Dr. Kirby sighed and shook his head. He had categorically arrived intending to deliver the sad news.
“I’m not sure, Mr. Damone. But if you must really know… I can offer you an educated guess.”
“Go ahead. What is the maximum possible extent of my remaining life?”
The doctor lowered his eyes to the chart. “The cancer and autoimmune conditions are progressing at a frightening pace. We have seen nothing like this before. It’s as if your own body is rejecting life and is in a hurry to kill you.”
“Just answer my question, doc. Don’t beat around the bush.”
Dr. Kirby raised his eyes. “My most optimistic guess would be… You have less than 48 hours.”
While the others looked despondent, Claire jumped to her feet and exploded in a fury. “What nonsense are you blabbering? Cancer and autoimmune diseases are obviously curable! What kind of quack doctor are you? Just do something to save Victor! Money is no issue! I can pay a billion dollars!”
Dr. Kirby flinched and stepped back, disturbed by the young woman’s outburst. Haley rushed to Claire’s aid. The beauty most likely had a nervous breakdown. She hugged her and made her sit on the bed.
“Relax… Dr. Kirby has already consulted his peers, and he’s just sharing his professional opinion. There’s no need to harass him if he’s trying his best.”
Victor sighed, and his eyes closed for a moment. He expected Claire to act out like a child. It was a testimony of how innocent she was to the core. Moreover, the beauty had just lost her parents.
“Thanks for the information, doc. You can go ahead and prepare my discharge papers. I don’t want to spend my last moments in this dreary hospital.”
Dr. Kirby nodded and left with no further conversation.
“Aren’t you supposed to be immortal?” Claire snapped at Victor. The man simply shook his head without offering a reply. He casually leaned back in his bed, pretending to be weak. He was unfamiliar with discussing his powers publicly, especially not with a feral version of Claire.
Maverick stepped forward and took the question. “Immortality is a generalization since even the top NWO members are yet to understand Mr. Damone fully. However, we know his gifts include immunity to damage and disease.”
“Yeah. Immunity! Immortality! Whatever! Shouldn’t his powers keep him alive?”
“Yes. But we know one more thing with absolute certainty,” Drew Archibald chimed in. “Thanatos is our lord’s bane and makes his entire system fall apart. The theoretical immortality is reversed.”
“But… But…” Claire stammered. “Victor came alive after being chopped into halves! How can he not overcome cancer and autoimmune diseases? It should be child’s play for him!”
“That is something we never came across before; thus, only he can explain.”
All eyes turned to Victor. He shook his head and put on a weak smile. “Your voices are hurting my ears. Could you turn down the volume?”
Claire grabbed him and dug her nails into his forearm. “Please tell me you are going to live. That whatever the doctor was saying is bullshit! You have the power of resurrection, correct? Is it one of your gifts?”
Victor sighed, extracted his forearm from Claire, and crossed his arms. “I have no memory of returning from death. But if you really saw me accomplish such a feat, then, theoretically, I can resurrect.”
Claire looked hopeful, but he went on. “However, by then, Thanatos had already seeped into my system, infecting it beyond repair. Even though I came alive through sheer will, my death became inevitable the moment I was stabbed by Thanatos.”
The billionaire beauty shook her head in denial. “That brings me back to my point. You can resurrect from fatal diseases, right?”
“No,” Maverick replied. He had already spoken at length with Dr. Kirby and figured out a few things. “Because Thanatos didn’t cause the cancer and autoimmune disorder. They are merely side effects of its presence. The substance prevents Mr. Damone from recovering from the fatal conditions. It is both a trigger and a catalyst, you see… So this time, he won’t come back from the dead…”
While Victor shrugged in agreement, Claire, Haley, and Julia began weeping afresh. Just then, they noticed someone waiting by the door, her eyes fixated on Victor. It was Carol.
“You!” Haley cried out. “You did this to him by handing over Thanatos mines to the enemy. Do you realize you’ll be responsible for his death? How dare you show your face in the hospital!”
Carol lowered her head in shame as it was nothing short of the truth. She was also devastated that her friend Claire was treating her like scum. However, the young woman didn’t budge from her position.
“I wish to speak to Victor for a minute,” she murmured timidly.
“I think you should leave, Carol,” Haley joined in. “Victor doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“Yeah. How shameless can you be?” Julia snapped.
Drew, Valeria, and Maverick averted their gazes as they didn’t want to be involved in the drama. But the remaining girls stared daggers at Carol, wishing she would disappear.
“It’s okay, everyone,” Victor spoke up. “It’s time Carol and I had a straightforward talk.”