(KASAL FANS UNITE.
Not much happens in this chapter... I guess you could call it filler, but it's necessary, and it's not mindless, I reveal a little bit of Sidney's (made-up) past!
TCGeek, you brought up a good point... even though I like him, NO VICTOR FOR YOU:D
it's time for them to save someone themselves! No more SuperVictor!
The music reference last time- when Angie was asking Dr. Hoffman if she could still stay with Derek, I put down 'she said, endlessly...'. There's an AFI song called "Endlessly, She Said", where the lyrics are "I will wait for you, she said, endlessly..."
And, on a completely unrelated note, I LOVE YOU ALL FOR REVIEWING. Hearts for you all. Not real ones though... :)
Characters © Nintendo
GUILT(Gangliated Utrophin Immuno Latency Toxin) © Nintendo
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Perfect Death
Chapter Five- Paraskevi: Preparation
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-"Victoria Kasal... she was your wife?"-
-"Yes, she was."-
Flying was a surprisingly dull method of travel. Sidney and Naomi spent the time talking- in Japanese, so as to keep their conversation private, not heard by every inquiring mind near them.
Japanese was one of the many skills that Sidney had picked up while he was studying abroad.
-"I... I'm sorry, Dr. Kasal. I'm sure that this wasn't easy for you to do..."-
Sidney glanced out the small, circular window, his dark hazel eyes staring off into the distance.
-"... I met her during my time in school at Tokyo. You could call it a whirlwind romance, I suppose... we got married as soon as we returned to America. ...everything was good then. But..."-
-"... she got sick,"- Naomi finished his thought.
-"It was GUILT... but we didn't know that then. The doctors just said it was inoperable. ...and within a month, she... she was gone.
-"That... that was what made me really get involved in the medical field. So that no one would have to die painfully... like she did."-
Naomi smiled gently.
-"And I'm sure that she's proud of you, for saving so many lives. Proud... and happy that you haven't forgotten her."-
Sidney adjusted his glasses.
-"No... I haven't forgotten."-
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Angie had fallen asleep for a grand total of five minutes.
Her nervous energy had woken her right back up.
She reached out and took Derek's hand into her own. It was cool and did not hold hers, but it comforted her, nonetheless. It calmed her, to hold onto something real.
"Derek..." Angie murmured softly. "Please... hold on... if you... feel like letting go, just... hold on... please..."
She didn't notice as his thin, pale fingers slowly curled around hers.
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"'Victoria'... we're here."
Naomi was woken by Sidney gently shaking her shoulder.. Groaning, she stood up slowly, following the other passengers off the plane.
"How long have I been asleep...?" she asked, shaking off the grogginess.
"About three hours, give or take," Sidney replied, directing her towards the airport exit. "Hope is about forty minutes from here, if we drive quickly and have good traffic."
"A speed demon, eh?" Naomi couldn't help but smile. "I'm sure you know all the secret routes there, too."
"...there isn't much time, I heard," Sidney frowned as they stepped out into the sunlight. "The sooner he gets treated, the better."
When they approached Sidney's car, he opened the passenger's door for Naomi.
"Why, thank you, Dr. Kasal," she smiled as she got into the vehicle. "Ever the gentleman, aren't you?"
Sidney did not reply as he closed the door for her, then walked over and entered through the driver's side.
"Buckle up," he muttered, fastening his seat belt and starting the engine. After Naomi buckled herself in, he reached over, pulling the brown wig off of her head. Her long, silvery hair fell to her shoulders as Sidney tossed the wig onto the back seat.
"No more need for a disguise? Thank God," Naomi sighed. "Does that mean I can wash off this makeup soon, too?"
"When we get there," Sidney answered. Pulling out of the parking lot, he turned onto the empty street, racing towards Hope Hospital.
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"Angie... Angie, wake up."
"Nh...?"
Angie's green eyes opened slowly. She was greeted by bright lights hurting her eyes and Dr. Kasal gently shaking her shoulders.
"Dr. Kasal...? What is it...?" Angie muttered, sitting up straight as she rubbed the sleep out from her eyes. "...nothing's happened to Derek, right?!"
"Derek is fine," Dr. Kasal reassured the panicking nurse. "We just received a phone call... from Dr. Kimishima."
"From Kimishima?!"
"She and Sidney are on their way here," Dr. Kasal explained. "She said that it would be about another half an hour until they're here... it's time to get ready, Angie. This is it."
Angie stood up. "This is it..." she repeated softly.
She left, determined. It was not the time for tears...
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"Patient's name is Derek Stiles... age twenty-seven..."
Greg Kasal was doing the operation briefing. Dr. Hoffman, Dr. Kimishima-now free of makeup-, Angie Thompson, and Sidney Kasal were also present at the briefing, listening intently to the senior surgeon.
"Two days ago, during a somewhat non-routine operation, he began coughing up blood. Shortly thereafter, he lost consciousness... failure of the left lung and near total heart failure was eventually confirmed. We did a Chiron Wavelength Test..."
"...he tested positive for GUILT," Angie finished.
"There were two distinct patterns," Dr. Kasal continued. "We've confirmed Kyriaki in the left lung... and Savato."
"...how did this happen?? Sidney asked. "Derek has not operated on a GUILT patient since he was in Europe. Where would he have come into contact with it?"
Dr. Kimishima cleared her throat somewhat hesitantly.
"I... may have an idea where he got it."
All eyes turned towards here, waiting.
"It was when we had removed Savato from Adam..."
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"As it is written in Revelations 9:6. 'During those days men will seek death, but will not find it -- they will long to die, but death will elude them'," Adam's deep voice suddenly seemed faint as Derek finished suturing the incision in Adam's chest. "Just as the prophecy states, I have set a plague upon mankind to torment those who have betrayed natural law. ...At the end of all life, I alone will stand as an angel before the gaping abyss... I, who have become the great destroyer Apollyon! ...Your medicine is deceit, and you are nothing but a false prophet..."
"Ugh... I'm sick of his madness," Naomi grimaced as Adam grew still. "Is he dead yet?"
Derek placed two fingers against the artery in Adam's neck.
"I don't feel a pulse... I think he's--"
Suddenly, Adam's body shuddered, then... deflated as he heaved a long, heavy sigh. A thick blue mist floated out of his mouth, drifting through the air...
"Gah!" Naomi cried out, quickly covering her mouth. Derek pulled his surgical mask over his mouth as they ran out of the room...
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"...you're suggesting that Adam infected Derek... through that mist?" Angie gawked.
"We both took the Chiron Test, but they came back negative," Dr. Kimishima nodded. "However, Adam... had implied that GUILT lied dormant in all humans. And since the GUILT has done this kind of damage, they may very well be mutated strains... it's probable that the GUILT formed naturally in him..."
"...which would mean it's going to be difficult to remove," Dr. Hoffman concluded. "But... it can be done."
He stood up. Angie, Dr. Kimishima and Sidney followed suit.
"I will operate on the Kyriaki. Naomi, you will operate on the Savato."
"Yes, Dr. Hoffman."
"Angie, you will assist Naomi. Greg, you will be my assistant."
"Y-yes, Dr. Hoffman."
"Of course, Dr. Hoffman."
"Sidney, what will you do?"
"..I'll stay and watch, if that is alright with you."
"Very well. Good luck to us all."
Sidney made his way to the observation area as the other four walked into the operating room.
There was no turning back now.
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(OH MY GOD NEXT CHAPTER IS THE OPERATION.
Yes, Sidney is observing... because after making him go all the way to Europe, being forced to remember his dead wife, and getting no sleep and SERIOUS jet lag, you think I'm not going to let him catch a piece of the action? XD
That was changed, Thanks, banjkazfan for catching that. XD
Musical reference, anyone?
Oh God... two more chapters, and this story will be over! I'm so close to the end it scares me...
Prepare yourselves for uber-drama next chapter... it should be up in three-four days. It's gonna take a while to write up...
Review please!)