Chapter Eight
After asking several people for directions, the Doctor and his companions finally found the hospital. They stared up at the white building with the green moon displayed prominently on the side. The Doctor reached into his coat pocket and brought out his psychic paper. He felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned to look at Rose.
"Just have to ask, hospitals still bother ya?" she asked.
The Doctor frowned in confusion for a moment and then he realized what she was talking about.
"Oh yeah, I did hate hospitals in my last life, didn't I?" he said with a chuckle. "No, they don't bother me now."
"How about the little shops?"
"In the hospital? Oh yeah, I still think every hospital should have a little shop. It's an absolute must," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
He held his psychic paper in his left hand while he took Rose's hand with his right. He looked back at Martha and Mickey.
"Well, onward and upward, gang," he said while they headed towards the building.
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The receptionist looked up when they entered the lobby.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
The Doctor held up his psychic paper.
"Doctor John Smith, specialist in communicable diseases from Pollos Eleven. I'm here to see the woman who survived the Nok flu."
She looked at Rose, Martha, and Mickey.
"And they are…"
"These are my students. They're doing an internship and have traveled with me to learn firsthand the effects of the Nok flu. Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to talk to the patient?"
"Do you have an appointment?" the receptionist asked.
"No, we were not aware we had to make one. Apothecary Ba'zon said he would make all arrangements for us. We have his permission to come here and speak with the woman."
"I see, and where is proof of his permission?"
The Doctor turned the psychic paper towards him and pretended to fiddle with it.
"Ah, here it is," he said turning it back around to her. "His permission for us to visit with her."
Rose noticed the receptionist staring at the psychic paper skeptically and for a moment, she thought she wasn't going to buy it. But then, she sighed, opened a small book and put it in front of him.
"Sign the visitor registry, please."
The Doctor smiled, took the pen, and signed their names in the book. He sat the pen down and took four small yellow badges from the receptionist.
"Wear these while you are in here, it identifies you as visitors," she said.
The Doctor nodded and passed out the badges. All of them clipped them to their clothes.
"I'm sorry, but Ba'zon was in a hurry and didn't tell us what room this woman was in," the Doctor said giving her a polite smile.
Again, Rose saw the suspicious look pass over her face for a moment.
"She's in room 1123 B," she finally said.
The Doctor beamed at her.
"Thanks so much," he replied.
They turned and walked off down the corridor towards the lift. The receptionist watched them go and when they were out of earshot, pulled her mini-holoprojector over towards her. She pushed a button on it and said, "Get me Minister Za'tok."
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Za'tok grumbled when he walked into the room containing his holoprojector.
"I swear to the gods if Ba'zon calls me one more time, I will have his license torn up in front of his face."
He hit the button on the base and was taken aback when he saw a woman instead of Ba'zon.
"Yes," he said warily, "may I help you?"
"Minister, my name is Ta'ra. I'm the receptionist at Terserian Hope Hospital."
"Yes, what do you want?" he said impatiently.
"Sir, you wished someone to inform you if anyone was visiting Za'tiria Pelra."
"Who?"
"The woman who is here recovering from the Nok flu."
His eyes widened in understanding.
"Oh yes, now I remember. Sorry, her name escaped me for the moment. You say someone is visiting her?"
"Yes, Minister."
"What are their names?"
Ta'ra looked at the register.
"Doctor John Smith, Miss Rose Badwolf, Miss Martha Judoonmoon, and Mister Mickey Idiotboy. Those are the names he wrote down."
"So, that Doctor Smith did go and see that woman after all," Za'tok murmured.
"He said he had permission from Apothecary Ba'zon, whoever he is, and showed me a permission slip he wrote allowing him and his students access to Za'tiria's room."
Za'tok narrowed his eyes.
"I see, did he now," he said angrily. "I shall have to have a talk with him about that."
"What do you want us to do?" Ta'ra asked.
Za'tok thought for a moment.
"Keep them there and summon the police. I wish to interrogate this Doctor Smith myself when he gets to the prison."
"I will do it at once."
"Thank you and thank you for summoning me. You may have prevented a national crisis."
He could see her eyes widen at that, but she merely bowed.
"Always happy to do my part for the government," she said, bowing her head.
Za'tok smiled.
"As am I, Miss Ta'ra, as am I. Good day."
He switched off the holoprojector.
"First I will find out what this Doctor Smith knows before I confront Ba'zon. But, if he did help him, I will put an enhanced patch on him, myself!
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"Here we are, 1123," the Doctor said, pausing at a room.
He looked inside and noticed the only occupant in the room was a blonde haired woman lying in the bed on the far side. He nodded at his companions and they followed him in. As they neared her bed, they could see she was asleep. Rose noticed a purple patch on the side of her face.
"What's that?" she said, pointing to it.
"It's medicine of some kind." The Doctor said, bending over the woman.
She stared at her for a moment. She was beautiful, but her face was haggard from being ill. His hearts ached watching her sleep peacefully. He hated to wake her when she needed rest, but he had no choice. He had to find out what was going on and if she was able to survive the Nok flu, she might hold the key to finding a cure. Gently, he put his hand on her shoulder and began to shake her.
"Miss?" he said in her ear.
She groaned.
"Miss, I'm sorry to wake you, but I have to ask you a few questions."
The woman eyes fluttered open. She stared at the Doctor, confused.
"Who...are… you?" she said sleepily.
"My name is the Doctor," he said. "I'm so sorry to disturb you, but my friends and I have come a long way and we need to ask you a couple of questions. After that, we'll be on our way."
The woman nodded and slowly sat up while the Doctor pulled up a chair beside the bed.
"What is your name?" the Doctor asked.
"Za'tiria."
The Doctor smiled.
"That's a very pretty name."
Za'tiria nodded, still half asleep. She glanced up wearily at Rose, Martha, and Mickey who were standing at the end of the bed.
"Who're they?" she murmured.
"Those are my friends, Rose, Martha, and Mickey. They're helping me," the Doctor said.
Za'tiria looked at him.
"What do you need to know?" she said softly.
The Doctor gave her a sympathetic smile and laid a hand on her arm.
"What happened when you got the Nok flu? When did you get sick?" he asked gently.
"Right after I got the patch."
The Doctor glanced at his companions and looked back at her.
"But…I was under the impression that the vaccine prevented people from getting the flu," he said to her.
"It does, but somehow I got it anyway," she said.
"When was this?"
"About a month ago."
"You've been in the hospital for a month?"
Za'tiria nodded.
The Doctor stared at her sadly. He could tell how exhausting it was for her to be answering these questions and he felt guilty for putting her through it. He decided to ask only a couple more and then let her rest. They could always find out information elsewhere.
"Can you describe what happened when you got sick?" he asked her.
Za'tiria paused a moment in thought.
"It was so strange, I don't really remember much," she said. "I just remember walking along the pavement and then feeling funny all of a sudden and my head felt like it was gonna split open and then I blacked out. When I woke up, I was lying on the ground with blood on my hands."
She looked at him.
"They said I killed someone. An old man."
The Doctor took her hand when he saw the shame in her eyes.
"It wasn't your fault Za'tiria. If you blacked out, you had no idea what you were doing," he said gently.
"I guess, but it still haunts me to this day. That poor man."
The Doctor felt rage rise within him. He suspected there was more to this disease than people were saying and he especially felt that it might be man-made. If it was, then the Terserian government was the one responsible for Za'tiria murdering an innocent man and that infuriated him. First To'lan went berserk and now he found out Za'tiria murdered someone while under what he suspected was a similar rage. He was now determined to find out what was going on and put a stop to it before anyone else was hurt or killed.
"Za'tiria, I just want to ask you one more question and then I'll leave you alone," he said.
Za'tiria nodded.
"Why did you live when everyone else has died from this Nok flu? Do you have any clue why you survived?"
Za'tiria's brow furrowed while she thought.
"I really don't know. They said I was lucky though."
The Doctor nodded.
"Yes, you are and I hope you recover quickly and have a wonderful, peaceful life. In the meantime, I and my students will get out of your hair so you can rest."
He stood back up and motioned to his companions to go on out.
"Thank you for your time, Za'tiria," he said.
She nodded.
"You're welcome. I hope you find whatever is causing the sickness."
"I hope so too."
He helped her lie back in her bed and when she was comfortable; he squeezed her hand and walked out of the room.
Once he went through the door, he was shocked by the presence of several armed police officers standing around Rose, Martha, and Mickey. They looked over at him.
"Doctor Smith, you and your friends will come with us," an officer said to him.