Chapter 2

That afternoon, I sent for James Chavez.

He was my star student, and he handled most of the research team's day-to-day work for me.

I told him to reach out that same afternoon and get another set of surveillance installed in every lab, and it had to record audio.

I also told him he was to be the last one out of the lab every single day, and that after locking up he was to check that the cameras were running properly.

The school had already put cameras in every lab, but I still didn't feel safe.

The next day, Matthew Perry came to me with his application.

I deliberately assigned him to shadow James. Trusting James was one reason. There was another.

The control experiments James ran were ones I never had to go near, so I could stay away from Matthew as much as possible.

To keep the tragedy from repeating, I couldn't afford to miss a single detail.

Over the next two weeks, James reported back to me on how Matthew was doing.

Every day, he simply finished whatever James assigned him.

Very obedient, and quick to catch on, sharper than a lot of the graduate students.

James even said Matthew was genuinely promising.

That actually made me start doubting myself.

Was it possible my rebirth had set off some butterfly effect, and Matthew had changed too?

Too bad I was overthinking it.

The graduate placement results were coming out this week, and Matthew couldn't sit still any longer.

That day, the moment I stepped out of the lab, he came right after me.

"Professor Pruitt, why is this experiment result so different from last time?"

"Oh, that?"

I turned back toward the lab.

"Come in and I'll walk you through it."

The second he saw the cameras inside, he only half-listened for a few sentences before making an excuse and leaving.

After that he waited for me outside the classroom building, and the moment I came out of class he rushed over, saying he had a few academic questions.

I just called James.

"Ask your senior about it. On the theory side, he knows it better than I do."

The last time, he sent me a long message.

The gist of it was that his family didn't have much money, and he was hoping I'd help him out.

In my past life, it was exactly because I felt sorry for him that I paid him a fifteen-hundred-dollar monthly allowance out of my own pocket.

When he framed me, that became the ironclad proof that I'd taken an interest in him.

Why give it to him and not to anyone else?

This time, I took him straight to the academic affairs office.

At first he had no idea what was going on.

"Professor Pruitt, what are we doing at the academic affairs office?"

Ernest Finch was there, and he looked just as puzzled to see me.

"What is it, Professor Pruitt?"

I pulled out my phone right away and showed him the messages Matthew had sent.

"Director Finch, look at this student's situation. I think the college ought to help him out."

Ernest read it, then took out a form.

"Matthew, why didn't you bring this up sooner? Hurry and fill this out."

While Matthew filled out the form, I took out my phone and snapped a photo.

Ernest watched me pull out my phone, his brow furrowing, clearly thinking I was making a fuss over nothing. "Professor Pruitt, the boy's family is struggling. If the college can help, it helps. There's no need to make this so formal."

"Director Finch, better to keep it formal."

I knew he was looking for an opening, and I wasn't about to let him have it.

With that I left, leaving Matthew behind.

That evening, while I was writing his placement recommendation letter, Matthew called.

"Professor Pruitt, I only wanted you to help me. There's no need to put me in such an awkward spot."

"Awkward? Are you the one who's awkward? Or are you the one hoping to make me awkward?"

Matthew went silent on the other end for a long moment before he managed a single line.

"What do you mean by that? I don't understand."

"If you don't understand, then never mind."

I hung up the moment I said it, and I could picture Matthew on the other end, fuming.

I also knew this wasn't going to end so easily.