[center][img]http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo63/NMShape/cooltext141340328007740_zps3gxyewql.png[/IMG]

[h2]Lost Haven Center for Disease Control and Prevention[/h2]

==~==[/center]

Dr. Gabriel Cole looked through the microscope at the latest of the many blood samples he'd collected from one Racheli L. Desdemona, brow knit in consternation as he tried to determine just what it was he was looking at. Or at least, that was how it would look to anyone else not privy to certain details.

He had been quite surprised to get the call in the first place, if he was being honest. Sometimes it was hard to remember that he had a life outside of his... hobby. Regardless, his work at the university had apparently garnered some attention- particularly his expertise in biomechanics. So, naturally, when the CDC got a patient suffering from a strange, partially mechanical pathogen with an unknown infection vector, his name was near the top of the list of people to call.

He'd figured the call was related to Racheli soon into the call, when the woman on the other side of the call explained the nature of the girl's "infection," or at least, what they were allowed to tell him over the phone, before he was briefed on the nature of his consultation. And so, he'd come, ostensibly to observe and assess the patient, but mostly just the observe part. Hell, it had taken a substantial amount of willpower to not reveal everything he already knew, and slip into his role of never having seen this technology before.

[color=teal][i]At the very least, it'll keep that Justine woman off my back for a while longer, if I can let her know Rach is safe.[/i][/color]

It hadn't been that hard to determine who the swordswoman was, given the facts of the night of the riots, and the fortuitous nature of her appearance. Honestly, he was surprised that he didn't figure out sooner- granted, he'd been distracted, but when you could think as fast as he could, that wasn't an excuse. Regardless, he'd gotten in contact with the woman shortly after his consultation here had started, letting her know the specifics (what he was allowed to divulge, anyhow) of Rach's stay here.

At the very least, the experience was proving to be illuminating- he hadn't exactly gotten the opportunity to monitor his own transformation, so being able to witness the process firsthand was of significant interest. At present, the Phylactery- for of course, that's what it was- was approaching critical saturation of Racheli's cells, reinforcing and enhancing their functionality as time went on. Some of the cells he'd seen had already begun displaying signs of transmutation- the second phase of the Phylactery's bonding process. The affected cells resembled the red blood cells they were imitating, albeit too well, too idealized, the curves too perfectly designed to be anything except, well, designed.

The fact that they were black didn't help the illusion.

He sighed as some of the scientists on call moved down the hall, toward Rach's unit. Despite what he knew, he couldn't just up and tell the staff here that Rach's "pathogen" was not contagious without some kind of evidence. Which meant tests that he already knew the answers to, pretending he didn't for the sake of making a convincing case for Rach's release. It wasn't even like she was the only meta of her nature, anyway, even excluding himself. But then, no one else seemed to notice the meta part just yet. He sighed- no longer being human was more trouble than it was worth sometimes. Too much noticing things no one else did.

Well, there was little he could do about that now- he just had to gather enough evidence to prove his hypothesis to everyone else here, and Rach would be allowed to return to her life. And moreover, he'd have a chance to talk to her privately about her condition, help her with what he knew she was going through even now. Assuming the nanites had hit her brain by now, which he had no reason to think they hadn't.

[color=teal][i]Don't worry, Racheli. I'll have you out of here soon enough. Then, I can really start helping you.[/i][/color]