"Dr. Elliot! May we have a word with you?"

Elliot stopped his hurried exit, and turned around at the call of his name.

Uh, oh, he thought.

It was Dr. Tomas and Dr. Wilem, interrupting Elliot and his preparation for the Center's evacuation.

"We're so sorry to hear about the loss of your docent," Dr. Wilem began.

"Uh, y-yes, thank you, Sir," Elliot stuttered. He bit his lower lip and looked down at his feet.

"How are you holding up? Is there anything we can do for you? You've been Dr. Berman's understudy for several years now, but I'm sure it isn't easy stepping into his shoes."

"No, Sir," Elliot said, clearing his throat. "It isn't."

"Well, we all know you'll do just fine. You'll just be starting a little earlier than expected."

Elliot squinted one eye. "Sir?"

"What? Didn't Berman tell you of his plans for you after graduation?"

"N-no, he didn't."

"No? Well, I'm sorry you're only finding this out now, under the circumstances. As you know, Dr. Berman was never the best communicator. A bit of a scatter-brain. Brilliant, of course, but always thinking, always preoccupied."

"Sir?" Elliot said.

"Well, we've always wanted you to join our staff here at Anderson," Dr. Wilem said.

"Oh, th-thank you, Sir..." Elliot stammered. He hesitated, "... but I-I don't think the Professor was planning to offer me a post-graduate position."

Dr. Tomas frowned.

"He told me," Elliot continued, "that I should consider my other options."

There was pause in the conversation.

"It's because he didn't want you to settle for a life not of your liking."

Elliot wrinkled his forehead. "I-I don't understand... "

Dr. Tomas paused. "It's difficult. He knew Pathology was not of your passion, and I think he felt your father would have wanted you to have a say in the matter."

"But, Sir, I-I didn't have a father."

"Of course you did! What you mean is, you don't remember your father. You were too young at the time, but your father used to be good friends with Dr. Berman."

Elliot's mouth hung open.

"They were," Dr. Tomas reminisced, "the best of friends." He paused.

Elliot tilted his head.

"W-what happened to my father?"

Dr. Tomas stopped to consider.

"Your mother," Dr. Tomas paused, "died shortly after your birth, and your father never really recovered from that."

The silence in the room was like a dense fog.

"Your father was an oncologist," Dr. Tomas went on, "a cancer specialist. He and Berman worked together, so it was no wonder the two of them became such good friends." He paused again. "I'm surprised Dr. Berman hadn't told you some of this already."

"No, he hadn't."

Dr. Tomas was tight-lipped for a second.

"Dr. Berman wasn't always comfortable being your guardian. Life can be complex sometimes, and ironic in a way. I think Berman sometimes felt that he was not qualified to be your guardian, but perhaps he also felt that there was no other option either."

Elliot furrowed his brow. "I never knew he was my guardian... "

"It's how you were selected for the Pathology fellowship."

Elliot paused for a second. "So that's how that happened... "

"Yes, well, you probably could've handled any number of different tracts with your scores, but your guardianship made it a predetermined decision."

"Oh... "

"Later, Dr. Berman regretted that decision. Like I said, he wanted you to have more choice on the matter."

Elliot looked down and was quiet.

"In that regard," Dr. Wilem stepped in, "we would understand if you wanted to opt out of your current appointment, but hopefully you'll still stay on here at Anderson, with us, in some sort of capacity."

"Uh, yeah, sure. I-I'd like that. Of course, I'll help out in any way."

"Great!" Dr. Tomas exclaimed. He glanced at Dr. Wilem and then back at Elliot.

A longer than expected moment of silence ensued.

"I... I can't believe my father and Dr. Berman were friends."

"Yes, well, we'll have to sit down soon and share some more stories some time."

"I'd like that, Sir," Elliot said.

Dr. Tomas paused. "I only wish Dr. Berman were around himself to tell you these stories."

Elliot felt a tugging at his heart.

"Dr. Tomas?"

"Yes, Elliot?"

"Sir, did you know my father?"

Dr. Tomas smiled. "Not as well as Berman. He and your father were a few years ahead of me, but I do remember him, your father. He was a good man."

Elliot welled up inside.

"Was his name Charles, by chance?"

"Why, yes, it was. Did Dr. Berman tell you that?"

"No," Elliot said with his head down, "not directly."

Elliot took a deep breath.

"Did he, uh — my father — did he believe... ?" Elliot stopped short. "Did he believe that peace was possible with the animals?"

Dr. Tomas studied Elliot. "Yes, Elliot. I believe he did."

Elliot nodded. "Yeah... well... okay, thanks." He turned away and privately wiped his eyes.

The two scientists turned to leave the young man to his thoughts, only for Dr. Tomas to remember one more thing.

"Oh, by the way, Elliot, how is that other apprentice working out?"

"What?" Elliot sniffled and dried his face. "What did you say?"

"The other apprentice? I think his name is Alessandro. He wasn't at rotation yesterday."

"I, uh, I don't know... "

"What do you mean? Where is he? Actually, we had wanted to talk to Dr. Berman about Alessandro and his decision to start a new student at late-semester."

Elliot hesitated.

"Yes, where is Alessandro from?" Dr. Wilem added. "We've never seen him before."

Elliot took a deep breath. It was time to come clean. Time to tell the truth.

"He's from one of the human time capsules," Elliot admitted. "Dr. Berman and I woke him up out of his coma about three weeks ago."

Dr. Tomas and Dr. Wilem were wide-eyed.

"What!"

"That's incredible!"

"The boy is from Earth's past?"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I-I wanted to, but the Professor wouldn't allow it, not until Alessandro had passed quarantine and was deemed safe."

"So, Alessandro really wasn't an apprentice after all... "

Alessandro wasn't a normal human either, Elliot thought.

Elliot had been specific in sharing only part of the hologram. He had omitted Dr. Berman's call-out to Charles, and left out mention of Alessandro's appetite for red blood cells. Was it true that Aless drank blood? What kind of human being drank blood? What kind of creature was he? Is that why the canines had gone so far as to seek him out? Elliot wasn't sure he could believe the information himself, let alone share it with the others.

"Elliot?"

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking of the Professor. He, uh, he had wanted to officially present Alessandro's case to the other scientists -- our best understanding of the emergence process."

"Well, we still want you to do so when you're ready. Obviously now is not the right time. It's a tremendous breakthrough for the Center. We have lots to learn from the people in the capsules."

Dr. Tomas looked about the room.

"Where, did you say, is Alessandro?"

Elliot hesitated again.

"I don't know. He's disappeared. I haven't been able to locate him."

"What?"

"There's more to all of this," Elliot revealed. "You see, Alessandro is not your average human being... "

"We noticed," Dr. Wilem cut in. "He saved the life of a young tarragon in class the other day."

"H-he did?"

"Yes, he did," Dr. Tomas confirmed. "You seem surprised, Elliot. What were you trying to say about him?"

Elliot stared with his mouth partially slack.

"I, uh, I'm not sure if Aless is adapting well to the change in culture and environment right now. I don't think we should move him to the new center just yet."

Dr. Tomas studied Elliot.

"Well, that's alright. I will leave that to your discretion. We can talk about it later. For now, let's focus on our move of operations. Later, when the boy is available, I expect all of us to sit down and go over all of your concerns. I'm sure we can figure things out."

Elliot! You had a chance to say something more! But you didn't! Will it cost you? Tune in next chapter! 

(By the way, if I haven't said thanks enough, thank you! Really! Let's go!)