Resurgam First Care Hallway

Cameras, interviewers, and other flashing lights almost blinded the surgeon trying to reach Alicia, who is apparently the center of attention. He slipped by and got to the door.

"Doctor! Any words on yesterday's event?"

"How is the hero faring now? Or is it a sinner?"

CR-SO1 couldn't take any more noises. He slipped a piece of paper through bottom of the door and hoped Alicia will open. The door gave a slight opening. He went in and locked the door tightly. The loud voices were muted.

Dr. Rosellini's Office

"How did all of them get here..?" Alicia saw the gasping surgeon.

"They want information."He handed her a envelope.

The girl turned around. "So, I heard you had to do some explaining..." She was opening her received letter.

The surgeon ignored the remark. It was his fault anyway, no need to talk about it. "The Chief asked me to deliver this. (Now I see why...)"

"(Invitation to a White House Party with the President..?) Of course I decline..." She tossed the paper into a nearby bin. "Since you came all the way here...you had something you wanted to ask..?"

The former prisoner looked away. "Was it all true..?"

Alicia sat down on the stool. "...Yes. That doctor administered some virus causing me and the future child to get infected. It also had a memory-loss agent in it..." She turned to her still disorganized office. "I really wished that never happened...Albert and Rosalia would be alive..." The girl knew she went a little far. "!...Nevermind."

The surgeon saw the remorseful doctor and stayed silent. He knew this as well.

"Was...there anything else..?"

"Dr. Tachibana is holding a small after-party tonight. Maria highly recommends that we come." By that he meant they must go or else.

"Tch..." More attention.

Dr. Sartre headed towards the door and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry."

He tilted his head. "What for?"

"I'm always injured...You had to stay here again."

"N-no! I don't mind at all- your condition-" The surgeon spluttered. He wasn't lying, but weak lines and persuasion wasn't his specialty.

"Alright- if you really say so. We best go get something to eat." The girl stood up, then sat right back down and sighed. "Any bright ideas how to get through them..?"

The other surgeon sighed with her.

ATLUS Mall

Hour Later

That took a while. The surgeons were forced to call in Maria to help. Now they just hoped Alicia's hair and lab coat didn't stand out too much, or else they would have to make a run for it.

They were passing by a TV clinged to the column.

CR-SO1 noticed the picture of the front of Resurgam. "The news..." He stopped to watch.

Alicia paused as well.

"There is a debate whether the young doctor from Resurgam First Care is truly professional or is a sham. Crowds are beginning to surround the hospital and starting a boycott-"

"What..?" The girl stood in shock to hear the public has went this far.

Two persons in lab coats approached the surgeons.

"Hey, kids."

Alicia knew that green-haired smoking diagnostician anywhere. "Dr. Cunningham..."

"Sheesh." The man was offended. "Just stick to a name already, I don't care if you call me Gabe-"

The orthopedic surgeon next to the nagging Gabriel saw the television. "Gabriel- we must hurry-!"

"Huh?" Gabriel's eyes squinted to the screen.

"These crowds are starting violent disputes regarding the epidemic two years ago-"

The diagnostician took the cigarette out of his mouth.

"There's no time to waste! We must return now!" CR-SO1 broke the doctors' silence.

Alicia looked for the shortest path. "This way-!"

Resurgam First Care

Outside

The paramedic spotted her workmates' arrival. "Thank God you came-! These guys are starting a riot!" She pointed to the glass bottles and sticks in the air. " We can't get them to leave!"

"Some are pretending to be injured to gain entrance." Tomoe added.

The newly arrived doctors looked at the scene. A horde of people blocked by police forces enabled ambulances and other workers to enter. The crowd held posters to shovels. Noise and chaos filled the air. Signs of aggression were everywhere. They were standing at a far distance themselves; but it won't be long til the crowd will notice- especially with cameras from the media around the perimeter of the situation.

They must come clean and explain.

"There's no choice- we have to confront them with the truth!" Hank said. Fighting was never the answer for him.

The diagnostician turned to find that one of them was missing. "Where did that-?" It was the girl- again.

The group looked back at the situation.

"(Oh, God- )" Maria and the others ran to the crowd- who was facing Alicia. She was already there; hands open and yelling.

"Stop it! We did nothing wrong-!"

The mob grew even more furious. "Your stupid disease killed my daughter!" "Yeah! Thanks to you- my father is gone!"

All because of the media; the cryings were directed at her. "That's not true...I-" She wasn't guilty nor innocent.

"Let's get our revenge!" The crowd yelled and raised their weapons. "Yeah-!"

An empty beer bottle was aimed at the doctor and was thrown.

"!"

Gabriel was already there. He caught it with one hand, and took the cigarette out of his mouth with the other. "You heard her. Doctors are around to save people like you." His face glared at the one who tossed the bottle. "This woman here wasn't the one behind the epidemic."

Alicia was surprised of the diagnostician's words. He never was serious, until now.

"We aren't here to listen to your excuses!" A man yelled.

The paramedic stepped up. "What excuses!" Her voice grew louder. "We're telling you the truth!"

"Then who started it? If not her, who?" A woman screamed.

Tomoe had a softer voice, but it was strict. "Please calm yourselves. It was-" She stopped. It would be rude to say a name.

Red eyes met with the crowd. "The one who spread the virus was Professor Albert Sartre." He paused. "You have the answer."

"Yeah! So scram-!" Maria was tired of this.

"Hey! It's the guy from the Cumberland bio-attack!" The mob looked at the former prisoner.

"They're all criminals!"

"Punish them!"

The paramedic tried to stop the increasing anger. "Hold on a sec- That's-"

"It's just a misunderstanding!" Unfortunately, Hank's words were not heard.

Some of the horde broke through the police line.

They all underestimated the doctors. Tomoe called her butler to her side. Maria drew more of the men back with her own fists. But the doctors were still outnumbered.

A fist was incoming for the innocent surgeon. "!"

Gabriel and Alicia intercepted. He was in the army; she worked at a lab with co-workers that stole notes- compared to a normal man, they had more experience. They stopped the attempted attack.

"This man saved all of your butts from the virus, get it now..?" It was a while since the diagnostician fought- not including fights with Maria though.

"Aren't any of you grateful that Portland's still standing?" Alicia this was enough to convince the public.

"What..?" The men that broke through was pushed back by reinforcements.

"He developed the cure!" Maria felt she deserved some credit too, but the surgeon was the main hero.

"You're all alive- why fight?" Hank tried to continue reasoning.

"You expect us to-" Sirens blocked the man's voice.

More forces.

"More cops! Run-!" The crowd scattered.

"Wait! We can still fight!"

The medical examiner entered the scene. She held up some papers. "We have evidence. None of them are guilty of anything."

"Yeah- So suck it up and go!" Maria yelled. This should do the trick.

The crowd dispersed.

"Naomi-?" Gabriel was a bit relived. Though being saved by a woman was a bit embarrassing. "That was close."

"Thanks for helping." Alicia knew her reflexes wouldn't be able to save her from a glass bottle.

"Yeah, kiddo- quite brave going all the way out here." Gabriel remarked.

"(First 'woman,' now 'kiddo'..?)"

Naomi let out a sigh. "We came on time."

The doctors began to head into the building. Tomoe looked back, to make sure-

"Wait! There's still someone-" She pointed.

There was a young male not far in the distance.

"A gun-!" Alicia saw the black object in the man's hands, similar to the one she had used yesterday. It was pointed in her direction.

A gunshot was heard.

"(It missed me-)" The girl turned around. It was the prisoner she had freed.

"Dr. Sartre!" Tomoe along with the other doctors came to CR-SO1.

The medical examiner called out to the police. "Arrest that man!" She pointed to a shadow that was running away.

"It's only a scrape." CR-SO1 felt the jolts of pain coming from his wound.

"A scrape..? Stop lying." Gabriel saw the pellet was still inside his arm.

"Here!" The paramedic got out some gauze from her pocket and began treating the blood coming out. "Let's get you inside and fixed up-!"

As Hank and Gabriel helped the surgeon enter the hospital, Tomoe shouted to the still Alicia. "Dr. Rosellini! Please help extract the bullet!"

The girl followed Tomoe inside.

"Hang on kid." Gabriel got ready some tools.

Resurgam First Care Lobby

Minutes Later

"There." Maria stood up. "The blood's stopped hemorrhaging."

"It looks like it was a minor gunshot wound." Tomoe was relieved.

Hank saw the surgeon close his eyes. "Does it still hurt?"

"No." The surgeon didn't remember getting injured in quite a while.

Alicia calmed a bit. She knew the bullet was meant for her.

"Looks like the day will return to normal..." Tomoe looked out the window.

Maria gave a smile. "Except for the party."

"I almost forgot." Gabriel hoped he would survive a drunk Maria.

"Right! I must prepare-" Tomoe turned around. "Stay well until then." She vanished.

"Why don't you rest up til then?" Hank left along with the others.

Alicia faced the wounded surgeon. "That was quite an ordeal.." She looked away. "I guess they all have a point...I'm a sinner..."

"Sinner..?"

"Those tested and used to raise viruses...or so I've heard."

"..."

"Sorry-" Alicia didn't wish to depress him any further. "Let's prepare. You still have blood on you."

"..Oh." The surgeon looked at his stained coat.

"Don't want to appear looking like that..."

"Right..."

Dr. Tachinbana's 'Place'

Left Wing Of Resurgam – Hour Later

"Hanzou! Are we finished with preparations?" Tomoe was wearing a traditional kimono; she had no makeup on since Maria recommended so.

A old man appeared. "We are ready, Lady Tomoe."