Chapter fifteen:
"We will give you a chance to speak with them. We will watch in a spot where they won't be able to even know we are there. We won't endanger your life for what you did. However you will have to act as our spy with them. Helping us gather information on them and what they're doing. This could end up helping in finding a cure to what they is being used on the victims. And if they send the dirt that they have to us we will not release it no matter what happens. We don't gain anything from doing so after all so there is no point." The higher up explains to Kenzo who stares back at this. "Do you agree?"
"Sure do. I do want to help the patients no matter what my actions say. The circumstances steered me into doing it. Though I know my excuses won't matter." Kenzo shrugs clearly aware that he isn't going to be getting out of this either way.
"Good to hear that there is still a part of you that does want to do the right thing." The higher up nods softly to hearing this. "You of course will not be unsupervised at any point. Whether or not you can see us we will always be watching you."
Kenzo snorts and waves this off. "Yeah yeah I figured as much. Now I need my computer to make that call so they don't try to take me out."
Jiro approaches Kaoru and Asahi who both turn to look to him. "Why don't the two of you go ahead and head back to work?" His gaze tells them that they are deep enough in this too early so they don't need to be even deeper in this.
Kaoru leads Asahi out right after the other gives a thanks for letting them stay for as long as they did.
"I think I am going to get ready to help some patients." Asahi mentions causing Kaoru to turn to him.
"You don't want to do some other work?" Kaoru inquires only to get a shake of the head from Asahi.
"I need a refreshment after that and helping the patients do that for me." Asahi informs Kaoru who nods before the other heads off to get ready.
Kaoru glances around trying to decide if he wants to check on patients or try to see if he can figure out a potential cure; or at least something even a little more effective than what they have currently. He ends up deciding to make a visit to Haruhi and he gears up. He heads to her room and goes to her bedside. He winces at seeing his friend not doing so well. He knows that they still have time before the illness claims her however she already looks terrible. He clenches his hands into fists swearing that he will figure something out. He won't let one of his own friends die from this. He examines her and determines that there is still plenty of time, well as much as this illness allows, before Haruhi ends up in a really bad place that might be past the point of return.
Haruhi manages to turn her head to look to Kaoru and smiles softly at him looking so weak and sick.
"We will figure something out." Kaoru tells her hoping that he can help make her feel good.
"I… Know…" Haruhi confirms in a raspy voice before coughing with the usual show of the symptoms.
"Rest Haruhi." Kaoru checks her temperature. He finds it is with a slight fever which is to be expected. He can't do much about that. "I'll leave you to get some rest." He notices that Haruhi tries to reach for him. He gently encourages her to rest her hand. He leans closer knowing that she really wants to say something to him.
"Believe in yourself… Whether or not… You manage to find it in time… Do not lose hope… No matter what…" Haruhi finishes with some gasping and Kaoru pulls away gazing at his friend.
"I will do everything I can to save you. Don't you give up hope on surviving this." Kaoru informs Haruhi who barely nods. He moves away seeing how tired she looks to be. "Go ahead and get some rest. I'll be back later." He heads out with that and cleans himself up. He goes to a work table and looks through the book of known cures. He even pulls out the special book that his own mentor had given to him. He thinks over the ingredients that are used in the mixture they are currently using which only helps a little and not actually cure any of it. He clenches his teeth as there is so many solutions that could be tried, so much so that he isn't sure if they could be even able to try them all before Haruhi dies.
They would have to also test it on the one patient before they can write it off as a success or a failure, making sure that the mixture has any effect before saying for certain.
"So this is where you went off to."
Kaoru's eyes flicker to his mentor who approaches with a slight smile. He sits up and looks to the other. "How did everything go?"
"Well we weren't able to get any new information. Whoever it is mainly got the data needed before promising another contact and proof that they will hold up their end. They are using something to protect their location so we can't track them down that way. It was at least a small step in the right direction." Jiro pulls up a chair sitting next to Kaoru and he glances to the open books on the work table. "See anything that might help?" He inquires with his gaze flickering back to Kaoru's face.
"So many possible solutions. Too many to try before…" Kaoru pauses though Jiro doesn't mind finishing that for him.
"Before your friend is taken away by this illness." Jiro blinks sympathetically at Kaoru who looks sad to even think about it.
"She's a good friend. Like a sister to me." Kaoru admits a little softly to Jiro. He feels a comforting hand rest upon his shoulder.
"I understand. We all have someone we care for. And it can be hard to focus on other patients when we also have those we care about sick. Just remember that we do need to try to focus on all our patients. Especially with this emergency we have our hands full with those that need our help. "You're allowed to worry about her as long as you don't let it interfere with your work." He smiles softly when Kaoru nods his head to show that he does understand. "Good. Now how about we compare your mixtures of potions with a list of the ones that we have already tried?" He pulls out a piece of paper which makes Kaoru smile and the two set to work. He writes down any new mixture ideas that come up while crossing off a ton that were already tested. He gets up when they are finished. "I will give these ideas to those working on the potions. You never know what could end up helping us into a breakthrough. You can either rest or check on patients. Use the list I gave you before just skip the one obviously. I can give you a new one if you want."
"I'll be okay." Kaoru assures Jiro cleaning up his stuff. "I can check on those patients."
Jiro nods and so the two part ways for now.