After seeing off the Ore Disease patient, Schiller pulled down the lever, and a female gnoll covered head to toe in Vines dropped from the passageway. The two of them carried her to the nearby operating table, and Schiller injected her with the prepared anesthetic.
Strange pulled the lever again. This time, the patient did not fall as quickly. After waiting for a little over a minute, another patient dropped down—a dark-skinned man with the distinctive black spots on his chest.
By then, Schiller had just finished anesthetizing the woman. They moved the man onto the adjacent operating table as well. Schiller began examining him to determine the type of Black Death Plague he had, while Strange went to remove the Vines from the woman.
After examining his eyes and mouth and drawing blood, Schiller said, "The scar plague strain of Black Death Day Plague. He is also carrying the Spherical Tentacle Virus."
Schiller pressed lightly on the man's somewhat swollen abdomen, then said, "It may have spread to his internal organs. There is slight fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity. A biopsy is needed."
Strange put on his monocle, lifted one eyelid slightly, and said, "Drain the abdominal fluid first, then treat the ulcerated skin. I'll operate afterward."
Schiller changed the needle on the syringe and slowly drew out the fluid from the man's abdomen. Though the man was burning with fever, he remained conscious, muttering something under his breath.
Once most of the fluid had been drained, Schiller began cleaning the scars on the man's skin, while Strange had already removed most of the Vines emerging from the woman's lungs. They switched places. Strange operated on the man, while Schiller went to stitch up the woman.
When he was nearly done suturing, Schiller pulled the lever again. Another