Codename: Angelus

Chapter 12 - The Macrophages

Milla awakened to the blipping sound of her own biometrics.

She kept her eyes closed and wished she would awaken into a hospital, back into the real world. A tear rolled down her cheek as Doctor Quinto’s face came into focus.

Milla quickly wiped it away. She moved as to sit up, but then she thought it probably wasn’t a good idea. Her vision was blurry.

“Easy now,” Doctor Quinto said. “You were connected for two weeks straight! No one has been diving for quite so long — ever. It’s not even in the records!”

She glanced at her biometrics and then helped her sit up.

“How are you feeling?”

“My head’s all fuzzy.”

It was true. Her voice was hoarse. Even though she was just data. Crazy!

Doctor Quinto poured her a glass of water.

“Thank you.”

“I bet you’re looking forward to eating a proper meal. I’ll get you something to eat but I’m not discharging you quite yet. I’ll tell Naoko you’ve awakened, though. Told me she wanted to meet you as soon you regained consciousness.”

“You make it sound as if I was in a — coma or something.”

Doctor Quinto left and Naoko came after a couple minutes.

“How are you?”

“Doctor Quinto says I’m going to be fine.”

“Good. So, about your task —”

“It’s just a group of Dormants that believes that by opening “backdoors„ with SimGames will get them out of there and back to reality. I’ll give you the full detailes in my report later. What about our missing girl?”

“Haseo’s on her trail.”

“Progress?”

“Not yet.”

“But — I’ve been gone for two weeks!”

“Yeah, but it’s not that simple. We don’t want one of our Angels to become Lost, you know?”

“Can’t just send him on that layer from here?”

“We’re looking for a way to send him there *safely*.”

“Sorry, I’m — it’s just —”

“I understand. You’ve been diving for so long! It’s not even in the records! I think no one ever attemped such a long dive before.”

“I guess I should be glad I’ve come back safe and sound, then.”

“Guess so.”

Doctor Quinto was back with her meal and buzzed her away.

Milla had to stay in sickbay for three days. Doctor Quinto ran all sorts of tests before discharging her with the recommendation to rest.

“I’m not planning on diving again anytime soon,” Milla said.

“Good.”

“I can go to the dining hall to get my meals and talk with the other folks in the shelter, right? I can walk around. I don’t have to stay locked up in my room, now, do I?”

“No, but no diving for you for at least three weeks.”

Camilla actually went back to her room and spent the next three hours sorting things in her mind. She needed to figure out if there were any Awakened in the shelter and, if there were, who were they.