Oppenheimer

Seven years of work had led him to this moment. Seven years of staying in the lab for days on end. Untold gallons of coffee consumed and cartons of cigarettes smoked between tasks. One failed marriage. One broken home. Two children who were now only allowed to see their dad every other weekend. Billions of dollars spent getting to where they were today. Right here. Ready to flick the switch that would help to usher in a new era for mankind. That had been both the plan and the dream, only it wouldn’t come true. Not anymore.

It had started as a way of bringing clean energy to the world. No more wars would be fought over the last dregs of crude laying buried beneath the earth’s surface. Now humanity could focus its combined efforts on solving the world’s other great problems; feeding the needy, curing the sick and healing the planet. That was the intention when he had taken on the project. The government was funding it, but that wasn’t unusual for something of this magnitude and incredible expense.

But today he had learned a terrible truth; the real reason why they would commit to spending the kind of money needed to get them to this point. They wanted his team’s discovery not to fuel the world, but to destroy it. The same science that led to the required chemical reaction that would produce clean energy could be twisted, bastardised, into an incredibly effective weapon of war. Today, the general with whom he had been in contact with regularly throughout the project had made a personal visit to the lab. He had not come alone and instead was flanked with a pair of armed sergeants with steely expressions. They had come to take possession of their prize.

He had visions of Oppenheimer after the bomb. He had no desire to be remembered only for the destruction that would follow his years of effort. He couldn’t just sit back and let them take it, not with what they had in mind. It had been his life’s work, his greatest achievement. He thought that it had taken everything from him, but until that morning it had all seemed to have been worth it. Now it would be best to not be remembered at all. He took a deep breath and addressed his nervously assembled team.

“It’s been an honour working with all of you. Thank you so much for your efforts.” He managed a weak smile before lunging for the nearest sergeant’s rifle.