An Appointment with Death
Summery: The Titans discover that a mysterious disease is infecting high powered CEO's of Logan Estate Genetic Research Facilities. They don't know anything about the disease, only that it's a slow, painful death. A mysterious Doctor is in town, and he's only known as Dr. Death. He holds a secret connection to Beast Boy, and only he knows what it is...
Quick Sticky: the Odd Chapters are called intercalary Chapters are about the past, the even chapters are about the present. Also, this might turn out to be one of the longest fics I've ever done. I have needle phobia and I don't believe in macro evolution, I can live with micro evolution.
Dedictated to Warprince2000, I swear you've given me more reviews than anyone else here! (Hands Warprince2000 quill ink and a notebook) For you to write down your stories. pulls out a three-ring-binder And my book of poetry. (Salutes and walks away...)
Chapter One: Infected
"Marie, it's over!" Mark exclaimed in triumph. "We've won! I've finally proved that-" He saw his son's pale face and stopped immediately. "What is it?" he asked his wife, concerned. "What's wrong?"
"The Boy," she replied. "He's been sick for days, but I didn't want to bother you. But it looks so bad now." Marie looked at Mark, worry etched across her face.
"Why didn't you tell me, woman! This-this could be-" he gripped his young son's hands, feeling for a pulse.
"What's wrong with him?" Marie asked in a quiet voice.
Mark Logan paused for a long moment, examining his son. "Of all the things I've ever encountered visiting the natives; I've only seen this disease in animals. It's Skultia, the cousin of Malaria! And there's no cure, not one human case recorded!"
"What are we going to do?" Marie asked, frightened. "He could die!"
"I'll never let that happen," Mark assured her. "I promise, I will find a cure. Somehow, my research! If evolution can be reversed then maybe, just maybe I can save him!"
"How are you going to do that?" Marie asked.
"I'll find a way, Marie. I'll find a way to save him." Mark gently stroked his son's blond hair. "Gar, hang in there, okay? You're going to be fine. Daddy'll take good care of you don't worry." There was no answer from his usually talkative, mischievous five-year-old son who lay on the bed like a man in a trance, unable to move or speak. He would go through bouts of sweating and shivering at random, and try as they might, they couldn't get him to sleep except a few hours at the most, then he would wake up either sweating or shivering.
"Marie, watch over him," Mark rose to his feet. "I have a lot of work to do to cure him. I may be up late."
"Alright," Marie replied. "But hurry. Time is not a luxury that we can afford right now."
"I will," Mark assured his wife gently taking her hand in his. "This will work. I promise." He quietly left his wife to watch over their young son. She stared at him, filled with both fear and hope for his survival. She didn't want him to die, that was all mothers worst nightmare, losing their children. She had to hope that Mark could find a cure for a disease that had none. She'd keep on hoping for a miracle.
Mark Logan walked to the only phone they had in his house, in fact it was one of the few luxury's he had managed to bring over from America. Picking it up, he dialed the number of an old friend, Silas Stone, who worked at S.T.A.R. Labs.
The phone rang, Silas picked it up. "Silas," Mark breathed.
"Mark? Is that you? You sound distressed," Silas replied, his voice crackled with the static coming over the receiver.
"I've had a breakthrough; I found the way to reverse evolution."
"That's great news, Mark! So why the distress?"
"Gar's gotten sick...it's Skultia."
"Skultia? But only animals can get it!"
"Yes, and I have no idea where it came from. I'm going to try something..."
"What would that be?"
"Reverse evolution. Change him into an animal."
"But that's impossible! It's never been done!" Vic's shock was evident in his voice.
"Who says the impossible can't be done? Don't tell me what I can't do Silas. This may be the only way to save Gar."
"So why'd you call me?" Silas asked.
"To ask a favor. I need you to contact Nick Galtry. Tell him to hold down the fort at Logan Estate. I won't be able to come on my annual trip to the States to see what's happening there."
"Sure will, Mark. Good luck. I hope it works; for your kid's sake."
"Yeah," Mark agreed. "Let's hope so." He hung up the phone. He had to get started. He didn't know how long preparations would take, the sooner the better, he thought.
Mark Logan walked back into his lab, wiping sweat off his forehead. He knew this would be his most challenging thing he would ever do in his life. Walking over to a desk stacked with lose papers with notes and barely legible scribbles, he began rummaging through them, trying to find his research notes. Grabbing a notebook, he looked at it relived to see that it was there.
There it was, his precious research. He'd left his fortune in the U.S. at Logan Estate Genetic Research Facilities to pursue a life long dream: Discover a way to reverse evolution. Marie had been hesitant to leave the States and go to Upper Lamumba, Africa, but when they arrived, she soon adjusted to life in Africa. They loved their work with a passion few had in their profession. And the only thing they loved more than their work was their son, Garfield Logan.
Now the people and things that he loved were at risk, not only the life of Garfield Logan, but his reputation as a genetic scientist was also at risk. His colleagues would scoff and laugh no doubt, but still it would be worth it if he could save him, and find a cure to a disease that was worse than malaria!
Pulling out a holograph recorder, he pushed the record button.
Today's Date: October Seventh, 1996. All that I have researched on for years is going to be put to the ultimate test. Skultia, a little known disease has seen its first human case. There is no cure. Yet. But I have done research on the genetic link between humans and animals and I have found that if I can change the human genome so that it will adapt to animal DNA can cure Skultia, which only animals can survive.
I have taken samples of animal DNA and have found the common genes and linked them all together. I have yet to take my son's DNA so that I may find a way to entwine both his human and the animal genes that I have collected. Once I complete this task, I shall inject it directly into his system. The closest DNA match has been that of a monkey. If this procedure goes well, Gar should turn into a monkey for 24 hours. End Transmission. He shut off the recorder and began to work.
After weeks of careful preparation, slow painstaking hours of making sure the genes and DNA fit together perfectly, the antidote was ready. By that time Gar's health had deteriorated rapidly, his condition growing worse and worse by the day. Marie brought him in, he was asleep, but Mark knew that the needle would frighten him if he woke up with it being injected into him.
Mark sighed. A four year old shouldn't have to go through so much pain. He didn't deserve to be sick like this. This procedure would change it all, and he would be well again. Waking Gar, he said, "This will hurt a lot Gar, but it'll make you better."
The boy nodded, deathly afraid of the needle. Mark inserted it as gently as he could as Gar yelped in pain. It was soon over though, and at first it looked as if no change had occurred.
The Mark noticed something. A strange green tint began to spread across his son's hands, snaking up his arms to envelope his entire body as his skin changed from its normal white color to a bright green. Aslo his human features began to change as he began to grow monkey's hair and his face changed completely from that of a little boy to that of a green, impish monkey. Marie looked at her husband. "Is that how it's supposed to work?" she asked.
"Exactly as I had hoped," replied Mark. "But I didn't expect him to turn green, that's for sure." He was puzzled by it, but thought nothing of it and only thought about how long the effects would last. "Hopefully, it will be 24 hours from now that he'll change back into his normal self."
"I had hoped for a miracle," Marie wrapped an arm around Mark's waist as her son fell asleep in the form of a monkey on the bed she had laid him on. "But this isn't exactly what I was thinking of."
"Don't worry, Marie. In a day, Gar will be back to normal and it will be like it never happened." Mark smiled, walking away. "I have some more work to do. Tell me if there are any changes."
"I will," replied Marie. She watched him walk off, not saying a word. He suddenly turned back to her, a smiled played at the corner of his mouth. He turned around and walked away.
Mark Logan returned to his lab. Pulling out the holograph recorder, he pushed a button and began recording. He waited a few minutes and then began speaking.
November 3, 1996, The experiment has been a success. My subject, my son's body has accepted my antidote to Skultia. So far, he has kept his animal form as a green monkey for six hours now. Only 18 more to go and the cure will have run its course.
The green tint of his skin concerns me. The implications of it's significance mystifies me. Maybe it's an unknown side effect of the antidote, I don't know. I will try to research it, when I get the chance. He'll return back to normal soon, so I may not have the chance. End Transmission. With a sweep of his hand, he shut off the recorder.
"At least this will be behind us, and then we can get on with our lives." Mark said to himself.Yes, life would get back to normal...