p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;"Simon's eyes fluttered open slowly to find it was still nothing darkness - at least until he moved his head away from Andrew's body, at which point he was blinded by the containment chamber lights above. Andrew himself was still sleeping softly next to Simon. Getting up, Simon groggily grabbed his prison clothes off the floor, put them on and made his way outside the chamber, careful not to wake Andrew up. As he walked down the nearby hallway, his eyes felt something they missed dearly - natural light. Looking upwards, Simon noticed a small crack in the ceiling and through that crack came the smallest glimpse of the sun's light, cast down upon the asylum. He did not understand why, but Simon remained fixed in his position, unable to look away. The muscles in his face relaxed and his breathing softened. Closing his eyes, images formed in Simon's mind: alleyways, blurred figures arguing, the dim light of a computer screen. Simon moved throughout the images. Classrooms, whispers, his warm bed, an old worn-out teddy bear he used to play with. Suddenly, an echo spoke softly throughout Simon's mind. "Simon." It spoke. "Simon." It spoke, louder. Simon was then torn from his mind, turning around quickly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to spook you." Andrew laughed a bit./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh, it's alright."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""What were you looking at?" Andrew asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. Simon smiled softly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Nothing, just the light," He pointed, "It's been a short while since I've seen the light, yet it feels like eternity already." Andrew placed a hand on Simon's shoulder./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I'm sorry for last night, by the way. We can take it more slowly if you want."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""No," Simon interrupted, "It's fine. It was... nice." Simon laughed a little. "What's your thoughts on this light, anyway?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""How do you think I feel?" Andrew smirked, "It's been years since I last saw it - and all this time, it's been hiding outside of my chamber." The pair looked through the crack some more. "Wouldn't it be great if we could just reach it?" Simon hummed,/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Yeah, if we could just climb to it, or jump through it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""No," Andrew interrupted, "Just... well, it's hard to explain. Just reach it. No climbing or jumping. Just looking at it, and... you know, reaching it." Andrew's body tensed slightly at the sudden kiss from Simon, but it soon became a welcome one./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I think I understand." The pair looked at one another, "How about we meet the others? After all, it'll not be long until we are locked away again." Andrew swallowed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Yeah, you're right." Andrew took Simon's hand as they walked slowly down the hallway, enjoying each other's presence. It surprised Simon that the Asylum did not have a single theme to it. Whilst his containment chamber was located within white walls with a slither of orange, the halls he and Andrew currently walked were more metallic, with a few hallways even being brown, muddy reds. Then, Simon was met with yet another theme, this time being a simple white and black - the greatest contrast./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well looker 'ere, if it isn't the new kid and the hardest criminal in this bloody asylum - holding hands, mind you!" Corporal Lawrence laughed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Do you always have alcohol on you, Corporal?" Andrew rolled his eyes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I don't know about you, but I reckon stealing millions from theatres, influencing global politics - or murdering hundreds of nurses and ill soldiers - or killing thousands, if not millions with diseases is a little bit harder than murdering a few guys who annoy you." A Greek voice chimed in from the end of one of the four doors in the junction-like room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Attention. Attention. Please may the following SCPs return to their containment chamber: SCP-035, SCP-079, SCP-106 and SCP-682. Failure to do so will result in immediate punishment or termination." A booming voice suddenly rang through the intercoms./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Ha, too bad they can't legally terminate me. I'm a protected artefact!" Dýo laughed, "I'm heading to Damian." With a shrug, he was off – soon to be all of them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;"Simon lay in his chamber. Soon enough, he was beginning to learn the true horrors of the Asylum. It isn't the name-calling from the guards, or the lack of natural light, or the subpar food, it's the boredom. Oh, the boredom. Simon had fallen into the trap of making friends with others and now he was lonely and bored. Then, a thought occurred to Simon – why not just use his computer. Excited, Simon quickly scrambled to his computer, turning it on before figuring out how to turn off all the foundation security and monitoring. Luckily for Simon, it appeared as if they had underestimated his abilities, so it didn't take long at all. "Why, hello there!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;"Andrew almost jumped when he heard Simon's voice suddenly emit from the camera speaker in his chamber. "Are you always going to be watching me as I'm changing?" Simon smiled to himself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Probably – is there an issue?" Andrew smirked,/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Guess I'll just have to get used to knowing you eying me – just no watching me in my sleep, that's creepy shit." Andrew laughed. Simon returned the same./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Strip for me." Simon smirked, "You can be my cam-girl." Andrew scoffed,/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh, come on! J'ai beaucoup plus de classe que ça, cher Simon!" Simon felt his face heat up. He didn't know why, but he loved the sound of French (Well, if spoken properly)./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I said I have more much class than that, dear Simon!" Andrew grinned at the camera following his moves slowly. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I'm going to bed." Andrew took the last of his clothes off, "Look whilst you can, because these are the last few seconds you'll get tonight – perhaps tomorrow you see me more."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Goodnight, handsome." Simon breathed happily, before changing cameras after Andrew blew him a kiss. He spent a while changing cameras, monitoring the other SCPs, although he made a clear avoidance of SCP-096's room. Dýo lay down on a bed with his host still kicking, waving to the camera as he noticed it spin in a circle. "I thought you were with Damian?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I was – but they threatened to terminate him." The mask replied with a hint of annoyance in his voice./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well, sleep well, Dýo."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Ciao." Corporal Lawrence sat in his containment chamber, drinking as usual./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""You don't stop drinking, do you?" The Corporal spat his drink out in surprise./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Couldn't you at least give a slight warning before suddenly speaking," He coughed, "If I keep hearing random voices like that, I'll start going insane?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Aren't you already insane?" Simon laughed. Lawrence shrugged,/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I suppose." Finally, Simon, admittedly by mistake, ended up watching Damian perform surgery. Thoughts of his crimes quickly soured Simon's mind, although he couldn't help but stare regardless. As much as he hated to admit it, Damian did appear to be the smartest in the Asylum – and the deadliest. After a few minutes of watching, Simon finally gained the courage to voice himself – and voice himself he did./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Good evening, Damian." Damian sighed as his hand jolted the scalpel in surprise./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well, there goes that surgery," He paused, "What do you want?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I was just curious... how many people do you think you've killed?" Damian raised an eyebrow, removing his mask./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""What kind of question is that. I don't know, twenty, maybe?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""20?" Simon repeated, confused, "Just, 20?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well, yes. Why?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""But I don't understand. What about all the sick people? You must've killed thousands at the very least." Damian sighed, stuttering on his speech slightly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well – that wasn't... that wasn't me, that was my friends." Damian pointed to a petri dish. Simon laughed a little, caught off guard by the strange comment./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""And" Simon coughed, reassessing himself, "Did those 'friends' personally go out and chose who to infect – who to kill?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well no but- "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""So, you killed them?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Alright, fine." Damian huffed, before laughing manically. For a moment, Simon jumped, forgetting he was behind a screen. But soon, the laughing died down./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Your mind would not be able to comprehend the number of fatalities that have occurred as a result of my existence, Simon." Damian shook his head lightly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh yeah? Says who! I'm on!" Simon frowned, insulted a little./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""OK then," Damian laughed some more, "Let's have a little thought experiment." Damian grinned at the camera. "I'll keep it more mathematical, for you – after all, you seem like that kind of guy. Let's say you have a big tub, filled with little, blue marbles. One day, I, and only I, decide to drop a little red marble into the big tub. Over time, all the marbles become red. You are following?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Yes, it appears as if you're just describing infection." Simon raised an eyebrow, despite no one being able to see./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""And just how many marbles do you believe are in this tub?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Knowing you, probably a few hundred thousand- "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Billions." Damian halted Simon. "Billions and billions of the infected. However, there's a problem," Damian raised his hand to the camera suddenly, briefly enjoying Simon's silence. Truthfully, Damian never really got chances like this to be able to explain without interruptions. "You see, let's just pretend red marbles have more weight. Soon, the tub falls over and, what do you know – there's a tub below it with another billion marbles! But this time, half of the marbles now in the tub are already infected, so it just keeps going – on and on and on, faster, faster, faster; the marbles do not stop!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I think you've lost your marbles, mate." Simon couldn't help himself, although he quickly regretted it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Do not interrupt me!" Damian shouted, "You want your bloody answer? Fine then! From one Brit to another – an upfront, in 'ya face, statement: I've killed more people than every slicing, every stabbing, every sword-fight, every gunshot, every explosion, every bomb, every war and every disaster that is known to man! Name a disease!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I," Simon paused, caught off by the sudden demand, "I'm sorry?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Go on! Name one, quickly." Damian lowered his voice, returning to his more teacher-like state./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Measles." Damian paused too, before sighing. "OK, well name another one!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Uh... polio?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Yep, that's all me!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh, fuck off!" Simon half-laughed, "Don't be so ridiculous- "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Anthrax, Tetanus, Polio, Meningitis, Smallpox, Influenza, Syphilis, almost anything that causes the Common Cold," The mad doctor continued, the further down the list he went the more worried Simon became. It was as if, if true – at least, that the words coming from the doctor's mouth meant nothing to him at all. No signs of empathy or compassion could be seen. Hell, there wasn't even a charming or terrifying evil in his voice – it was just as if he was rattling off names of old celebrities he had met or a shopping list he was trying to remember. "Pretty much all the lentiviruses – they've killed millions too, Tuberculosis, Malaria – that's a big one- "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""OK, I get it!" Simon shouted, getting sick of the list./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""They speak of highly of me, you know." Damian smiled as if it was the proudest day of his life./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Who does, your therapist?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Ha! Good one." Damian slapped his knees, "No but in all seriousness, they do like me quite a bit."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Who?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well, the guys I just mentioned." Simon was lost for words./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""You... You don't mean to tell me you... 'speak', to those things, do you?" Damian laughed more./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Why of course! You don't think I'd be able to speak to my creations?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""But they're just bloody diseases! They aren't people." Simon sighed, shaking his head. At this point, he didn't know why he was bothering to continue the discussion as the doctor was mad. The doctor tutted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""It appears the scientists here are not alone in their lack of understanding of my science. Anyway, you haven't let me speak fondly of my dearest creation, Rabies." Simon gave an annoyed inhale./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Really? You invent smallpox, malaria and em style="box-sizing: border-box;"that/em is your dearest creation?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Why yes, of course! Malaria is too boring and smallpox... well, we all know what happened to them. But Rabies was the only disease I had trouble with birthing into this world. It required many, many failed attempts."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""And let me guess, all those failed attempts ended up being diseases too."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""No, no, do not rush." Damian shook his head at the camera. "But it did cause me to become more invested in it. It's a shame I haven't spoken to it – or any disease, for a while. Well, except the friends that come from my –, uh, you know, bodies." Damian pointed to the body he was operating on. "You may be amazed to know that I managed to make each of these diseases as a hive mind – For example, let's say I speak to some Anthrax – and yes, I know that's an incredibly weird and complex image, in Asia. If I meet some more Anthrax in Europe, it'll instantly remember all our previous conversations. Hell, it'll have the same personality too – although I can't control that part. Isn't that cool? Hm? Hmmm?" Damian seemed to jump up and down like a giddy child./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""So, I was right in predicting you were the smartest one, hm?" Simon groaned sarcastically. The conversation alone had tired him immensely, let alone the idea of some lunatic running around shilling vaccines whilst sat talking to diseases inside dead bodies, genuinely believing they were talking back. Simon frowned: the whole thought process of the doctor was ridiculous; how is it that he simply could not see reality? How is it that he wasn't even consistent: how is it that he only invented em style="box-sizing: border-box;"some /emdiseases; who created the others? At this point, Simon couldn't be bothered raising any points of contention against the doctor, instead, letting Damian believe whatever he wanted. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Perhaps, although it wouldn't be arrogant of me to suggest that."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Doesn't it bother you?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Hm?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""The amount of death you've caused." Simon humoured the doctor's beliefs for a moment. Damian stood for a while, all the while silently./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""No." He then returned to operating on the body. Simon was sceptical, to say the least./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh, and one last thing, doctor!" Damian placed a fist on his operating table in annoyance as he messed up another cut, "What?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""What are you trying to do, currently?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Find the cure."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""For what?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Never you mind." With that, Simon switched back to his lover's camera./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Andrew?" Simon spoke./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Mm, what love? I was just getting to sleep."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I'm coming over to your chamber," Simon spoke softly, happy not to be listening to inane ramblings any longer, "I'm sure I'll be able to convince Dr Bright – you have no idea all the bollocks I just had to listen too." Andrew gave a small laugh./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh, it's alright."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""What were you looking at?" Andrew asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. Simon smiled softly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Nothing, just the light," He pointed, "It's been a short while since I've seen the light, yet it feels like eternity already." Andrew placed a hand on Simon's shoulder./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I'm sorry for last night, by the way. We can take it more slowly if you want."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""No," Simon interrupted, "It's fine. It was... nice." Simon laughed a little. "What's your thoughts on this light, anyway?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""How do you think I feel?" Andrew smirked, "It's been years since I last saw it - and all this time, it's been hiding outside of my chamber." The pair looked through the crack some more. "Wouldn't it be great if we could just reach it?" Simon hummed,/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Yeah, if we could just climb to it, or jump through it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""No," Andrew interrupted, "Just... well, it's hard to explain. Just reach it. No climbing or jumping. Just looking at it, and... you know, reaching it." Andrew's body tensed slightly at the sudden kiss from Simon, but it soon became a welcome one./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I think I understand." The pair looked at one another, "How about we meet the others? After all, it'll not be long until we are locked away again." Andrew swallowed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Yeah, you're right." Andrew took Simon's hand as they walked slowly down the hallway, enjoying each other's presence. It surprised Simon that the Asylum did not have a single theme to it. Whilst his containment chamber was located within white walls with a slither of orange, the halls he and Andrew currently walked were more metallic, with a few hallways even being brown, muddy reds. Then, Simon was met with yet another theme, this time being a simple white and black - the greatest contrast./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well looker 'ere, if it isn't the new kid and the hardest criminal in this bloody asylum - holding hands, mind you!" Corporal Lawrence laughed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Do you always have alcohol on you, Corporal?" Andrew rolled his eyes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I don't know about you, but I reckon stealing millions from theatres, influencing global politics - or murdering hundreds of nurses and ill soldiers - or killing thousands, if not millions with diseases is a little bit harder than murdering a few guys who annoy you." A Greek voice chimed in from the end of one of the four doors in the junction-like room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Attention. Attention. Please may the following SCPs return to their containment chamber: SCP-035, SCP-079, SCP-106 and SCP-682. Failure to do so will result in immediate punishment or termination." A booming voice suddenly rang through the intercoms./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Ha, too bad they can't legally terminate me. I'm a protected artefact!" Dýo laughed, "I'm heading to Damian." With a shrug, he was off – soon to be all of them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;"Simon lay in his chamber. Soon enough, he was beginning to learn the true horrors of the Asylum. It isn't the name-calling from the guards, or the lack of natural light, or the subpar food, it's the boredom. Oh, the boredom. Simon had fallen into the trap of making friends with others and now he was lonely and bored. Then, a thought occurred to Simon – why not just use his computer. Excited, Simon quickly scrambled to his computer, turning it on before figuring out how to turn off all the foundation security and monitoring. Luckily for Simon, it appeared as if they had underestimated his abilities, so it didn't take long at all. "Why, hello there!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;"Andrew almost jumped when he heard Simon's voice suddenly emit from the camera speaker in his chamber. "Are you always going to be watching me as I'm changing?" Simon smiled to himself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Probably – is there an issue?" Andrew smirked,/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Guess I'll just have to get used to knowing you eying me – just no watching me in my sleep, that's creepy shit." Andrew laughed. Simon returned the same./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Strip for me." Simon smirked, "You can be my cam-girl." Andrew scoffed,/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh, come on! J'ai beaucoup plus de classe que ça, cher Simon!" Simon felt his face heat up. He didn't know why, but he loved the sound of French (Well, if spoken properly)./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I said I have more much class than that, dear Simon!" Andrew grinned at the camera following his moves slowly. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I'm going to bed." Andrew took the last of his clothes off, "Look whilst you can, because these are the last few seconds you'll get tonight – perhaps tomorrow you see me more."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Goodnight, handsome." Simon breathed happily, before changing cameras after Andrew blew him a kiss. He spent a while changing cameras, monitoring the other SCPs, although he made a clear avoidance of SCP-096's room. Dýo lay down on a bed with his host still kicking, waving to the camera as he noticed it spin in a circle. "I thought you were with Damian?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I was – but they threatened to terminate him." The mask replied with a hint of annoyance in his voice./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well, sleep well, Dýo."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Ciao." Corporal Lawrence sat in his containment chamber, drinking as usual./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""You don't stop drinking, do you?" The Corporal spat his drink out in surprise./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Couldn't you at least give a slight warning before suddenly speaking," He coughed, "If I keep hearing random voices like that, I'll start going insane?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Aren't you already insane?" Simon laughed. Lawrence shrugged,/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I suppose." Finally, Simon, admittedly by mistake, ended up watching Damian perform surgery. Thoughts of his crimes quickly soured Simon's mind, although he couldn't help but stare regardless. As much as he hated to admit it, Damian did appear to be the smartest in the Asylum – and the deadliest. After a few minutes of watching, Simon finally gained the courage to voice himself – and voice himself he did./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Good evening, Damian." Damian sighed as his hand jolted the scalpel in surprise./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well, there goes that surgery," He paused, "What do you want?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I was just curious... how many people do you think you've killed?" Damian raised an eyebrow, removing his mask./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""What kind of question is that. I don't know, twenty, maybe?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""20?" Simon repeated, confused, "Just, 20?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well, yes. Why?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""But I don't understand. What about all the sick people? You must've killed thousands at the very least." Damian sighed, stuttering on his speech slightly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well – that wasn't... that wasn't me, that was my friends." Damian pointed to a petri dish. Simon laughed a little, caught off guard by the strange comment./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""And" Simon coughed, reassessing himself, "Did those 'friends' personally go out and chose who to infect – who to kill?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well no but- "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""So, you killed them?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Alright, fine." Damian huffed, before laughing manically. For a moment, Simon jumped, forgetting he was behind a screen. But soon, the laughing died down./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Your mind would not be able to comprehend the number of fatalities that have occurred as a result of my existence, Simon." Damian shook his head lightly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh yeah? Says who! I'm on!" Simon frowned, insulted a little./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""OK then," Damian laughed some more, "Let's have a little thought experiment." Damian grinned at the camera. "I'll keep it more mathematical, for you – after all, you seem like that kind of guy. Let's say you have a big tub, filled with little, blue marbles. One day, I, and only I, decide to drop a little red marble into the big tub. Over time, all the marbles become red. You are following?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Yes, it appears as if you're just describing infection." Simon raised an eyebrow, despite no one being able to see./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""And just how many marbles do you believe are in this tub?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Knowing you, probably a few hundred thousand- "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Billions." Damian halted Simon. "Billions and billions of the infected. However, there's a problem," Damian raised his hand to the camera suddenly, briefly enjoying Simon's silence. Truthfully, Damian never really got chances like this to be able to explain without interruptions. "You see, let's just pretend red marbles have more weight. Soon, the tub falls over and, what do you know – there's a tub below it with another billion marbles! But this time, half of the marbles now in the tub are already infected, so it just keeps going – on and on and on, faster, faster, faster; the marbles do not stop!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I think you've lost your marbles, mate." Simon couldn't help himself, although he quickly regretted it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Do not interrupt me!" Damian shouted, "You want your bloody answer? Fine then! From one Brit to another – an upfront, in 'ya face, statement: I've killed more people than every slicing, every stabbing, every sword-fight, every gunshot, every explosion, every bomb, every war and every disaster that is known to man! Name a disease!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I," Simon paused, caught off by the sudden demand, "I'm sorry?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Go on! Name one, quickly." Damian lowered his voice, returning to his more teacher-like state./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Measles." Damian paused too, before sighing. "OK, well name another one!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Uh... polio?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Yep, that's all me!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh, fuck off!" Simon half-laughed, "Don't be so ridiculous- "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Anthrax, Tetanus, Polio, Meningitis, Smallpox, Influenza, Syphilis, almost anything that causes the Common Cold," The mad doctor continued, the further down the list he went the more worried Simon became. It was as if, if true – at least, that the words coming from the doctor's mouth meant nothing to him at all. No signs of empathy or compassion could be seen. Hell, there wasn't even a charming or terrifying evil in his voice – it was just as if he was rattling off names of old celebrities he had met or a shopping list he was trying to remember. "Pretty much all the lentiviruses – they've killed millions too, Tuberculosis, Malaria – that's a big one- "/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""OK, I get it!" Simon shouted, getting sick of the list./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""They speak of highly of me, you know." Damian smiled as if it was the proudest day of his life./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Who does, your therapist?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Ha! Good one." Damian slapped his knees, "No but in all seriousness, they do like me quite a bit."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Who?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Well, the guys I just mentioned." Simon was lost for words./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""You... You don't mean to tell me you... 'speak', to those things, do you?" Damian laughed more./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Why of course! You don't think I'd be able to speak to my creations?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""But they're just bloody diseases! They aren't people." Simon sighed, shaking his head. At this point, he didn't know why he was bothering to continue the discussion as the doctor was mad. The doctor tutted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""It appears the scientists here are not alone in their lack of understanding of my science. Anyway, you haven't let me speak fondly of my dearest creation, Rabies." Simon gave an annoyed inhale./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Really? You invent smallpox, malaria and em style="box-sizing: border-box;"that/em is your dearest creation?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Why yes, of course! Malaria is too boring and smallpox... well, we all know what happened to them. But Rabies was the only disease I had trouble with birthing into this world. It required many, many failed attempts."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""And let me guess, all those failed attempts ended up being diseases too."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""No, no, do not rush." Damian shook his head at the camera. "But it did cause me to become more invested in it. It's a shame I haven't spoken to it – or any disease, for a while. Well, except the friends that come from my –, uh, you know, bodies." Damian pointed to the body he was operating on. "You may be amazed to know that I managed to make each of these diseases as a hive mind – For example, let's say I speak to some Anthrax – and yes, I know that's an incredibly weird and complex image, in Asia. If I meet some more Anthrax in Europe, it'll instantly remember all our previous conversations. Hell, it'll have the same personality too – although I can't control that part. Isn't that cool? Hm? Hmmm?" Damian seemed to jump up and down like a giddy child./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""So, I was right in predicting you were the smartest one, hm?" Simon groaned sarcastically. The conversation alone had tired him immensely, let alone the idea of some lunatic running around shilling vaccines whilst sat talking to diseases inside dead bodies, genuinely believing they were talking back. Simon frowned: the whole thought process of the doctor was ridiculous; how is it that he simply could not see reality? How is it that he wasn't even consistent: how is it that he only invented em style="box-sizing: border-box;"some /emdiseases; who created the others? At this point, Simon couldn't be bothered raising any points of contention against the doctor, instead, letting Damian believe whatever he wanted. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Perhaps, although it wouldn't be arrogant of me to suggest that."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Doesn't it bother you?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Hm?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""The amount of death you've caused." Simon humoured the doctor's beliefs for a moment. Damian stood for a while, all the while silently./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""No." He then returned to operating on the body. Simon was sceptical, to say the least./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Oh, and one last thing, doctor!" Damian placed a fist on his operating table in annoyance as he messed up another cut, "What?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""What are you trying to do, currently?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Find the cure."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""For what?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Never you mind." With that, Simon switched back to his lover's camera./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Andrew?" Simon spoke./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""Mm, what love? I was just getting to sleep."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;""I'm coming over to your chamber," Simon spoke softly, happy not to be listening to inane ramblings any longer, "I'm sure I'll be able to convince Dr Bright – you have no idea all the bollocks I just had to listen too." Andrew gave a small laugh./p