‘Anna, I’m as certain as I can be that this is safe, but the bottom line is the new fMRI scanner is more powerful, it has—’

‘Stronger magnets, faster readouts. It’s new tech. I understand all of this.’

‘Then you should also understand that there could be some side-effects and I can’t—’

‘Can’t or won’t? Look, if anyone is going to able to feel what Adam is feeling, it should be me. I’m willing to take the risk. What if this is the only chance there is…’ Anna’s voice cracks.

Oliver whips off his glasses and rubs his eyes. He can’t agree to this.

‘What if, for now…’ he is thinking on his feet, ‘we try the trial without another person taking part. Just Adam. Without the VR goggles we’d still receive images from the scanner but they wouldn’t include the other senses of course. We can all view on screen at the same time—’

‘No,’ Anna cut in. ‘I won’t agree to that. We use the goggles and I’m the one with Adam. All or nothing.’

‘Go big or go home,’ Nell says.

‘It’s too…’ Things are sliding out of Oliver’s control.

‘Please, Oliver. Let me try.’

‘Nell?’ Oliver pleads. ‘You must see that—’

‘I’d want to be the one if it were me and Chris.’

‘But…’ Oliver has logic. Reasons. But are they excuses? What if it were Clem in Adam’s position? He would want to be the other person taking part. He clasps his hands behind his head and stares at the ceiling in despair. He could wait for another suitable candidate. He should wait.

‘Anna, I’m sorry—’

‘Don’t say sorry. Say yes. I… I messed up. With Adam. Hasn’t there ever been anything you wish you could say sorry for in your relationship with Clem?’

There were so many things to apologize for; Oliver wouldn’t know where to start. He should have noticed Clem was ill. He should have made her see a doctor. He should have been able to save her.

‘I think… there are always things we want to say sorry for.’

‘And if you got that chance now? Wouldn’t you take it?’

‘This trial is for us to see what is in Adam’s consciousness. Not what is in yours. It is unlikely you will be able to communicate with him.’

‘But there’s a chance that I could?’

Oliver shrugs helplessly. ‘We just don’t know.’

‘But we could find out.’ Anna touches his arm. ‘We could. I’m not saying you can’t experience whatever it is that may or may not happen – this is your life’s work – but the first time, I want that, I need that to be me.’