FireCacodemon: Hello and welcome back to another chapter of Trauma Center: A Pathogenic War. I've kinda got some sad news...My laptop is starting to pack up, everything has been copied onto a hard drive so the chapters I have written won't be lost but I'll be buying a new laptop soon. Hopefully by the end of the week or my next payday (which I believe will be next week) I'll have a brand new laptop which will allow me to write my chapters without any problems.
Derek: Good news though, Christmas holidays are coming up, since FireCacodemon works during school term time (England) we'll have a lot more time on our hands as well.
FireCacodemon: I've also just completed the main story in Pokemon Sun which I was mainly playing because DAMN I love Pokemon.
Derek: Kinda expect a cross-over soon?
FireCacodemon: Maybe~
Derek: So a mix of bad news and good news but we'll be doing out best to put more of FireCacodemon's ideas into the story when we can, the chapters already written have some interesting things in and the second half of the book...oh boy, I'm excited and we hope you are too.
FireCacodemon: This bit is long but as Derek said, we're both extremely excited to announce that as we're pumped to write this once more, and with a few other things out of the way, we'll be focusing more on this story once more. I'll squeal/explode more at the bottom.
Derek: Trauma Center belongs to Atlus, cover image belongs to Aileen-Rose.
Chapter 33:
Greg Kasal...Infected!
Derek just couldn't sleep that night, they had arrived back into America and Angie had managed to persuade (rather forced) Derek to go home and get as much rest as possible before going to Caduceus the following day. He found himself reading through all the notes that Reuben's brother had recorded into the book and it proved to be enlightening on GUILT yet it only seemed to cover the first three strains, up until Triti before Triti must have wiped out everyone in the Delphi research lab. Despite being on just three, it was highly detailed and explained a bit about how the creation of GUILT went and also the researcher's worry about the GUILT. There was the classic 'if you are reading this...' part of the book too which Derek just kinda skimmed. It basically just explained the horrors that GUILT could cause. Now that it was a new day though, Derek was running as quickly to Caduceus as his legs would carry him.
Once inside the building, Derek had to put his walking shoes on so that he wouldn't crash into any other members of staff, patients or visitors who were inside the building. He didn't bother with the lift and travelled up the stairs to reach Sidney's office; Derek reached the floor with the GUILT patients in and stopped. There was a chance that he could catch Greg before he visited his brother just to have a few words with him. There wasn't any harm in trying...right? Derek stepped onto the GUILT ward and took a look around. Occasionally, Derek heard the faint whispers of Kyriaki and the rare melody of Deftera but they weren't what he was looking for.
"Dr. Stiles?" Leslie smiled when she saw him. Derek turned his attention towards Leslie and smiled.
"Would you mind letting me know where Dr. Kasal is?" Derek asked with a friendly smile.
"He's expecting you in his office; you should probably go there first." Leslie walked over to Derek, turned him around and started to push him out the ward. "Dr. Kasal is sleeping at the moment anyway."
"Okay..." Derek frowned until he was pushed out of the ward. Leslie returned to her patients as Derek continued on his way to Sidney's office. Derek knocked before he entered the office without hearing a call from Sidney to enter.
"Good, you're back." Sidney looked up from his desk as Derek entered. Cybil was in the room too, she didn't look happy, she looked worried about Greg. Derek noticed how worried that she was.
"What is Dr. Kasal's condition?" Derek asked Sidney in a serious voice.
"Stable...for now...He's gotten a lot weaker, though. I don't think he has the strength to survive an operation...Well...go see for yourself," Sidney decided to get up from the desk to escort Derek down to see Greg. "How was the trip?" Sidney asked.
"The trip was enlightening to say the least. Third strain had been uncovered, called Triti. A failed cancer treatment from Caduceus Europe, Delphi learnt about it and made it the way Triti is now. Spent the whole night reading through what notes had been salvaged. I'll hand it over to you once copied."
"Copied?"
"Yes, so I have a copy of the notes and you can have the original."
"Very well, may I ask why?"
"I'd rather keep data on GUILT until it's been eliminated. Once that's done, I'll burn the data."
"..." Sidney didn't say anything but they reached the GUILT ward.
"...Good to see you, Derek..." Greg smiled weakly at Derek and tried to get up from the bed.
"Dr. Kasal! You shouldn't get up...!" Leslie swiftly scolded Greg. Greg groaned slightly as Leslie forced him back down.
"Don't strain yourself, sir," Derek walked closer to Greg.
"Heh...you look smart..." Greg smiled. "Sidney...taking care...of you?"
"Derek is a vital member of Caduceus. Naturally, I'll take care of him." Sidney gently pushed up his glasses up his nose.
"...I should've been suspicious when I couldn't diagnose my condition...It spread so fast...I didn't think...it was GUILT..."
"Hee hee hee!" A chorus of three voices laughed. Angie walked into the ward, after hearing where they all were.
"Have they identified the strain?" Angie asked. Greg shook his head.
"It is an unidentified type," Sidney informed the two of them.
"So...be careful." Greg smiled weakly.
"You don't know us, you don't know us, you don't know us~" The GUILT in Greg chanted.
"It's mocking us..." Derek spoke softly.
"That's not much of a surprise..." Angie frowned as she watched Derek.
"To catch you up, I...can hear and talk to GUILT," Derek informed Greg, the older male was looking at him confused but now that the information had come out into the open it made sense.
"Had...it since...Ms. Reid?" Greg asked.
"Yes but that's in the past. From what I heard, there are three GUILT bodies in your body...that's all I can tell you at the moment..." Sidney's phone vibrated in his pocket. Removing his phone, Sidney noticed that he had an e-mail notification.
"I have an e-mail I must see." Sidney informed the staff and turned to leave.
"Wonder what that's about?" Angie asked.
"Hopefully information..." Greg smiled.
Trauma Center: The Dark Truth about GUILT – Chapter 33: Greg Kasal...Infected!
"Greg, I've received detailed information on this GUILT." Sidney arrived back to check on Greg. Derek and Angie had left Greg to get on with their job.
"What...? From where?"
"Director Miller from Caduceus Europe. Derek and Angie were in Africa at an old Delphi research facility but when you were hospitalised, Derek and Angie came straight back here. I'm sure that if they remained in Africa longer, they would have discovered more about GUILT."
"They...came back because of me...?"
"Yes, as Dr. Stiles was your pupil it would make sense that he returned when you needed him. As a GUILT doctor too, if you became infected, Derek would be the first to know. There's...just something I would like to ask. It's about Dr. Stiles, I know you're observant just like me."
"Sure...ask away?"
"Did you want Derek to come here?"
"Would...have preferred him...to stay at Hope...but...he's needed here...Because Caduceus...needs him here...I knew that...when he faced GUILT..."
"Do you get the feeling he's hiding things?" Greg nodded.
"But...I don't...think he knows...what he's hiding..."
"No, he's learning just like we are. Did you realise how important you are to him?"
"I...have a feeling...I know..." Greg admitted. "Dr. Chase...mentioned..."
"I better page Dr. Stiles and Nurse Thompson." Sidney left Greg to page Derek and Angie, it was important that they were both here. Greg had confirmed what Sidney was thinking. There was something more to Derek and Cybil also pointed out the small change in Derek when they both learnt that Delphi was using people as GUILT rats. Once the two arrived, Sidney and Greg looked at the two of them with Greg smiling and Sidney remaining as emotionless as possible.
Trauma Center: The Dark Truth about GUILT – Chapter 33: Greg Kasal...Infected!
"Director Miller found data on the strain?" Angie asked after Sidney informed both Derek and Angie about the e-mail he had received.
"Yes, we're analysing the data. It should allow us to devise a treatment. Don't give up Greg..."
"I believe...in you...in Caduceus..."
"Believe? Believe? Believe? Why? What for? For what?" The GUILT asked.
"That's why...I wanted Derek...to join you here..."
"..." Derek kept quiet.
"Work hard...Derek..."
"We should let Greg rest..."
"You have venom in your body. Venom. Venom."
"Venom...?" Derek asked confused. Sidney stopped to watch Derek. "What do you mean I have venom in my body?"
"You're toxic~ You're toxic~ You're toxic~" The GUILT sang happily together.
"Dr. Stiles," Sidney called to Derek.
"Right, sorry sir." Derek continued to follow Sidney out the room.
Trauma Center: The Dark Truth about GUILT – Chapter 33: Greg Kasal...Infected!
Once they had arrived back in Sidney's office, everyone took a seat. Angie and Derek sat down in chairs opposite Sidney and Cybil had returned back to the office as well for reasons unknown. It looked like she had a day off and had decided to spend it in Caduceus to either watch over Greg. This behaviour only strengthened Derek's belief that they were going to be a couple in the future. Silence had filled the office as Derek's mind wondered what the GUILT was talking about when it said that he had venom in his body. He wasn't aware of having anything in his body which would be classed as venom, or maybe he was just 'toxic' to the GUILT as it feared him? He didn't know but he got the feeling that he wasn't going to find out soon. Sidney picked up some papers that were on his desk.
"Results arrived from the lab. They found a theoretical cure. Victor's...report...says they can create a serum to eliminate the GUILT."
"So then there's hope?" Angie asked and Sidney nodded.
"It's possible...but, we don't have enough antigen samples."
"Antigen samples...?"
"While you were in Africa, there was a highly toxic GUILT outbreak..."
"Meaning Greg became infected while treating a patient..." Derek finally spoke.
"Yes, but we should be able to extract samples from the other victims..."
"Only if their infections haven't progressed to full term then there's still a chance we can extract the GUILT. From hearing that it was a toxic outbreak then does that mean that the GUILT releases toxins in the body?" Derek asked.
"That, we're not too sure on. We've compiled a list of patients with similar symptoms to Greg's."
"Myself and Angie will go out and obtain the antigen samples. Will I be travelling to hospitals where the victims are being treated?"
"Yes, exactly...Good luck."
"I won't let you down sir."
"Once we have enough antigens, we can engineer the serum."
"I understand, leave this to me. I'll make sure we get enough."
"Derek..."
"Yes sir?"
"This...is my brother...Please remember that..." Derek noticed that Sidney looked concerned, worried and a little bit frightened. His brother was in hospital with a disease that was slowly taking his life and they couldn't cure him just yet. Derek would feel exactly the same if he was in Sidney's shoes.
"Don't worry sir. He's my mentor, I owe him so much when he took me in under his wing and trained me. I can't fail him now when he needs me."
FireCacodemon: Exploding time! Here are a few ideas that WILL be in the story!
- More conversations with GUILT. I love this idea so much and I was glad to hear that someone else enjoyed this idea as well.
- Possibly more Derek and Angie fluff, nothing too big as there are plenty of other FFs out there that do a better job than I ever could.
- Derek will FINALLY be getting his Healing Touch but with a twist. You'll see that in the second half of the book and I really hope you like what I've done with it. Still the same Speed enhancing but more when he gains his HT.
- The Medical Board gets involved! Reasons why in later chapters. :p
Derek: That was a rather small explosion. On with the reivew.
FireCacodemon: Resting Deeply - Happy Birthday to you, I guess this'll be a birthday present? I'm back from the break feeling refreshed and rearing to go once more.
Derek: The break was nice, small planning but relaxing none the less.
FireCacodemon: Thank you for reading my rambling and we'll be back next chapter.
Derek: 18/12/2016.