(I've come to the conclusion that nobody seems to like reading emo stuff. Of course, it could be because of the holidays and whatnot. :D

Do you know how hard it is to find cool versions of Carol of the Bells? Like, seriously. But I finally found three versions... and I'll be listening to them in July. XD

Trans-Siberian Orchestra for the win!

Let's begin.

Markus, Cynthia, Kidman, Kanae, Val © Nintendo

Stigma © Nintendo

Jack Bauer © 24)

--------

Death by Association

--------

The looks he had been giving her were... unnerving, to say the least.

Cynthia took her white coat off of the back of her chair, pulling it on and pulling her long blonde hair out from under the puffy white jacket. Quickly grabbing her purse, she left her office, ready to go home--

"Tell me what you know about Stigma, Cynthia."

She jumped in shock as she saw Markus standing in front of her, his piercing gaze focused on the woman...

His frown did nothing to calm her.

"H-Hello, Dr. Vaughn. How are you?" Cynthia asked, masking her nervousness with a small smile.

"Don't change the subject," Markus snapped. "You know more about Stigma than you're letting on, don't you?"

"I don't know any more than you do, Dr. Vaughn..."

"Liar."

Cynthia raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Pray tell, what would give you the impression that I know more?" she queried.

"Every time someone talks to you about Stigma, you freeze up and have a guilty look on your face," the surgeon informed, sliding closer to Cynthia, who fought to keep a disinterested look on her face. "Almost as if... you're afraid you'll get caught..."

The blonde woman chuckled, brushing her hair behind her ears.

"I don't know where you get your crazy ideas from... but I suspect all that coffee you drink every morning may be a source of inspiration," Cynthia smiled, zipping her coat as she began to walk past Markus. "Good night, Dr. Vaughn..."

"You're not going anywhere... not until you tell me what you know."

Markus' hand shot out, tightly grasping Cynthia's scrawny arm.

"Ow! Let go of me, Dr. Vaughn--"

"Every time we encounter a new strain, or a mutation of Stigma, there's a new report from the research department not even a week later," Markus growled, his dark hazel eyes flashing. "Do you know whose name appears at the top of every paper?"

The blonde woman scowled, trying to ignore the pain.

"Whose?"

"Yours. Dr. Kazakov, Cynthia Kazakov, Professor Kazakov... Every paper has your name in it, and every paper has some piece of information-- something that nobody else knew... something that would take months of research, at least, to discover."

"Well, maybe I'm just talented and can perform faster research... did you ever think of that?" Cynthia sighed, trying to pry her arm out of Markus' grasp... before she could say something that would condemn her.

"Yes, I did... but do you know what I really think?"

"No, what do you think?"

Markus scowled angrily.

"I think," he began, his voice low, "that you have ties to an outside source... one that's also researching Stigma."

"What would it matter, if I was getting help from an outside source?" the researcher scoffed. "That means more access to--"

"Of course... there would be a small problem, if that were true..." Markus interrupted, his voice growing softer and ever more dangerous. "Because the only other group that's researching Stigma, as far as I know... is the group that's trying to spread it."

Cynthia's green eyes widened in surprise, then quickly narrowed in anger.

How did he...?

"I'm a doctor, Markus. How dare you accuse me of trying to spread such a deadly disease!" she snapped angrily.

Cynthia certainly hadn't expected him to let out a bitter laugh...

"Well, I'm a doctor, too... but that didn't stop me from creating the second generation of man-made diseases, did it?"

Her bright eyes widened in shock.

"You...?! But I thought it was Professor Wi--"

"He continued my research... because I refused to work with something that could be so dangerous," Markus scowled. "But I am its creator... and I want to know how the hell you, a laywoman in regards to this issue, know so much."

Cynthia froze, before finally jerking her arm out of Markus' slackening grasp.

"I'm not telling you," she announced, her expression shifting to a subtle frown. "What would you do if I told you, anyways? Director Quatro wouldn't believe you if you said I was working with the terrorist group... and what if there is another organization researching Stigma? Are you going to try to cut off ties with the place that's helping us understand Stigma better?"

Markus' severe countenance softened as Cynthia finally strode down the halls.

...so, this is how my paranoia manifests itself? he wondered. I start acting like Jack Bauer and question everyone's motives? ...this is Caduceus; Cynthia wouldn't be here if she wasn't smart and talented...

--------

"Dr. Tsuji speaking."

"Hi, Kanae... it's Cynthia. Were you still looking for a way to thank Dr. Vaughn and Dr. Blaylock? You know, for the operation they did?"

Cynthia locked the door behind her, hanging up her snow-white coat as she walked into her kitchen.

"Well, there's this nice restaurant near Fifth and Laramie... why not take them there?"

"Isn't that neighborhood kind of... seedy?"

"You're thinking of Fifth and La Grange, Kanae."

"Hm... alright; I'll go see what it's like. Thank you, Cynthia... enjoy your day off tomorrow."

"Thanks-- I will. Good night, Kanae."

As soon as Kanae hung up, the blonde researcher dialed another number...

"Alphonse speaking."

"This is Cynthia... I know where he's going to be tomorrow-- actually, where all three of them will be."

Kidman's greasy laugh sent a discomforting shiver down Cynthia's spine.

"Perfect... where will they be and when?"

Cynthia's stomach churned as she told him...

But Markus was far too close to knowing far too much about her...

She needed to have the opportunity to disappear.

--------

(End oneshot.

And so, the longstanding question(only not really that long) of "How the hell did they all get kidnapped" is finally answered!

Or not.

Boo, Cynthia!

Actually, she's like, one of my favorite characters. Except for the whole, you know... traitorous bitch part of her.

...boooo.

Please review!)