You've reached Dr. Niguel. If this is an emergency, hang up and call the damn emergency service. I do research, not first aid. If you still think you've got the right number, leave a message and I might call you back.
A friend of mine named Gabriel Cunningham. He works at a hospital out in Portland, and I helped him out a year or so ago when he needed advice on a complex operation on another friend and former patient of mine. [yes, Derek has other friends, Victor.]
Yeah, that would be him. [unfortunately. Gabe, why do you have to be like that?]
But anyway, normally I wouldn't bother you with something like this, but seeing as I was infected with GUILT three years ago, I'd feel better having your help.
Damn. I was afraid this might come up, so I took the precautions of preparing what I could to deal with the possibility. Bad news is, it's not everything. We can diagnose, but the medicine will take more time.
[well, Victor preparing things is good, he really should have expected that much from him. The rest, though, raises some questions.]
A diagnosis is a good start, though. Any idea how long medication might take? And... two other questions. Any idea what might happen when someone was infected with two strains of GUILT at once? I know what post-Kyriaki looks like, but as far as I'm aware, we haven't seen any post-Paraskevi yet. And I don't know how the two strains might interact with each other even now. [because he's special and got two nasty strains with lacerations everywhere on his heart]
[Victor is just excited to have GUILT related research to do, clearly.
He really isn't all that surprised that writing down notes is more important than opening the door; this is Victor, after all. When he gets the okay, Derek heads on into the lab, looking around at all of Victor's crazy science devices. Some of them he's familiar with, but the majority he has no idea what they're supposed to do.]
You know, now that I think about it, I never really heard how you developed a method of checking for PGS. [because he was in africa treating crazy hemorrhagic diseases at the time it started to be noticed.]
[There's a machine on Victor's desk, compact, and clearly handmade. It may not be pretty, lacking a shiny finish, covers for all the wires or even a label saying what it is, but Victor has been doing his best considering how limited his resources have been. Besides, he hoped he'd never actually have to use it.
To Derek, it probably looks like a mutilated toaster of some sort.]
Explaining it would take longer than the procedure itself. Speaking of which, I'll need a blood sample. Roll up your sleeve. [He rummages in his desk drawers for rubber gloves.] Still wanna hear it?
[yes, that is precisely what it looks like to him. But he also figures Victor knows what he's doing and that this mutilated toaster actually does something. But since he can be a good patient, rather than sitting there staring at the toaster thing, he actually listens and rolls up one sleeve, extending the same arm out for Victor to take a sample of his blood.]
Might as well. If anything, it might be useful to know what to look for.
[One rubber band, a quickly inserted needle and one small vial of blood later, the sample is obtained. A dab of antibiotic gel seals the puncture wound right up. All the while, Victor explains the process in the simplest terms possible, knowing that the details will be toocomplex for Derek to understand and appreciate.]
This machine stresses the sample by putting it through a mild electrical current. The necessary markers, if present, become more prominent and I'll be able to spot them under a microscope.
[the complicate stuff is something he doesn't necessarily need to know. Just the basics--how it works, how to do it, and how you can see the results. That's all he needs and wants to know.]
That makes sense, I guess. Getting the results shouldn't take too long, should it? [in other words, do you want him to just stay here. Because if he doesn't have to stay, he'd rather wait outside of the lab.]
[He holds the vial up to the light and rolls it between his fingers to check the color. It's red, obviously, but maybe there's something else he can see.]
With this technology, it'll take about an hour. I'll give you a call when it's done.
[It doesn't come off as rude to Derek at all, really. Partially because he knows it's true and he knows how Victor is, and partially because hey, it's focusing on the optimistic side of things.]
True enough. I guess we can always hope for that outcome.
Unless you need anything else from me, that's all. [because he's not sure what else Victor might need okay. He's not the one doing the testing. But if it helps, he's already halfway out the door and on his way back to his office.]
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But anyway, normally I wouldn't bother you with something like this, but seeing as I was infected with GUILT three years ago, I'd feel better having your help.
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A diagnosis is a good start, though. Any idea how long medication might take? And... two other questions. Any idea what might happen when someone was infected with two strains of GUILT at once? I know what post-Kyriaki looks like, but as far as I'm aware, we haven't seen any post-Paraskevi yet. And I don't know how the two strains might interact with each other even now. [because he's special and got two nasty strains with lacerations everywhere on his heart]
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Right. How quickly can we do whatever tests are necessary to get a diagnosis?
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[and sure enough, about 10 minutes later, he shows up at the lab, knocking to both be polite, and tell Victor he's there.]
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Yo, right on time.
[ That means you're free to enter. Victor is scribbling some nptes down and that is apparently more important than opening a door. ]
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He really isn't all that surprised that writing down notes is more important than opening the door; this is Victor, after all. When he gets the okay, Derek heads on into the lab, looking around at all of Victor's crazy science devices. Some of them he's familiar with, but the majority he has no idea what they're supposed to do.]
You know, now that I think about it, I never really heard how you developed a method of checking for PGS. [because he was in africa treating crazy hemorrhagic diseases at the time it started to be noticed.]
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To Derek, it probably looks like a mutilated toaster of some sort.]
Explaining it would take longer than the procedure itself. Speaking of which, I'll need a blood sample. Roll up your sleeve. [He rummages in his desk drawers for rubber gloves.] Still wanna hear it?
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Might as well. If anything, it might be useful to know what to look for.
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This machine stresses the sample by putting it through a mild electrical current. The necessary markers, if present, become more prominent and I'll be able to spot them under a microscope.
action;
That makes sense, I guess. Getting the results shouldn't take too long, should it? [in other words, do you want him to just stay here. Because if he doesn't have to stay, he'd rather wait outside of the lab.]
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With this technology, it'll take about an hour. I'll give you a call when it's done.
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Would you rather me come back down here or...?
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[It's not an insult, it's just Victor being Victor and stating the factually true. Even if it does sound kind of rude.]
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True enough. I guess we can always hope for that outcome.
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[And now he really is trying to shoo Derek out so he can get to work.]
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