluded, Sasha met the group back in the lecture room to give them keys, itineraries, and a map. Once they have their keys, they are brought up to their apartments to rest and get settled in. The rest of the day was quiet for us. Only two more small tour groups came in before the end of the day.