"No."
Edwin shook his head, and the hope that had been building in Lucien's chest collapsed so fast he almost couldn't control his expression.
Oh.
So much for being naturally immune. For a moment there, based on Edwin's excitement, he'd thought he might be special. Some kind of miracle case.
Apparently not.
"That's exactly what I wanted to discuss with you," Edwin continued. He gestured toward the microscope station. "Come here. I'll show you."
Lucien followed him, his thoughts already accelerating ahead of his steps. If he was not fully immune, then what exactly was he?
Edwin stood beside the microscope and brought up two images on the adjacent monitor. The display showed a split-screen comparison of blood samples under extreme magnification.
"I conducted cross-contamination tests," Edwin said, gesturing toward the screen. "I introduced your blood to a highly concentrated viral sample under controlled conditions. The virus was able to infect it, so you are not completely immune. But that is not the important part. Look closely at the rate of progression."
He enlarged specific regions of both samples.
On the left side, the virus spread rapidly, overwhelming healthy cells within minutes. The infection advanced in aggressive waves, leaving nothing untouched.
On the right side, Lucien's sample told a different story.
The virus was present. It had begun its work. But its advance was slower, more hesitant, as though encountering resistance at every step. The spread continued, but at perhaps half the speed of the control sample.
Lucien stared at the screen.
"Your body is producing some form of natural antibody or defensive mechanism. It does not completely stop the infection, but it interferes with the virus and slows its progression."
He brought up another set of data on the screen and pointed to several highlighted lines.
"The virus exists everywhere now. It is present in the air and in the water, though only in low concentrations. Most people are constantly exposed to it, and over time it accumulates in their systems just from breathing. But your antibodies are suppressing it."
Lucien stared at the screen, trying to absorb what that meant. "But if I get bitten..."
Edwin did not hesitate. "Then you are still doomed. A walker's bite delivers a concentrated viral load directly into the bloodstream. It overwhelms the body immediately. Your antibodies would slow it down, but they would not stop it. You would still turn. It might just take longer."
He fell silent for a moment, studying Lucien. Then he crouched down so they were at eye level.
"But even with that limitation, this is incredible. Do you understand? In months of testing, you're the first person I've found with any resistance at all. If I can use your blood as a baseline for research, even if we can't cure the virus outright, we might be able to develop a serum. Something that delays the transformation after infection."
"So what do I need to do?" Lucien asked.
Edwin's expression shifted immediately.
"You don't do anything," he said firmly. "Except keep this secret."
"What?"
"Lucien." Edwin gripped his shoulders. "Listen to me carefully. You cannot tell anyone about this. Not unless you trust them absolutely. Do you understand?"
Lucien frowned. "But if my blood could help develop a serum, wouldn't people want to protect me? Keep me safe so there's more to study?"
"That's what a rational person would think. But how many rational people do you think are left in this world? Most of the survivors out there have been pushed to the edge. They're desperate and terrified. Some of them have gone completely mad from it."
Edwin turned back to face him. "If the wrong people find out about you, they won't think about long-term research or future benefits. They'll see you as a cure. And they'll drain every drop of blood from your body looking for salvation. Or worse, there are people out there who'd think eating you might transfer the immunity. I've heard stories, Lucien. About what survivors do when they're desperate enough."
Lucien allowed the fear to show on his face. He did not need to force it. The fear was genuine, even if he usually buried it beneath layers of planning and safeguards.
"Then… are you going to tell anyone?"
Edwin met his gaze. "No. I'll never tell anyone."
Lucien hesitated. "But you said you stayed here to find a cure. If my blood could help—"
"That was my wife's purpose," Edwin said quietly, cutting him off. He turned away, his eyes settling on nothing in particular. For a long moment, he said nothing.
"She was the brilliant one," he continued at last. "She was the one who might have succeeded. I stayed behind because I did not know where else to go. I told myself I was continuing her work, but the truth is… I was only waiting."
He drew a slow breath.
"The backup power here is almost depleted. I had planned to let it run out in another day or so. After that, the failsafe would activate. The facility would sterilize itself completely, including me. It would have been painless."
He turned back to Lucien, and there was something fierce in his eyes now. "But you cannot stay. You are humanity's hope, Lucien. Perhaps the last hope we have left. I will not allow you to be buried here alongside me."
He moved to the computer and began pulling up files. "I'll inform the others about the power situation," he said as he worked. "It will give you time to prepare. You can gather supplies and leave before the system locks down completely. There's equipment here you can use, along with medicine and food. Take whatever you can carry."
He paused briefly, his hand resting on the edge of the desk.
"And someday, if you meet a doctor you truly trust, you might tell them about this. But until that day comes, you must protect yourself. You must stay safe. And you must survive. Do you understand?"
Lucien said nothing. He simply watched Edwin's face.
The man appeared sincere. There was no trace of calculation in his eyes. What he saw instead was resignation tempered by resolve.
Even so, he did not lower his guard.
Experience had taught him that trust was never absolute. Not even foreknowledge of events could guarantee certainty. People were unpredictable. Circumstances could reshape intentions. And desperation had the power to turn anyone into something else entirely.
In the show, Edwin had been sympathetic, but ultimately fatalistic. However, that version of Edwin had never encountered someone with even partial immunity. There was no way to predict how such a discovery might alter his thinking.
Lucien had prepared himself for the worst.
If Edwin had suddenly seized him and begun talking about necessary sacrifices for the greater good, he would have had no choice but to defend himself. The Levitation Charm, applied without restraint, could render someone unconscious if they fell from sufficient height. It would be unpleasant, but survival left little room for sentiment.
But that scenario never came.
Instead, Edwin was offering protection.
He was offering help.
Maybe the man really was one of the good ones.
He made a decision.
His magic had to remain secret. That was non-negotiable. Its existence would invite fear, exploitation, and consequences he could not fully predict.
But the antibodies were different.
Yes, they made him valuable, but they also made him worth preserving. A living subject offered far more potential than a dead one. Any rational researcher would recognize that long-term observation and study provided greater benefit than short-term extraction.
And he had begun to understand the people around him well enough to distinguish reason from madness.
Edwin, he believed, was rational.
"Dr. Jenner," he said carefully. "I think you're exactly the right person for this."
Edwin blinked. "I appreciate the confidence, but I told you—"
"I don't know how capable you are as a scientist," Lucien interrupted. "But I know your character. You risked opening the doors for us. You warned me about the danger instead of using me. Even if part of that is because you'd already given up..." He met Edwin's eyes directly. "It still means you're a good person."
Edwin looked uncomfortable with the assessment.
"If you're the one researching this," Lucien continued, "then I know I'll be safe, at least from you."
It was mostly true. Edwin didn't seem like the type to strap a kid to a table for aggressive experimentation. And even if he did try something, Lucien had options. Not many spells yet, but enough to handle one exhausted middle-aged scientist.
More importantly, this setup was probably the best he could hope for in the apocalypse.
What he needed was time to master more spells. A few months here, in relative safety, with access to resources...
That was worth the risk.
"But other people?" Lucien shook his head. "I can't be sure about them."
Edwin's expression shifted. The kid had a point. Lucien was young, physically weak, with no real way to defend himself against determined adults. If they encountered the wrong survivor group... And the fact that this child was willing to trust him based on a few honest words made his chest tight with something he couldn't name.
"So the best option is staying here. This place has everything we need. You can do your research, I can... well, stay alive and donate blood occasionally, I suppose."
A faint, wry smile crossed his face. "We'd both have a future. This seems like a decent arrangement."
Then he frowned, like something had just occurred to him. "Oh. Except for the power problem, right? But couldn't that be solved? I remember seeing petrol stations on the way here. And a facility like this must have backup generators, solar panels, something?"
Edwin went still.
He looked at Lucien's hopeful expression, then thought about Jim's cryptic words.
Never give up. The deeper the despair, the clearer the future becomes.
A laugh bubbled up from somewhere deep in his chest.
"You're right," he said slowly. "We've survived this long and made it through situations that should've killed us. Now we've found something that might help. You're right. There's even less reason to give up now."
The change in Edwin's posture was visible. Had he just accidentally inspired a suicidal scientist back to life?
"Come on," Edwin said, already moving toward the door. He clapped a hand on Lucien's shoulder. "Go gather everyone. Have them meet in the main control center. I think I have some important things to tell them."