Priscilla was shocked, not that I was hiring her, but that I knew her name.
"How do you know me?" she asked, looking at me.
"Details, schmetails. I just know," I said to them. No way I was explaining the details... that would make me look like a criminal. "So, what do you say?"
"If you know about me, then you probably know about my problem," she said, looking down.
"Oh, are you talking about your Congenital Heart Defect? I know about it," I said, like it was no big deal.
"You do! So you know I'm about to die, right?" she said, surprised.
"Oh, that. The reason I came here is to give you a cure. I wasn't planning to hire you," I said, which shocked them. I muttered to myself, "Man, I better eat something after this."
"Wait, wait… are you serious?" Priscilla asked.
"What's the catch?" Verra asked, looking at me.
"No catch. Though I don't know what side effects the cure might bring," I said, thinking for a moment. I had only theorized it, simulated the cure, but not actually tested it.
The hologram can't show side effects unless they've been recorded the first time. This is a new serum, so SPACE can't know what hasn't been recorded, though it can speculate.
«I did say there's no serum that's 100% safe,»
I just nodded.
Priscilla discussed something with Verra. I could hear it but didn't care. They argued, and I agreed with Verra: "Some unknown kid shows up and wants to use you as a lab rat."
From any angle, she was right. I was about to give an untested serum to someone I barely knew who was about to die. But from my point of view… it was exactly how it looked. Damn. Am I the villain, or is SPACE the villain?
«I'm just following you, sir,»
I wanted to shout, "It was your idea to begin with!" but held it in.
"Will you give me the cure if I accept the job?" she asked anxiously.
"No," I said. Then continued, "You get the cure no matter what, because I'm going to inject you with it right now."
"Seriously!" Verra said, surprised. "What's going to happen if you give her the cure?"
"Well… she'll go into cardiac arrest after I inject the serum, with a brief period of death before resuscitation kicks in," I said calmly.
"WHAT? SHE'LL DIE!" Verra exclaimed, shocked. Likely it was only us on this side.
"Clinical death... you mean clinical death, right?" Priscilla asked, looking at me.
"Yeah. It's a resuscitation to restart cardiac function," I said.
"What?" Verra asked, confused.
"It's like rebooting a system. An analogy for a child… yeah, it's like cleaning a dirty toy," I said to Verra, trying to mimic a child's voice.
"Okay, I got it when you said 'system'," she said, irritation in her voice.
Priscilla said she was ready to take the serum. I told her to lie down on the nearby grass. Verra stood close, watching.
I took the Genetic Serum from my jacket, not a suit jacket, more like a hoodie; I like to dress casual.
I injected the serum into her veins. Five seconds later, Priscilla went into cardiac arrest.
She lay completely still, not breathing or moving. After fifteen seconds, she had a pulse. I checked her through my Smart Glasses, I didn't need to hold her hand or check her neck.
«It's a success, sir,»
She no longer had CHD. I asked her a few questions after she woke up, and she said she felt fine. I told her she didn't need to worry about the job offer.
"Can I ask you something? Why did you offer me a job if you weren't expecting me to accept it?" Priscilla asked.
I thought for a moment before answering. "To help you, I guess."
"To help me? You already helped me," Priscilla said, surprised by my answer.
"Oh, giving you the serum was my obligation in the first place. Offering you a job is just another way to help both of you, I guess," I said, thinking it through. I acted like Nick Fury before, now I'm acting like Xavier. What's happening to me?
«Inferiority complex, sir.»
"Shut up."
Priscilla and Verra looked at me strangely when I said that.
"What do you mean, offering a job was a way to help both of us?" Verra asked.
"Didn't you ask her to continue your lifestyle for something? I don't know what, and I don't care," I said. They both paused, then seemed to realize something.
We talked a bit more, and they said they'd reach out after making a decision. They asked for my business card, but I didn't have one, I always thought they were unnecessary. Now I'm reconsidering that.
I'll make some when I get back.
I left the hospital and decided to find the nearest Rock 'n' Roll McDonald's. I found a McDonald's, but then remembered that the Rock 'n' Roll theme is only in Chicago.
They should probably rebuild that place, it's getting old.
Before I went inside, I bumped into someone at the door and apologized without even looking at who it was.
I stood at the counter and looked at the menu. Someone came up to take my order.
"Greetings, customer. May I take your order?" he said.
"Okay. I'll have one Big Mac, one Quarter Pounder with Cheese, three Filet-O-Fish, one order of fries, and a 500 ml Coca-Cola," I said.
"Okay, sir. You'll need to wait a few moments," the guy replied. He was African-American and had a beard.
«Sir, let me tell you something.»
I didn't say anything and waited for SPACE to continue. I didn't want to look weird, so I just nodded slightly.
«He's not human.»
I looked at the guy again. He seemed familiar, like I'd seen him somewhere before, maybe in a movie, like the guy from Godzilla x Kong, but more depressed, like life had drained him.
Oh shit… I just remembered who he is.
Phastos.