“Busy as always I see, Ms. Jaimess,” Farian poked his head into the lounge of the underground lab with a plate of breakfast in hand. “What is it this time, grading papers?” Andi had her own lab for the rare moments that she was free enough to conduct her own experiments, but she handled most of her schoolwork in the public lounge since it was a more relaxing environment.
“You should know better than anyone that you should just call me Andi, Dr. Graf,” she countered back to him. “And I only have two small girls to grade, so that doesn’t take very long. I’m working on lesson plans for my tutoring if you must know.”
“It’s important work either way,” the doctor insisted. “But do you happen to have some free time today, a lot of it? The whole day, really.”
“Need me to prep a lot of experiments for you again?” It was something she did quite regularly as part of her usual duties, so she found it weird that he’d be asking in such an odd way.
“Actually, I was planning to go out and make some house-calls,” he clarified. “I’ve heard rumors of some rare diseases out in the wild that I’d like to investigate, and I could use your professional experience to assist me.”
“And those are the only reasons?” Andi had quickly found out that Farian was a terrible liar and an even worse bluffer. It was a wonder how he managed to hide away for so long as both a Fiend and a serial-killer. Maybe lying had just become his constant state of being, and only now that he could be his real self did the cracks show themselves.
Or maybe everyone else had just been so distracted by his charm and good looks that they never dug deeper than the surface. But as a teacher, Andi had gotten used to students lying to her on a regular basis. Lost assignments, unfinished homework, inconsistent absences—she’d heard the laziest excuses and the most elaborate contrivances.
About 90% of the time it was complete zjik, so she’d gotten used to sniffing it out. Now, Farian was keeping something from her. She’d undoubtedly help him with whatever he needed, but not until he was completely upfront with her.
“And the truth is… I don’t actually know how to drive,” Farian let out a wry laugh. “There was never the time to learn, and Drome Coli had public transit so I never needed it there. But the other facts I said were true! I really would value your assistance!”
“You do realize that I am on parole and can’t leave Bisomote without permission, right?”
“Don’t worry, I already got it,” Farian showed her a text from Xard. “But would that really stop you, though? You’re surrounded by criminals far worse than you. I doubt the police or the CP would really choose you out of the bunch to pursue.”
“Well, unlike the rest of you, I don’t exactly have the means to protect myself if it came down to it,” Andi admitted. “Of course, I always keep a few tools on hand for a quick escape, but that’s about all I’m good for. Unless you’re offering to protect me, because as a human, I think even I might be able to take you in a fight.”
“Heh, you got me there. I’m no fighter,” Farian couldn’t deny. “But there’s more than one way to get out of any situation, so we’ll be fine. Plus, you haven’t been outside this city since you got here, right? Don’t you want to get out and see something new?”
“Funny that anyone living in this lab would have the guts to say something like that,” Andi snickered. “We’re all a bunch of recluses who barely see the sun. But let’s get going before all your sweet words cause my ears to ache.”
◆◆◆
“I thought you’d abandoned the wig lifestyle,” Andi questioned as they drove to their first destination.
“When I’m at the compound, certainly,” Farian was double-checking the wig in the mirror and adjusting it. “But I can’t deny its usefulness when I go anywhere else. People find me more trusting and competent for some reason. Such vain ideals are rotting their judgment.”
They traveled to the next country over in one of the group's experimental hover-cars. A similar concept to their flying vehicles, but it didn’t have full flight capabilities. Instead, the vehicle had a maximum height range of only a few dozen feet and it could only move horizontally.
The vehicle still had to follow roads as well, so functionally it was just another car. However, it let them fly directly over the rest of the traffic at a couple hundred lages per hour. Nathym and Itsy were still working on making it fully automated, but it was a much easier transition for those who just knew how to drive a regular vehicle without having to also essentially become a pilot.
The family of the first patient was eager to see them and let them inside without question once Farian had introduced himself, despite having given no forewarning of their arrival.
“Hmph, one of the Plague-Doctors works,” Farian quickly deduced after diagnosing the patient with his Curse.
“How can you tell?” Andi was genuinely curious.
“Well, it should be obvious by the symptoms alone. Only she would do something like this. But the way she concocts her diseases leaves a certain imprint, almost like she’s signing her name into their DNA.”
The patient had a giant boil coming out of his forehead. It had started out simple enough, but it grew in size every day. Eventually, it got past the point that it could be lanced off without putting the man’s life at risk, and no regular doctor would attempt the surgery. Now, the boil had grown to the point that it had sealed his eyes shut, blinding him.
It had grown further beyond that since too, encroaching on his nose. In just a few more weeks, it would completely seal that off as well, leaving just their mouth to breathe through for the rest of their life. Not that it would be a particularly long life since the boil would inevitably block off his mouth eventually. It was a very slow and cruel death where his life would only get more miserable with each passing day.
“Just what exactly did you do to her that she felt the need to punish you so severely?” Farian questioned the patient. On the surface, it would seem that he was just trying to get more information to treat him, but Andi knew the real reason. Farian was weighing whether or not this person deserved death, and if he’d finish the job or let the disease take its course.
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It had always been a mystery to her why they restricted Kaizu so heavily, and hell even herself to an extent, more than they did Farian who was also a self-admitted serial-killer. Maybe they believed the services he provided warranted his freedom, or maybe they were more aligned with his sense of justice, or maybe they just hadn’t made up their minds on how restricted he needed to be.
She had to assume they were monitoring him somehow, and if he killed while out today, it certainly wouldn’t help him in the future. Whether or not she’d try to stop him would probably depend on the situation and her feelings in the moment. That assumed of course that she even knew he was doing it to begin with. Andi wasn’t a leading expert in the medical field outside of medication, so he could easily slip something past her.
“The Plague Doctor?” the patient seemed confused for a moment. “I’ve never- wait, do you mean that woman with the mask in all-black clothing. That has to be her, right? Damn, the boil didn’t start until a few weeks later, so I never even thought it could be her.”
“I’ll admit, I had taken some drugs and was a bit out of it at the time. She appeared out of nowhere and I found her clothes a bit silly, so my inner thoughts leaked out and I made fun of her outfit. After that, she came up and flicked me really hard on the forehead. By the time my head stopped reeling, she was gone, and I never saw her again.”
“Insulting their outfit, I can definitely see some women who would kill over that,” Andi had to stifle a laugh.
“So you were a bit of a prat, but that’s not deserving of a death sentence in my opinion,” the man had unknowingly just passed Farian’s morality check. “Don’t worry, sir. I will cure you. Afterwards, your face will be disfigured for quite a while, but it will repair itself over time. You’ll also be in quite a bit of pain, but I’ll prescribe some strong stuff to help mitigate it.”
“Andi, please retrieve the popup surgery room. We’ll also need a large container to drain all the fluid into, need to get every last drop out or it’ll just come back. Please also get the blood types of the family members. He’ll need a transfusion during the surgery, or he’ll die in the middle of it. Once the fluid is gone, I’ll be lacerating some of the excess skin and restitching you shut. Now if you’ll just sign here.”
Andi handed the clipboard over to Farian that she’d prepped in advance. He put the pen into the patient's hand and guided him to the dotted line. “Wait, we’re doing this right now?!” the man was in shock at the spontaneity.
“Yes,” Farian assured him. “Every minute we wait, it’ll take you that much longer to recover. And if we waited until your nose was sealed, it could do irreparable damage to your respiratory system. I can’t begin to imagine the state your eyes are in, but I’ve confirmed that they are still capable of vision. We’ll deal with those problems later on. For now, just relax. We’ll be putting you under in a few minutes. When you wake up, you’ll be healthy again.”
During the surgery, Andi had to put on her gas mask the moment the skin was punctured. The smell was just too unbearable. Thankfully, they were performing it outside in their popup surgery tent, or the house itself probably would have been unlivable for a time. But it never bothered Farian for a moment—so focused on his work that he didn’t even notice.
◆◆◆
“I’m sorry, but she has declined to see any doctors, especially this late at night. I must ask you to leave and only come back if you have a confirmed appointment with the resident.” The receptionist shooed them away.
They were at an end-of-life facility. It was one step beyond assisted-living. This place was where someone came to die, fully expecting to never walk out of the front doors ever again. A few would be so lucky, but for most, it was the last thing they saw in life.
After curing the first patient, they’d been on the hunt for more rare diseases. Unfortunately, the rest had all been duds—either someone just stubbornly refusing to receive help, or they’d met with a doctor who was wholly incompetent. For one case, a woman had been painting purple splotches on her skin with nail polish for attention.
This led to the last one on the list for the day. Farian had plenty more to investigate, but they were too scattered around the world to be included in a daytrip. He’d likely have to bother Andi again in the near future for another round. It would only get more difficult as it went on since he knew that someone as invaluable as her would only have time taken more and more. Truly, having her along with him on this trip had been an irreplaceable boon, but she’d only groan if he continued to praise her.
“So I guess that’s it then,” Andi stretched after they retreated back outside. “We can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. Shall we head straight back or get some dinner first.”
Farian had to assume his face got rather ugly after that, grateful that he couldn’t see himself in a mirror—a face that he could never show a patient. He almost wanted to slap her for those words—something so offensive to his core values—but he knew she was just expressing her opinion and the mindset she’d been forced to accept by society. It wasn’t her fault that she thought that way, but he’d still have to correct it.
“We’re not giving up, Andi,” Even though he’d tried to soothe his anger, his words still came out bitter. “Anyone that I am able to help, I’m going to help them regardless of their feelings. I am here to study disease and cure the world. Their lives are mine to save, but whatever they want to do with it afterwards is up to them. If they want to die so badly, they can do so afterwards by their own hand.”
“Quite the resolve,” she was on the verge of sarcastically applauding him. “But what are we going to do if they won’t let us in? I’m sure treating the patient won’t be easy if we’re fending off security the whole time.”
“Well that’s where I was hoping I could rely on you,” Farian smirked. “I’m sure you could sprinkle a little something in the air that makes them not care that we’re passing by. But only for a few minutes please. We wouldn’t want them to actually neglect their duties.”
A genuine smile stretched across Andi’s face, able to properly flex her skills for the first time in a while. She went to the car to retrieve her kit and then got concocting. Only a few minutes later, she cracked open the front door to the facility and chucked a canister inside.
“Who are you?!” the elderly woman gasped as two strangers with gas masks suddenly entered her room.
“Greetings madam. I’m Dr. Farian Graf,” he introduced himself as he removed his mask. “And this is my assistant—”
“I said no more doctors!” she rudely interjected. To only call her crotchety would be a compliment. “Just let me die in peace already! That’s it! I’m calling security.”
“Andi,” Farian nodded for her help when the woman reached for her call-buttons. Andi swiftly trotted over and pulled the console away. She then grabbed the woman’s arms and forced the nearby restraints around them that were kept for unruly patients.
“You didn’t let me finish,” Farian’s pleasant demeanor was gone and only his fiendish side remained. “I was never planning to give you a choice. You’ll be cured by my hands whether you want to or not!”
◆◆◆
“Thank you for today,” Farian expressed his gratitude once more when the car pulled back into the Fiends For Hire compound. “I know you’re constantly swamped, so I really appreciate you taking the time. Now I imagine you’ll have a lot of catching up to do, so please do let me know if there’s anything I can ever do to help.”
“Oh! There actually is one thing,” Andi jumped on the opportunity without hesitation. “As I’m sure you’re aware, two of our college students are planning to enter the medical field. Having supplemental reference material from an experienced professional would be a great benefit to them.”
“I actually hadn’t finished researching the information I was going to provide during their tutoring session tomorrow for their upcoming test. So if you could write up a report on proper sanitization requirements before tomorrow morning, you’d be doing me a huge favor.” Andi then let out a massive yawn and hopped out of the car. “Thanks a lot, Farian. I’m off to bed!”