Dr. Ryan stared at the CT scan in his hands, his face a mask of disbelief.
On the image of Peter's chest, there was clearly something shaped like a mudskipper embryo.
"A tumor?! No… impossible! It's far too close to your aortic artery. If this were a cardiac tumor, it would severely compromise your heart's function."
As he spoke, Dr. Ryan asked Peter, "Have you experienced shortness of breath, a rapid heartbeat, or any discomfort in your chest?"
"No, not for now."
Peter shook his head.
Since the doctor had mistaken the alien embryo for a tumor, he was spared the need to explain further.
Peter's brows furrowed as he fixed his gaze on the CT image before him.
This was the first time he had seen the alien embryo within his body.
It didn't look much different from the hosts parasitized by facehuggers in the world of the Xenomorphs.
"Any major damage near the heart would kill you within seconds. For you to be parasitized by such a tumor and still be alive—this is nothing short of a miracle!"
A note of admiration slipped into Dr. Ryan's voice.
"If…"
Peter hesitated, then asked, "If surgery were attempted to remove this… tumor, how high would the success rate be?"
Though he knew the answer was impossible, he still held onto a sliver of hope.
"No chance. It's interlinked with nearly all of your major organs, not just the heart."
Ryan shook his head and flipped through a few more CT images, his face puzzled. "And besides… this doesn't quite look like a tumor. Its surface seems to be covered in something like an amniotic sac—a membrane protecting your metabolism."
Even he was no longer certain. His initial diagnosis as a tumor was beginning to waver.
"It seems to have its own physiological activity… but how is that possible? How could such a lifeform parasitize the human body?"
Ryan felt his decades of medical training collapsing under this impossible reality.
"If it really is a parasite, then how does it sustain itself?"
The more he thought about it, the more his head spun.
Peter ignored the doctor's mutterings and instead picked up the CT scan himself.
"Dr. Ryan, whether it's a tumor or a parasite, what I want to know is—how do I suppress its growth?"
He asked the question bluntly.
"If these are tumor cells, conventional targeted inhibitors might work. But with this… morphology, I don't believe medication would be effective."
Ryan thought for a moment, then asked, "Are you worried it will damage your organs?"
"Yes. This thing absorbs nutrients from my body and keeps growing. One day, it might replace me."
Peter voiced his deepest fear.
"I don't think you need to worry just yet," Ryan said after some thought. "If it truly intended to replace you by absorbing your nutrients, its growth should have been rapid."
He paused, then continued, "Though I don't know what it is, given how closely it's fused to your organs, it should be able to complete its evolution swiftly if it were meant to consume you."
"But in reality, it hasn't destroyed your organs at all. On the contrary—it seems to be protecting them. In a sense, it's almost like… your second heart."
Peter's expression shifted at that.
"A heart, huh…"
His thoughts turned to the alien-like features his body had begun to manifest.
Could this transformation be the result of the embryo linking itself to his organs, its genes weaving into his genetic sequence?
Ryan spoke again, "I believe so."
He nodded, set his pen down, and continued, "From what I see, the thing inside you doesn't just consume nutrients. It also shields you. With two hearts, your sleep quality would naturally improve. To me, this resembles a symbiotic relationship."
Peter fell silent, considering his words.
After a moment, he pointed at the CT scan, specifically at the top of the embryo. "I'd like to think it's symbiosis too… but look here, these tulip-like flaps."
"They look like sensory organs. That suggests it's gestating something within, and those structures serve a protective role."
Though he now knew he wouldn't die in a sudden "chestburst," that hardly meant he could sleep soundly.
For the time being, the alien embryo existed in symbiosis, lending him powerful support and protection.
But its form still carried all the traits of a xenomorphic embryo. Who could say when the slumbering creature within might awaken?
Ryan nodded. "That possibility exists. But I'd rather believe it isn't a malignant tumor… nor a malignant parasite."
Seeing Peter remain silent, he went on, "If you're worried about what it might gestate, then why not come in every few days for a check-up? We'll monitor its changes. I'll keep this strictly confidential—no one else will ever know."
Of course, Peter didn't fully trust him.
But as long as no evidence was left behind, even if Ryan tried to talk, no one would believe him.
And should the man make the slightest misstep, Peter could eliminate him instantly.
"A good proposal. Let's hope our cooperation goes well."
Peter kept his face expressionless as he extended his hand. They shook, sealing the agreement.
He took the CT scan with him as he left.
Elsewhere, Christine was on her way to see Dr. Ryan to notify him of a meeting—only to cross paths with Peter leaving his office.
She immediately recognized him as the man she'd encountered in the elevator earlier.
The very man who had so unsettled Strange.
Watching Peter's back disappear down the corridor, Christine knocked on Ryan's office door.
"Dr. Ryan, have you finished your consultation?"
"Of course. I'll be right there."
Ryan stood up, forcing a casual smile.
Nine o'clock that evening.
After a long day, Christine was ready to rest.
Sitting at her computer, finishing up paperwork, she suddenly felt an urge to discover the identity of that stranger who had caught Strange's attention.
She logged into the hospital's internal system with her credentials and pulled up Dr. Ryan Brown's consultation records.
By regulation, all patient data had to be entered into the hospital database.
For confidentiality, however, only the treating doctor could access detailed medical information. Others could see only names and basic details.
To her surprise, Ryan Brown's record for the day showed zero patients.
Impossible!
She had clearly seen someone walk out of his office.
Did that bastard of a doctor… delete his records himself?