Published at 2nd of June 2026 11:02 am

Chapter 214 It is time for a consult

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214: It is time for a consult.

214: It is time for a consult.

Nausea flooded Arthur’s senses as he regained consciousness.

Struggling to open his eyes that had almost glued themselves shut, he was quickly blinded by the faint lights above him.

‘God, this feels like a bad hangover.’ He thought to himself as he fought to keep his eyes open.

“I’m in the medical bay…” He muttered weakly, his mouth completely dry and lips cracking.

He let out a dry cough and attempted to sit up but failed to muster any strength in his arms.

A wave of lethargy threatened to overtake him, and he found himself fighting to keep his eyes open.

The room around him began to blur as his senses dulled once more.

‘I figured it’d be bad, but this…’ He thought to himself, ‘This really sucks.’ “Are your symptoms usually this bad?” A familiar voice pierced through, surprising Arthur.

What surprised him more was the sharp sensation he felt in his arm for a moment, followed by a rush of energy moments later that immediately woke him up.

Within the room’s silence, Arthur could feel his heart pumping faster than usual.

“What did you…” He muttered as he turned his head, where he saw Doctor Hudson placing an empty syringe down on a table.

Merely seeing the syringe caused Arthur’s palms to get clammy and his already hastened breathing to quicken.

Arthur managed to force himself to sit up, and as he had done so, Doctor Hudson offered him a cup of water, which he emptied instantly before it was once again refilled with the water jug on the table beside him.

“First of all, I apologise for the needle…” Doctor Hudson started by apologising, “You have been asleep for sixteen hours, any longer and I would not have been able to hide this from your father.” Arthur was surprised to hear that Doctor Hudson would even consider hiding a detail about him from his father.

But he was willing to hear the doctor out, he was thankful he could hide this for at least a moment longer.

“This is confidential information, understood?” Doctor Hudson said, waiting for Arthur to nod.

“There are several people who are part of a confidential project.

We have noticed that a period of exposure to this project has caused surprising ailments within a few of the involved parties.” Doctor Hudson explained, “However, within our research, many of the participants failed to show any symptoms at all, for the time being, this also includes your father.” “In addition, although the sample size is relatively small, we observed that those who were affected did not seem to share the same type of affliction with anybody else.” He continued, “And after being cured of their symptoms, re-exposure to the project caused the exact same affliction to occur.

But I’m sure you’re aware of this much.” Arthur nodded, remembering the conversation he had overheard the last time he had broken into his father’s office to get Donovan’s car keys.

“We were stumped while looking for a solution when one of them suddenly burst into my office claiming to have been cured.

Later that day, during a routine check, we also found that the other patient had miraculously been cured of their ailment as well.” He exclaimed, “It wasn’t until they regained their symptoms and were cured a few more times over a couple weeks that we finally discovered the reason.” “Which would be me…” Arthur sheepishly admitted.

“Yes…

That it would be.” Doctor Hudson spoke with a lowered voice, “While I currently lack an explanation as to how this is happening, it seems you have also been changed by the project.” “I witnessed you ‘cure’ the ailments of two of the affected patients through the security camera footage…

I wanted to approach you and question you about it, but every time I was informed that you entered the laboratory, it seemed you had quickly left before I could get in contact with you…” He explained with a hint of frustration, “I understand you were worried about getting caught, and perhaps you only wanted to help…

However, you may be playing with an undocumented form of radiation.

We don’t yet understand the ramifications as to what long-term exposure will do to a human, let alone a growing boy.” Arthur was about to speak, but Doctor Hudson’s sincere concern had caused him to choke up.

“The effects you experienced today…

I trust that your usual experience with absorbing this radiation has not been as severe…” Doctor Hudson questions.

“Your recent requests for nausea medication raised a few concerns, but witnessing this today explained all I needed to know.” “We had attempted a few tests between those with the afflictions.

It seems those who are affected do not transfer energy with touch, nor does touching an unafflicted person transfer it either.” He explained, “It seems this is an affliction that you alone have.” “But, I must ask, boy…” He asked, “Why do you keep doing this to yourself?

What do you get out of sacrificing your body like this?” Arthur was lost in thought.

He was at a crossroads.

As it stood right now, Doctor Hudson believed that he solely had the ability to absorb the energy of those afflicted, temporarily curing them of their ailments.

He did not know about his ability to see the future.

There was no way he could possibly know without being told.

The question was, would he get any benefit from giving away one of his biggest secrets?

‘Wait, he forgot to mention someone…’ A thought cut through Arthur’s internal monologue.

“Before that…” Arthur stared Doctor Hudson in the eyes, “What happened to Mallory Keres?” “She is, unfortunately, still in a coma.” Doctor Hudson’s face darkened.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t permit you to try again…

An extra security detail has been placed on her room.” Arthur had no intention of retrying this; he had already risked his life and had gotten the answers he needed.

But to Doctor Hudson, who still believed Arthur was some kind of self-sacrificing wannabe hero, telling him that would simply be unbelievable.

It would be different if he knew that Arthur’s reasoning was purely self-serving.

However, there was a way to determine if he could be trusted with that information.

“Doctor Hudson…” Arthur started to speak but was promptly cut off.

“I’m sorry Arthur.

I won’t allow you to risk your life for her again.” He said firmly.

“No…

Unrelated to that.” Arthur continued, “My father will never hear a word about…

these abilities.

Right?” “Don’t worry.

If your father ever heard a word of what transpired…” Doctor Hudson’s expression softened.

“My head would roll alongside yours.

Your secret is safe with me.

As long as you never risk yourself like that again.” “You’ve been reporting your findings to father about those who developed…

powers.

Right?” Arthur tiptoed around the topic.

“If I had developed something other than the ability to leach power, would you report that?” “While I’m not fond of the words ‘powers’ and ‘abilities’ used in this context…

Please remember that these are unprecedented afflictions with real-world negative impacts on the people they affect…

Not magical powers from a video game…” He started off by explaining, “Your development of any afflictions would cause great strife within your father.

He worries about you and your sister enough as it is; if he were ever aware that you were affected by an unknown and possibly incurable condition, he would go as far as to destroy his body trying to find you a cure.” “This is something that I can never allow to happen.” Doctor Hudson explained, “So I implore you, hide your ‘abilities’ from him for the rest of your life.

He must never know…

Do you understand me?” “Of course…” Arthur explained, his thoughts racing.

And then he finally decided.

“I’m not sure if you’ll believe me…” Arthur began talking, “There is a reason that I’ve been absorbing their energy…

And it isn’t as self-sacrificial as you think…” “I’ll listen.” Doctor Hudson said, pouring Arthur another cup of water to help with his constantly drying mouth.

“What you call afflictions may not be something that needs to be cured.” Arthur explained, which earned him a raised eyebrow from the doctor, “Instead, at least for the purposes of this conversation, I’d like you to think of it as…

growing pains.” “Now, this started for me after the incident…

The power surge while I was testing out the demo of New Genesis.” Arthur explained, “I’ve had certain symptoms from as early as a week after the incident.” “During a soccer shootout, I was suddenly hit with mild nausea, where I began seeing events a few moments before they happened.” He explained, “This wasn’t a simple case of seeing double, as the events that repeated themselves after was the real one…

This happened again when I saved a developer from tripping and smashing their head.” “This later developed into seeing visions as I slept, events that had happened in the past, events that could maybe happen in the future, events that I should have had no recollection of…” Arthur explained, “That project that you were talking about, a reactor of sorts, I witnessed it explode the same night it happened during one of these visions, harming those who are experiencing the afflictions now, including Mallory.” “I was skeptical of them at first…

But it has proven itself correct several times.” Arthur explained, seeing that Doctor Hudson was not impressed.

“I’m unsure why I have the ability to drain power from others, but it’s a necessary resource to use my power…

I can glimpse the future and the past.” “For the last couple weeks, of all the visions I’ve seen…” His voice began to choke up as he explained it, “I’ve been watching the murder of my mother…

Over and over again…” Doctor Hudson’s expression morphed into shock as Arthur explained this.

“Every time I was closer to finding out who did it, I always ran out of time,” Arthur explained.

“Those two weren’t generating enough power for me to use.

And I was growing impatient.

The visions it showed me weren’t always the same one, so I was worried I’d never find the answer if I took too long.” “I learnt how to force it to show me what I wanted…

to an extent.

I just needed the energy to let me finish the vision.

Which is why I took such drastic measures.” Arthur said, “I was scared of dying too…

I wasn’t in my right mind.

I would have likely died if you hadn’t stopped me.” “Which is why I can never let you try again…” Doctor Hudson spoke, clearly still skeptical and likely believing this was a ruse to be allowed to try again.

But Arthur simply shook his head, “I don’t need to try again…

I saw it all.” “There were four assailants who broke into the Watts estate”, Arthur explained.

“They attacked while mother was teaching me about plants in the forest as a child; they thought that she was Olivia Watts…

Mother managed to kill one of the criminals, thrusting a wooden stick through his throat.

But was stabbed in the chest with a knife.” Doctor Hudson’s eyes widened as certain details clicked into place in his mind.

“There was no corpse of an assailant found near her as one of them had taken the corpse and run off.

I’m unsure as to what their fate was, but they likely got killed by some organisation tying up loose ends.” “Organisation?” Doctor Hudson asked, “What organisation?” “Ah, right…

The main culprit of this was an asian man.

He was talking about being part of an organisation to the last of the hired criminals that followed him after the murder.” Arthur continued.

“He sliced the criminal’s throat open in an alley before making a phone call.

I couldn’t translate the conversation, but he was speaking Chinese.” “So, that’s why I risked my life to absorb the energy from Mallory Keres…” Arthur spoke, “I decided to try to solve my mother’s murder.” No words were spoken for a moment, then Doctor Hudson took Arthur into his embrace.

“You silly child…” He spoke softly.

“Did you not for a second consider the permanent scar that this level of trauma will have on you?” “You have done the unthinkable…”

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