He ran. Fast, hard, he ran from shouting men and barking dogs in the night. He ran past grey, blocky buildings, in the shadows and alleys, he ran from his workplace into the woods. He turned his head slightly; his two companions had fallen behind.
"Hurry, for fuck's sake!" he wheezed at them, before darting a look at the corner of the nearest building. Dogs and guards came into sight. Jeremy had never been so frightened, but this sabotage attempt was a decision he'd made long ago. He, Rhonda and Amir had ethics, even if their superiors did not. And not they were running, quite possible for their lives, each with a very important ampulla in their pocket. If they could get the contents of those ampullae to the authorities, then he could maybe live with himself for assisting in its development. If the workings of his employers were exposed, he could sleep at night.
His thoughts were interrupted as Rhonda and Amir tripped on the roots of the old trees, the sound of shattering glass ringing in his ears like trumpets of doom. His was now the only sample they had. But they had to keep moving. Their pursuers were closing in.
"We... we can't continue, Jeremy," Rhonda gasped. At sixty, she had never had to run a mile since high school, and Amir, despite being about twenty years younger, looked no better. "You have to continue," he said heaving, "you have to deliver the virus."
Jeremy took only a split second to think. He could continue. He could run to the highway, where a car waited for him. That would mean the end for the two others, though. On the other hand, the ampulla sat in his pocket, inviting. He could drink its contents. He could hedge his bets - his life - on a quick reaction.