Untold Knowledge (Doctor Who x Genius Fem! Oc) [Book 1]

Chapter 99: 42

Running into the Med-Center, the Doctor, his Echo, McDonnell and Scannell found the room eerily empty. "Korwin's gone." the worried Captain said in disbelief.

"Oh, my God..." Upon looking over where the engineer was staring at, they found the image of a figure burnt onto the metal x-ray shield. "Tell me that's not Lerner."

The attentive Time Lord moved forward to get a better examination. "Endothermic vaporization. I've never seen one this ferocious."

" 'Burn with me.' " Echo said, deep in thought.

Scannell looked at them with confused fear drenching his thoughts completely. "That's what we heard Korwin say."

McDonnell looked at them in outrage. "What? Do you think--? No way. Scannell, tell them. Korwin is not a killer. He can't vaporize people. He's human!"

The Doctor then picked up the test result from the floor. "His bio-scan results. Internal temperature, one hundred degrees! Bodily oxygen replaced by hydrogen. Your husband hasn't been infected, he's been overwhelmed."

Feeling assaulted by the information, the Captain took the results from him. "The test results are wrong."

They payed her no mind, however. "What could it be? It clearly needs a host body, but how did it get in?" Echo asked further, eager to figure the mystery out.

"Stop talking like he's some kind of experiment." McDonnell ordered.

But they continued on with their investigation. "Where's the ship been? Have you made planet-fall recently? Docked with any other vessels? Any kind of external contact at all?" he questioned of her, his tone showing urgency.

"What is this, an interrogation?" she questioned back, still not understanding.

"We have to stop him. Before he kills again." Echo answered without skipping a beat.

McDonnell couldn't stop her tears from flowing. "We're just a cargo ship."

"Give her a minute." Scannell then said, going to her side to offer comfort.

After only a minute, she composed herself with a shake of her head. "I'm fine. I need to warn the crew." She then went over to the intercom and took a deep breath. "Everybody, listen to me. Something has infected Korwin. We think--... We think he killed Abi Lerner. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?"

"Understood, Captain." Ashton answered from down in Engineering.

McDonnell took a deep breath and turned back around, taking a seat to calm herself further. "Is the infection permanent? Can you cure him?"

Giving her a guarded expression, the Doctor chose to answer. "I don't know."

She shook her head knowingly. "Don't lie to me. Eleven years we've been married. We chose this ship together. He keeps me honest, so I don't want false hope."

Echo nodded with complete understanding. "It's too aggressive. At the stage your husband is at, he's already gone. And I'm sorry to say this, but there's no going back."

Her heartbreak was obvious and intense, but she was also grateful. "Thank you."

The Doctor moved closer to the devastated Captain with purpose in his every step. "Are you certain nothing happened to provoke this? Nobody's working on anything secret? Because it's vital that you tell us."

"I know every inch of this ship. I know every detail of my crew's lives. There is nothing."

His frown deepened. "Then why is this thing so interested in you?"