The Promise
Machina sat, not taking her eyes off Lois, whose suddenly pale face made her look like she might never speak again.
"Now, er, we do need to talk about this matter," Professor Atticus continued. "Feng here has put together a summary of his interviews, and the reports of people going insane are numerous, indeed. Something is very wrong, and it's spreading throughout the Realities at an alarming rate. Almost like a—"
"Disease," Julie Atkins said. "Like a disease."
Professor Atticus paused, studying the beautiful woman as he thought about what she said. She didn't look back, staring at the table in front of her with a blank expression.
"Yes," he finally said. "Yes, quite like a disease, actually. The pattern shows it spreading from a fragmented Reality—all cases link back to it eventually, with no exception. It is exactly like a disease or a virus."
"Need a sample, then. One of the crazies," Machina said.