Puzzles
“Stiles, I need your help,” Victor burst into Derek and Angie’s office.
“You need...my help?”
“Yes,” Victor groaned. “I need you to do these puzzles.”
“Oh no no, I am not doing those again!”
“Please! You’re the smartest dumbass in this place!”
“Dr. McCann?”
“She’s just smart. So I’ll see you and Angie in the labs? Say, 15 minutes? Thanks!” Victor left.
“Hey I did not-!” The door slammed shut. Derek sighed. The door opened again and Angie walked in. She dumped a folder on her desk.
“Why was Dr. Niguel smiling as he walked down the corridor?” She asked. “He must’ve walked out from here.”
“We’re apparently ‘helping’ Victor again. With his fun and educational puzzles.” Derek groaned. Angie chuckled at him.
“Oh Derek. You know you’re good at them.”
“I’m not! I’m awful at puzzles - hey stop laughing!” Angie covered her hand with her mouth, hiding a grin behind it. Once she had composed herself, she walked to the door.
“Come on, Dr. Niguel is probably waiting.”
***
Victor tutted as the world-famous duo walked in.
“You took your sweet time. I would’ve asked the Blaylock-Vaughns to be here, but since their son is sick they had to leave. So it’s just us.”
Next to him stood his student, Elaine McCann. She technically wasn’t his student anymore but that’s what Derek had gotten to know her as and it was weird to think of her as anything different. She cleared her throat.
“So, Dr. Stiles, we have a number of short puzzles for you to complete. Of course, the reason Victor and I aren’t doing this ourselves is simply because it wouldn’t give us the correct results - we aren’t...how to put this...we have a higher level of intelligence than the general population.”
“Yeah yeah, we all know the general population is stupid. So, I’ll start the timer in: 3, 2-“
“Wait!” Derek fumbled around for the gloves and looked at Angie. She had carefully prepped the forceps for him. “Okay, we’re ready now.”
“Three, two, one - go.” There was a beep as the timer started. Derek looked at Angie, laughing slightly at the ridiculousness of what he was about to say.
“Let’s begin the operation?”
***
“I fricking HATE those puzzles!” Derek fumed as he walked into the staff room. Angie was following him, looking at a chart.
“You did well Derek, I don’t know what you’re on about.”
“I’m talking about the first two, that took me five minutes each. FIVE WHOLE MINUTES, Angie.”
Angie put the chart down and got Derek a coffee, shaking her head at his childish behaviour. “Derek, honey, that really is nothing. You’re unbelievably fast - even Dr. McCann looked slightly impressed.”
Derek looked up. Even though he was getting older, the hopeful sparkle that Angie had fallen in love with still crept into his eyes from time to time.
“Really?”
“Mhm,” Angie sat down next to him and passed him the chart, sighing slightly. “This guy’s so entitled. I mean, $42,000 for an appendectomy at 10 years old? And now he’s complaining because his bill barely passes the $50k mark?”
“How old is he?”
“41.”
“What?!”
“He grew up a millionare’s son...and unfortunately the fortune left in his father’s will is enough for him to not need a job. He is the CEO of some company though. His name’s Chandler Forbes, if you were interested. And he’s got a benign tumour removal.” Angie rubbed her head. “This is exactly why Dr. Kasal doesn’t allow regular surgeries. We’re seeing him at 12pm tomorrow.”
***
“I swear I’m going to lose it-” Derek had just met the millionaire who was getting tumours removed, and he was just as bad as Angie had predicted. He’d thrown a fit about his bill. Derek opened his mouth to continue talking but instead jumped and let out a yelp as the door to their office was slammed open.
“We got it!” Dr. McCann stood in the doorway, grinning crazily. It didn’t look like she’d gotten any sleep at all.
“Got what?” Derek asked.
“Tch, you’re really that daft?” Victor said. He, too, looked exhausted. “We got treatment for Post-Rosalia. The Blaylock-Vaughn kid’ll be alright.”
Derek stood up. “That’s great news! Have you sent it over?!”
“Just now,” Victor nodded at Derek. “Thanks for the help, Stiles. Both of you.”
“Oh uh - it was nothing!” Derek scratched the back of his neck. Angie smiled at Victor and Elaine.
“Thank you, for working so hard,” She said. “Now both of you go home and get some rest. You look exhausted.”