10 The Weight of Culpability

[Same day – Genf, Old town]

...

Still trapped in her thoughts trying to figure out if the conclusion of the discussion with Aleksithimia has satisfied her or not, Nion was on her way to the central hospital. Since she has not returned to the city for a little while, she decided to pass by her favorite coffee shop for a brief moment of relaxation before continuing her journey.

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The coffee shop \" Heaven Café\" was located in the middle of the old town, the district that has been rebuild mirroring the old architecture from before the war. Families and young people frequented the old town the most. There were lots of historic museums, expositions, and other artistic establishment and mixed communities.

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Nion ordered her favorite \"Strawberry macchiato\" and sat down at the single-seat counter and begun reviewing her private messages meanwhile listening to music from her headphones and enjoying the sunny weather outside.

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\"I wonder how would it look like with all of them without Kanjöga...\" She asked herself. \"I wonder how was it before the prosper took over before everyone had to wear face masks and before everything became so fake... Argh, I am thinking too much.\"

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While she was enjoying her drink and listening to the smooth melody of the song, Nion has opened the old private mailbox that she used before she was assigned to became the part of the Keepers. Similar to most of the unused mailboxes, it was filled with spam, Mitera System flash news and occasional messages from the rebel groups that were sent to recruit new members, spread more propaganda against prosper Aleksithimia rules and revolt the population against the \"Kanjöga\" emotional suppression system.

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Most of these groups were operating outside the capital because the network signal of the Mitera surveillance system is weaker due to the technical limitations of surrounding areas. The local authorities were less present for the law enforcement missions around suburban areas because of a lack of technology and equipment resources. However, most of the time, Mitera Surveillance System was able to identify the sources of propaganda by locating and identifying them. The local authorities took care of the rest.

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\"Let's see what is going on in the city.\" She began reading news feed. \"Another 'Pleasure Drug' has been found at the central market; Metro citizens causing havoc at the 'Gate 14'; Firearms traffics are being sold in Metro; Eruption of prostitution has reached the upper-city... Sign, it is all about Metro. I wish I had a pass to go down there, I can't believe that it is that bad as the news says...\"

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While Nion was scrolling down the messages, one mail particularly got her attention because of the name of the sender. The name was different from the usual identity stealing email model templates. The sender was identified as \"AD\". Even though the message has been encrypted, thanks to Aleksithimia's teaching about \"network routing algorithms\", Nion was able to identify that this mail had been sent from \"Elpida's domain\". The sender clearly knew the recipient's identity.

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The mail contained the following message:

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'There are cemeteries that are lonely, Clogwyn's graves full of bones that do not make a sound, my heart moving through a tunnel, in its darkness, darkness, darkness, like a shipwreck, we die going into ourselves, as though I am willing to be drowned inside your heart, as though I live to see you breaking into pieces of emptiness.' - LOVE:less act 0 -

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Perturbed by the content of the message Nion abruptly stopped the music and started looking around in a stressed manner, but did not find any suspicious signs around her. After taking a closer look at inside the coffee shop, she noticed major changes compared to the last time when she visited the place, which happened to be just after the emotional suppression project implementation.

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Heaven Café had lost all its charm, the coffee machine noises had ceased to exist, the ground coffee smell had disappeared because the coffee-making process had been reinvented to a fully automatic environment. Multiple self-service machines had replaced human staff at the counter who was the essence of the human exchange service itself. The whole place, even outside the shop, seemed like a graveyard of people who minded their own business without interacting with others. Customers were drinking their orders while looking at their mobile devices as if there was an invisible bubble surrounding them, a bubble that created a comfort zone that none of them wanted to leave.

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Nion stood up and was on her way to the hospital while reviewing the message, trying to identify anything that could give her an idea of the identity of \"AD\".

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Aleksithimia has just sent the message to all Keepers members informing that there is a potential Mitera System security breach, a brief report about Terzo (Keepers rang #3) went missing several days ago and that Aleksithimia is taking care of that incident personally.

...

[Late evening - Genf, Central Hospital]

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\"Sigh, this is not going to end well...\" Mumbled Nion as she entered the occupied room, where the older brother who happened to be electrified by her weapon. He peacefully lied on the hospital cot, his room looked exactly like a typical hospital room, an old TV set hangs from the ceiling, a window giving the view to a white wall. Minutes later, the doctor in charge and a nurse have entered the room attaching IV's, heart monitors and refilling the oxygen tank for him.

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\"Good evening Doctor Brun, is he going to make it?\" Asked Nion.

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Another nurse came into the room, giving a report to the doctor. Both were whispering while discussing the report next to the patient. Their discussion has ended as the doctor made a hand signal to both nurses to leave the room and only then replied to Nion.

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\"Mrs Quarta, good evening. That young man you brought here... Where is he from?\" Asked doctor.

\"Does it matter?\" Nion asked for clarification.

\"That pale skin, dark curly hair, I've never seen someone like that around here. That's why I am asking, where is he coming from?\" Doctor asked.

\"He is coming from Elpida... I think... Is there something wrong with that?\" She asked.

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The doctor closed the entrance door after the nurse left.

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\"Yes, I am afraid. Due to the strict regulations of our establishment, we will not proceed with further treatment of this patient.\"

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\"Why?!\" Said Nion.

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\"Its been now a couple of years that you are under my care. I know how dangerous your work is, but you must understand that there are limits I can do for you. We are at the Central Hospital of Great Aleksithimia, it is a public establishment reserved exclusively for residents of Lands of Aleksithimia. The hospital is operating by the rules and policies of the prosper Aleksithimia regulations. According to these, non-resident admission is forbidden regardless of the patient's condition. If you are not happy with this, please speak with the prosper himself - since you have the possibility to do so.\" The doctor explained.

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\"I know, but that's exactly why I brought him here, you are the best doctor I know.\" Replied Nion.

\"I did my best and successfully stopped the hemorrhage, but this is as far as his treatment goes in this hospital.\" He explained.

\"Wait, you are willing to let this poor kid die because he is not our resident, Doctor, you can't do that to me?!\" Insisted Nion.

\"If you want to put it that way.\" He replied.

\"Great! What is going to happen next?!\" Nion asked.

\"The patient has received severe heart damage and lost more than one-third of his blood. Currently, his heart is pumping on its 150% trying to increase the blood pressure, so he needs to rest, preferably to provide further medical assistance\" He said.

\"In other words?!\" She asked.

\"You should take him somewhere else than here and finish the treatment if you want him to live.\" He said while looking at the patient.

\"Any ideas where?\" Nion waved her arms.

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\"I spoke to my colleagues, none of them are willing to take this patient under their custody for the same reason I've just told you.\" Replied doctor. \"As you can see, the patient has not regained consciousness and due to the blood loss, his body has entered into a hypovolemic shock state, he would need another 2 or 3 days before he gets better. Nevertheless, as I just explained to you, we can't proceed with his treatment here, I am sorry... Perhaps, I would advise you to send him to the hospital where he is coming from.\" Said Doctor. \"Sorry for the inconvenience.\"

\"That's rather a big inconvenience...\" Nion grabbed her front.

\"If he would be our citizen, there won't be any problems at all, but he is not. Please keep in mind that you are the one who has brought him here.\" He explained.

\"I knew it would be trouble... Sigh what should I do now...\" The feelings of guilt and responsibility were getting heavier each second. \"Just hang on a little longer kid, I promise you will be on your feet very soon.\" She whispered to his ear.

\"We will discharge the patient tomorrow at 15:00, unless you take him somewhere else before that time.\"

\"Do you know any other places or anyone who could help him? Places that are closer than Elpida...?\" She asked.

\"At this point, this is none of my concern.\" He cleaned the operation table and was about to leave. \"I saw many people dying during my career and what I've learned from that - People's lives are not equal... Not in this country. I wish you a good evening ahead miss Quarta.\" The doctor left the room.

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Nion stayed in the room looking at the unconscious child. She was almost crying due to not being able to help him. He seemed to be having a nightmare as his body had some nervous tics. or a second he opened his eyes wide open staring at the surgical lamp pointing onto his bed as if it was the sun that was about to engulf his body.

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\"Asta!\" Pronounced Alexis while half asleep.

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Right after he pronounced the last word, he collapsed on the bed unconscious.

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Late the same evening, Mitera System had sent an emergency notification that there is another group of trespassers storming the borderline of Elpida.

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\"Eighteen hours before he gets kicked out from the hospital and I got another 'Raid' in Elpida... Today is not my day...\" Nion said as she left the hospital, heading to the outpost.