Despite no news in the death of Chi'anall, New Rydynn Memorial Hospital slowly returned to it's normal routine. It seemed a few hours of hectic activity always lead to days of tedium and boredom. The regulars, folks who lived in the vicinty of the hospital and who depended on its food and medical care, began to trickle back through the demonic sliding doors. It was quite a sight to see the sometime Union medic C.J. Algantt praying that said doors would open and open quickly.
She carried a very heavy burden, in the form of an injured man, slung in a fireman's carry on her back. The doors were merciful and let her in. Unfortunately, the man she carried woke up and shifted his balance. C.J. lost her balance and down they both went with a loud shout from C.J., who became the injured man's cushion.
Union Medic Asche Drachenn witness the whole thing with her usual caustic aplomb. Meanwhile, across the street, Azazel, known to the general public as Az, spoke to Shin, who also sported various names and nicknames. Az asked Shin if he needed anything. Shin assured the older man that he needed nothing and told Az to tell 'her' anything she wanted to know.
With that, Az crossed the street and arrived in the hospital lobby in time to pick the injured man off of C.J. Az took the man into the Emergency Room where Marshall Demoss, Asche's brother, presided as chief physician. C.J. followed Az into the E.R. after C.J. revealed the man had tried to rob her and got a gunshot wound in the shoulder for his trouble. Asche discovered that C.J. was also wounded and sent her to the E.R. as well.
That left Asche alone when Az returned from the E.R. Asche was just the person Az had come to see. He wanted to pick up on a conversation the two had days prior. It was about Shin and why Shin, who was accused of Chi'anall's death and banned from the hospital, could not have done the crime.
"I've got a question," Az began. "What would you do if you found a hidden cache of data - information in Elliot's system?"
"I'd read it," Asche answered with little expression. "Or interpret it."
From there, Az revealed that a secret organization downloaded the entire contents of the New Rydynn Memorial Library into a secret cache on the Elliot Enterprises Series Seven Supercomputer many years ago. It was an attempt to preserve the information.
"I and others have been storing information in such a manner for a while," Az told Asche. "I can't give away exactly who's involved, but our purpose was to make sure that it would survive."
Asche, despite the discovery of such a vast resource of information, was reluctant and no little annoyed that someone, let alone a group of someone's were secretly using the the super computer for their own purposes. Especially after all the Union's generosity to the inhabitants of New Rydynn over the years.
"That means you had access through the Union, if this is a secret cache," Asche fumed.
To be betrayed like that, by one of her own. It was unbelievable to her, who was so dedicated. She worked hard to keep her tone even. "Hacking Elliot is impossible, which means no other faction could have erased it. Unless you fear the Union."
"We hid the information for viewing purposes," Az said. "Didn't want just anyone having access to it. This information, it's both old articles and translated books."
"You're a godsdamned arrogant son of a bitch," Asche said. "Did you even think to ask me?"
"This started before you."
"Great, so I grew up with a traitor."
"There are copies of all the books from the city's library," Az continued.
"Great. Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"It's supposed to make you think."
That begged the question: Think about what? Az explained that he didn't trust the Union, but trusted Asche enough to tell her. It was a gift of sorts. Something that Az thought it was time for Asche to know because she was someone who could understand and interpret the information. Thus, Az got down to the root of the information stored in the super computer.
It concerned a certain 'virus', for lack of a better term. This virus made an appearance in Shin, when he was once known as Garret Donnovann and Shad Grey. When he became infected a few years ago, the 'virus' or oil, some had called it, nearly killed him. When Shin recovered from the infection, he found he had augmented physical and mental capabilities that set him apart from other huumunns.
Az revealed there were many victims of this virus. Of those that survived, Az included, all reported enhance capabilities. Not all survived and the dying was painful and horrific. The corpse turned into a puddle of black ooze. Survival was considered amongst this secret group as initiation and a rite of passage. Once recovered from the initial attack, the virus appeared to live in symbiosis with its huumunn host.
Meanwhile, in the E.R., C.J. and Marshall chatted while Marshall worked on C.J.'s hand. C.J. had also received a gunshot wound, though it was merely a graze and needed irrigation and bandaged. The man she shot in return needed surgery. The two former Legionaires also discussed Marshall's inability to keep track of time.
Once again, Marshall regailed his audience of one about how his pocketwatch went missing. Marshall hadn't been able to stay on time since. It was a bothersome, tiresome thing that had no known solution except to have Elliot constantly remind Marshall of the time.
