The strong smell of chemicals in the air tickled Emma's nose, making her hold her breath as she stood beside her colleagues in the observation deck Her green eyes were fixated on the monitors, attentively observing the text flashing on them, as she bit her lip in nervousness. Her heart seemed to be beating as fast as experiment #246; it was a wonder the other scientists couldn't hear it in the silence of the room. Emma couldn't help it. She was much too excited. After months of toiling in the labs, working side-by-side among a few of the country's brilliant scientists on an immense project such as this, she felt like it was an honor to have a front-row seat. She didn't need the fame or the money. Her name would probably never be mentioned if this ever came to light for she was after all, just an assistant. But the experience, the discovery of something new, something momentous...well, just the mere thought of it made her heart race. 

Emma's eyes widened as her name flashed in bold green letters on one of the monitors. Not only was she going to be monitoring the specimens on her own, but she was going to be handling two of them. Experiments 447 and 222. She racked her brains to remember any information on them. Had she worked with them before? She wouldn't know. So far, all she'd done was assist without asking any questions. Emma shook her head. It didn't matter. She was going to be fine. [i]Just go in, do a quick check-up, move to the other one, repeat, get out,[/i] she told herself as she followed the scientists, her hand clutched tightly around the cold, metal can of her trusty pepper spray in the pocket of her lab coat. She knew she would have no use for it, especially since she was going to be wearing a protective suit over her clothes, but its presence made her feel less nervous.

She went through the decontamination and fitting process in a daze, occupied in her thoughts about what she would expect once she would be in the ward. Would they be violent? Would the whole project be terminated because of one failed experiment? She shook her head. No, she couldn't let that happen. She'd be damned if she let such an opportunity slip through her fingers. 

The voices of the other doctors brought her attention to them. Emma glanced at them briefly before quickly looking away. She'd worked with some of them, but she hadn't talked with them about anything outside of work. It was better that way. She'd always mucked up social interactions in the past. There was no time for chit-chat anyhow. Who knew what awaited them on the other side...